Crispy Smashed Potatoes

A great side dish for everyday or special meals. If you can boil water, you can do this. Just follow these easy step by step photo instructions.

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Editor’s Note: Originally Published July 4, 2012. Updated with expanded discussion and updated photos.

Crispy… Tasty… Simple… Some of my favorite words. My type of recipe. An easy potato side dish that will become one of your all-time favorites.

Smashed potatoes have been around for quit a while but many people have forgot about them.

Most recipes for smashed potatoes are very simular and I’ll pick a Pioneer Woman recipe as the inspiration recipe, but it could have been many others. I’m simplifying as much as possible with easy step by step photo instructions.

My Rating

This is a solid 4.

Pro Tips: Recipe Notes for Crisp Smashed Potatoes

The basic idea is to boil some smaller potatoes in salt water until soft. About 30 minutes. Smash them on an oiled pan, top with oil, salt, pepper and anything else you want. Then bake them at a relatively high temp until browning and crunchy. About 20 minutes.

What Potatoes to Use?

There are several hundred types of potatoes, but I like to divide them into russets potatoes and thinner skin types. Russets are picked when mature and tend to have more starch and thick skins, great for baking.

The potatoes for this recipe need to be a thin-skinned potato. Also, big enough for a nice serving but not too big. This puts the choice right on medium-size red potato.

I think any thinner skin potatoes like Yukon Gold, young or baby potatoes would be fine also.

Cooking the Potatoes

The potatoes need to be fully cooked to smash well. I will define that as “fork tender” which means if you stick it with a fork, it will come out easily. If you don’t “get it” about fork tender, you can use a thermometer. I like to use 210. Cook’s Illustrated recommends 205 to 212.

For these potatoes, it will be about 30 minutes simmering in boiling water. But will vary some with size of the potatoes.

What Oven Temperature?

While I wrote the recipe to cook at 425 convection or 450 conventional oven, it will work with a wide range of oven temperatures. You are cooking to an endpoint of nicely browned and crispy.

Options:

Make them “loaded smashed potatoes” with bacon and cheese.

I used my 7:2:1 seasoning for that garlic taste.

In a pan big enough to hold the number of potatoes you want, add water and some salt. Here I have 3-4 cups of water, I added one tsp of salt and brought to a boil over high heat.

Scrub some smaller potatoes. These are about 1 1/2 inch red potatoes.

Add the potatoes to the water. Be sure you cover the potatoes with the water. Cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes until “fork tender”. This is when you can stick it with a fork and meet only a little resistance, and it comes out easily — Preheat oven to 425 convection or 450 conventional.

Add olive oil to a non-stick baking pan with an edge. Use enough to have it “pool” a little, not just a coat. Add the potatoes and “smash” to about 1/2 inch thick. I used a potato masher, but the bottom of a large glass would work also.

Brush top with more olive oil.

Sprinkle with salt, pepper and anything else you want. I used my 7-2-1 seasoning mix which also has garlic in it.

Bake until brown and crisp. About 20-25 minutes.

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4.67 from 12 votes

Crispy Smashed Potatoes

A great side dish for everyday or special meals. If you can boil water, you can do this. Just follow these easy step by step photo instructions.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time55 mins

Author: Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

Servings/Adjustment: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 red potatoes - 1 1/2 inch
• olive oil
• salt and water
• 7:2:1 or 7:2:2 seasoning - or kosher salt and pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• In a pan big enough to hold the number of potatoes you want, add 3-4 cups of water and about a teaspoon of salt.
• Scrub some smaller potatoes. I suggest 1 1/2 inch red potatoes.
• Add the potatoes to the water. Be sure you cover the potatoes with the water.
• Cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes until “fork tender”. This is when you can stick it with a fork and meet only a little resistance, and it comes out easily.
  
• Preheat oven to 425 convection or 450 conventional. You can use lower temperatures and bake a bit longer.
  
• Add olive oil to a nonstick baking pan with an edge. Use enough to have it “pool” a little, not just a coat. Add the potatoes and “smash” to about 1/2 inch thick. I used a potato masher, but the bottom of a large glass would work also.
• Brush top with more olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and anything else you want. I used my 7-2-1 seasoning mix which also has garlic in it.
• Bake until brown and crisp. About 20-25 minutes.

Recipe Notes

Pro Tips:

1. I like red potatoes that are about 1 1/2 inch in diameter. That is small enough to cook easily but big enough for a reasonable serving.
2. I do not suggest russet potatoes for this.
3. I have recommended a relatively high baking temperature here, but a lower temperature would work but just take longer to cook.
4. The endpoint of baking is browning and crispy.

Nutrition Facts

Crispy Smashed Potatoes

Amount Per Serving

Calories 166 Calories from Fat 18

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 2g 3%

Sodium 38mg 2%

Potassium 969mg 28%

Total Carbohydrates 33g 11%

Dietary Fiber 3g 12%

Sugars 2g

Protein 4g 8%

Vitamin A 0.3%

Vitamin C 22.2%

Calcium 2.1%

Iron 8.6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

Have a question or something not clear? Ask in the comments.

 

Nutrition is for one serving. Number of servings is stated above and is my estimate of normal serving size for this recipe.

All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.

If you like this recipe or find it useful, the pleasure of a nice 4 or 5 rating would be greatly appreciated.

Originally Published July 4, 2012