Smashed potatoes – boiled, flattened, then roasted until golden brown and crispy.
Crispier on the outside than roasted potatoes and creamy on the inside like mashed — I’m team smashed all the way. They’re the best of all potato worlds.
A crispier, rustic twist on the classic mashed or roasted potato side dish.
Why this Recipe Works
- Parboiling potatoes – maximizes crispness by softening the interior and gelatinizing the surface starches for crunchy texture.
- Smashing potatoes – creates more surface area so more of the potato touches the pan, which means more edges can crisp up.
- Make-ahead friendly - the potatoes can be cooked ahead and quickly re-crisped
- Seasonal year round - potatoes are available all year, making this a side dish that never goes out of season.
Cooks in Europe have been smashing potatoes — crushing boiled potatoes before roasting them — for over 300 years. The smash technique creates more surface area, which means crispier edges.
Think of them as mini smash burgers — but made with boiled potatoes instead. And the smash potato technique is actually a few hundred years older.
Smashed potatoes themselves have been around for centuries, but crispy smashed potatoes really exploded in popularity in the 2000s and became an internet sensation. And I am here for it — smashing potatoes maximizes crispiness.
A few years ago, I hosted a Hanukkah party for 100 of my closest friends. I wanted to make everything from scratch, but there was no way I was shredding potatoes, for latkes, for 100 friends. The solution: smashed potatoes. A deconstructed latke, if you will. Or a very simplified version. Served with all the traditional latke toppings and more, they were a huge hit — highly recommend. I’ve also heard of smashed potato pancakes (instead of the traditional grated version), where mashed potatoes are mixed with egg, flour, and seasoning. Will try soon and report back.
How to Make Smashed Potatoes
Boil. Smash. Bake.
Customize: Add rosemary, sage, garlic, thyme or other herbs to create your own smashed potato flavor combination. Or add a little butter to the sheet pan.
Chef’s tip: Add minced garlic during the last 10 minutes of roasting to prevent it from burning.
Quantities: This recipe can easily be halved or doubled.
Flexibility: The recipe can be scaled up or down, and the herbs and spices can be customized.
The Potato - The best potatoes for smashed potatoes are smaller, waxy, medium starch/medium moisture potatoes like baby Yukon Golds or red potatoes. That said, I’ve yet to meet a potato I wouldn’t smash.
Cooks Tips:
- For the crispiest results, use smaller, waxy potatoes like baby Yukon Golds or red potatoes.
- Make-ahead: Boil and smash the potatoes up to 2 days in advance. Store in the fridge until ready to roast.
- Storage: Leftover smashed potatoes can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Warm smashed potatoes in a 350°F oven for 10–15 minutes, until heated through.
Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds small potatoes (we used baby multi-colored potatoes), scrubbed
- Kosher salt to taste
- 1/2 cup olive oil divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Place the potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water, and season generously with salt. Bring to a boil and cook until fork-tender, about 10–12 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly. Using the bottom of a glass or measuring cup, gently smash each potato to about ¼-inch thick.
- Toss the smashed potatoes with ¼ cup of the olive oil, a generous pinch of salt and arrange on a sheet pan. Roast, flipping halfway through, until golden and crispy, about 35–40 minutes. Serve hot.
Notes
- For the crispiest results, use smaller, waxy potatoes like baby Yukon Golds or red potatoes.
- Make-ahead: Boil and smash the potatoes up to 2 days in advance. Store in the fridge until ready to roast.
- Storage: Leftover smashed potatoes can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Warm smashed potatoes in a 350°F oven for 10–15 minutes, until heated through.
More Potato Recipes?
Looking for more potato recipes? Especially purple ones - the antioxidant-rich members of the potato family. Sweet potatoes included.
- No-Mayo Potato Salad - A bright, herbaceous potato salad tossed in smoky paprika vinaigrette.
- Hasselback Potato Gratin - The best of creamy potato gratin and crispy hasselback potatoes in one epic mash-up.
- Giant Potato Latke – baked until golden and crispy with a tender center.
- Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries - Extremely crispy oven-baked sweet potato fries served with spicy chipotle aioli.
- Purple Sweet Potato Pie - A vibrant purple twist on classic Southern sweet potato pie with gingersnap crust and pecan streusel.
- Sweet Potato Salad with Feta & Lime Vinaigrette - A colorful sweet potato salad with feta and a bright maple-lime vinaigrette.
More Easy Roasted Veggie Recipes
Looking for more easy roasted vegetable recipes? Try these next:
- Roasted carrots
- Roasted radishes
- Roasted cabbage wedges
- Roasted beets
- Roasted artichokes
- Roasted sweet potato (fries)
- Simple roasted cabbage (coming soon)
- Roasted cauliflower (coming soon)
- Roasted Brussels sprouts (coming soon)
If you tried this recipe, I'd love to hear about it — leave a comment below and let me know, and tag me on IG, @danielagerson, so I can see too!
If you enjoyed this recipe, explore more seasonal recipes and colorful produce guides here on the site — there’s plenty more inspiration waiting for you.
Let's make waves in the kitchen.
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