Garlic Smashed Potatoes

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Crispy garlic smashed potatoes are an easy side dish that needs just a handful of pantry ingredients. Baked until golden at the edges and seasoned with garlic, paprika and herbs, they go with almost any main.

Today I want to show you how to turn baby potatoes into one of my favorite side dishes, garlic smashed potatoes.

They are easy to make, use mostly herb and spice rack ingredients and the edges go properly crispy in the oven.

The trick for crispy smashed potatoes: dry the boiled potatoes well, give each one a real flat smash so there is plenty of surface area, drizzle enough olive oil over them so the edges can crisp up and bake on the top rack of a hot oven. Twenty minutes at 400°F (200°C) usually gets them golden at the edges.

Best potatoes for smashing: baby Yukon Gold or baby red potatoes work best. They are waxy, so they hold their shape under the masher instead of crumbling. Russets are too starchy for this and tend to fall apart.

Now I like potatoes, but when I order a dish in a restaurant and get plain boiled potatoes as a side, that always disappoints me. Plain boiled potatoes just don’t taste nice, especially when they are under-seasoned. That is why I wanted to show you what else you can do with them.

If you are in the mood for more potato sides, potato salad, hasselback potatoes and twice baked potatoes are all worth a look.

You can make smashed potatoes on the grill or in the oven. The choice is yours. When I am super-lazy I throw them into our tiny indoor contact grill and they are done in minutes.

Is there a difference between smashed potatoes and mashed potatoes?

Yes. Mashed potatoes are cooked, mashed and usually combined with butter and milk to get a creamy consistency. In Ireland, kale and spring onion are stirred in and it is called colcannon.

Smashed potatoes are whole baby potatoes that have been boiled, placed onto a baking tray, slightly smashed and baked until crispy. They can be seasoned to your liking. My favorites are garlic smashed potatoes.

How to make garlic smashed potatoes

Wash the potatoes thoroughly. The skin stays on, so scrub off any dirt. Use baby potatoes for this recipe.

Now you need to cook them. I prefer a wide-bottomed pot. It helps if all the potatoes fit next to each other rather than stacked, because the water comes to a boil faster. This is a tip, not a must.

Whatever pot you use, do not over-fill it with water. Add just enough to cover the potatoes. Cover with a lid, set the stove to high and once the water boils, reduce the heat to medium-low.

Cook until the potatoes are soft inside. I insert a wooden skewer to check. If it slides in easily, they are ready.

Once cooked, drain them well and let them sit in the colander for a minute so they dry slightly. This helps them crisp up better. Place them onto a baking tray and smash each one with a potato masher or a fork.

Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake on the top rack for about 20 minutes, or until the edges look golden and crisp.

When the potatoes come out, spread some minced garlic over them, season with paprika and dried oregano and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Taste one and add more salt and pepper if needed.

I like sprinkling them with chives, but finely chopped parsley works just as well.

Variations

Garlic parmesan smashed potatoes

Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino over the smashed potatoes during the last 5 minutes of baking so the cheese melts and crisps at the edges. Add another small handful after baking if you want a stronger cheesy finish. Parmesan is salty, so taste before adding extra salt.

Garlic butter smashed potatoes

Instead of olive oil and raw minced garlic for the topping, melt 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter with the minced garlic in a small pan over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, then spoon it over the warm potatoes.

Reader tip: Annika tried these with butter and garlic instead of olive oil and garlic and called them “absolutely delicious”. For a vegan-friendly version, use olive oil or your favorite plant-based butter.

What to serve with garlic smashed potatoes

These crispy potatoes work especially well with grilled mains. Serve them with grilled boneless chicken thighs, grilled salmon foil packets or grilled turkey kabobs.

For a meat-free dinner, try them with vegetable foil packets or a simple salad. If you need another potato side for a cookout, campfire potatoes are a good option too.

Useful tips

• Don’t forget to salt the water when boiling the potatoes. Nothing is worse than an under-seasoned potato.
• Cooking time can vary from 15 to 25 minutes depending on potato size and type. Test with a skewer.
• Let the potatoes dry for a minute after draining. Too much surface moisture makes them steam instead of crisp.
• For extra crispy potatoes, leave them in the oven a few minutes past the 20-minute mark. Watch the edges so they don’t burn.
• For a spicier finish, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or use smoked paprika instead of regular paprika.
• Parmesan or Pecorino adds a lot of flavor. If you have some on hand, use it.
• Roasted garlic butter can boost the garlic flavor, or replace fresh garlic for a milder, mellower taste.
• For an extra crunchy topping, run skin-on almonds through a food processor until crumb-like, then toast them in a dry skillet for about 2 minutes until golden. Sprinkle over each potato. This is optional but it is one of my favorite ways to serve them.

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Garlic Smashed Potatoes Recipes

These garlic smashed potatoes are crispy around the edges, soft in the middle and seasoned with garlic, paprika and herbs. They make an easy side dish with simple ingredients.

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 (as a side)

Author: Julia

Ingredients

1x2x3x

USMetric

• ▢ 2 pounds baby potatoes
• ▢ 1 tablespoon salt + extra to taste
• ▢ 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves
• ▢ black pepper
• ▢ 1 teaspoon paprika
• ▢ 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• ▢ fresh chives
• ▢ ¼ cup almonds optional

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Instructions 

• Wash the potatoes thoroughly under running water and place them in a large pot. Pour in water so that they are submerged but don’t over-fill the pot with water. They will cook faster. Add 1 tablespoon of salt. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Reduced the heat to medium-low and simmer until they are soft.
• Meanwhile: Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.
• When the potatoes are cooked, drain the water and let them sit in the colander for a minute so they dry slightly. Place them onto a baking tray. Smash them with a potato masher or a fork. Drizzle some olive oil over and sprinkle each one with salt and pepper. Bake on the top shelf for 20minutes or until they are crispy.
• Prepare the garlic “spread” by combining about 2 tablespoons of olive oil with minced garlic cloves. Mix well.
• Spoon a bit of the garlic “spread” onto each potato and spread it around. Sprinkle with paprika, dried oregano and finely chopped fresh chives. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
• Optional but recommended: While waiting for the potatoes to be baked, run some whole, skinned almonds through a food processor until crumb-like texture. Throw them onto a dry frying pan/skillet and toast them for about 2 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle these over each potato.
• Serve as an appetizer or side dish while still warm.

Notes

1. Use a wooden skewer or fork to check if the potatoes are done. Pierce the largest potato. If it goes in easily, they are ready.
2. Extra virgin olive oil can be substituted with regular olive oil. I don’t recommend using vegetable or sunflower oil. If you don’t have olive oil, use real butter instead.
3. If you have smoked paprika, feel free to use it.
4. Garlic butter variation: melt 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter with the minced garlic over low heat and spoon it over the warm potatoes instead of using the olive oil spread.
5. Make it cheesy: sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino over the potatoes during the last 5 minutes of baking.
6. For more tips, check out the blog post.

Nutrition

Calories: 218 kcal (11%), Carbohydrates: 29 g (10%), Protein: 5 g (10%), Fat: 10 g (15%), Saturated Fat: 1 g (6%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7 g, Trans Fat: 0.002 g, Sodium: 1173 mg (51%), Potassium: 710 mg (20%), Fiber: 5 g (21%), Sugar: 2 g (2%), Vitamin A: 255 IU (5%), Vitamin C: 31 mg (38%), Calcium: 53 mg (5%), Iron: 2 mg (11%)

Nutrition information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and may vary based on ingredient brands, substitutions, and portion sizes.

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

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