Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Smashed potatoes are small potatoes boiled until tender, pressed flat, then roasted in a hot oven until the edges are brown and crisp. Flattening them breaks the skin and creates rough, ragged edges, which crisp up much more than a whole roast potato, while the centre stays soft.
There are only three stages: boil, smash, roast. Each is simple, but each has one thing that decides whether the potatoes come out crisp or soggy, and those details are what this page is about.
Serves 4 as a side. Prep takes 10 minutes and cooking about 1 hour, including cooling time.
Start with the right potatoes
Choose small potatoes, about 4–5 cm (1 ½–2 in) across, all roughly the same size so they cook evenly. Waxy or all-purpose potatoes are best: baby Yukon Golds, new potatoes, Charlotte or fingerlings. They hold together when you smash them and have thin skins that crisp well.
Floury, starchy potatoes like Russets or Maris Pipers fall apart when smashed. You can use them, cut into chunks, but you get something closer to crushed roast potatoes than neat discs.
Leave the skins on. They hold each potato together and give the crispiest edges.
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) small waxy or all-purpose potatoes
- 1 tbsp (about 18 g) fine sea salt, for the cooking water
- 4 tbsp (60 ml) olive oil, divided
- 2 tbsp (30 g) butter, melted (optional; or use another 2 tbsp olive oil)
- ¾ tsp flaky sea salt, or ½ tsp fine salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary or thyme leaves
- 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley, to finish
- 25 g (¼ cup) finely grated Parmesan (optional)
Method
Boil
- Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover them with cold water by about 2.5 cm (1 in). Add the salt. Starting in cold water helps the potatoes cook evenly all the way through.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook for 15–20 minutes, depending on size, until a knife or skewer slides into the centre with no resistance. They should be fully tender, softer than you would cook them for a potato salad; slightly undercooked potatoes crack instead of flattening.
- Drain well and spread them out on a clean tea towel or a rack. Let them steam and dry for 10 minutes. The surface should look dry and matte. This is the most important step for crispness: water left on the potatoes turns to steam in the oven.
Smash
- Heat the oven to 230°C (450°F), or 210°C fan. Pour 2 tbsp of the olive oil onto a large rimmed baking sheet and spread it around.
- Place the potatoes on the sheet with plenty of space between them, at least 5 cm (2 in). Press each one with the base of a sturdy glass, a measuring cup or a potato masher until it’s about 1–1.5 cm (½ in) thick. You want it to split and spread, with cracks across the top, but stay in one piece. If one falls apart, push the pieces back together.
Roast
- Mix the remaining olive oil with the melted butter and brush or drizzle it over the tops, letting some run into the cracks. Season with the salt and pepper.
- Roast on the lower-middle shelf for 20 minutes, until the undersides are golden and release easily from the tray.
- Turn each potato with a thin metal spatula. Scatter over the garlic, herbs and Parmesan, if using, and roast for 10–15 minutes more, until deep golden brown and crisp at the edges. The garlic goes in late so it doesn’t burn.
- Scatter with parsley and a little more flaky salt and serve hot.
Timing it around the rest of dinner
The oven temperature is high, so smashed potatoes are easiest to plan when they’re the only thing roasting. A simple timeline: boil and drain the potatoes about an hour before eating. While they dry, cook or prepare your main dish. Put them in the oven 35 minutes before serving. If your main course is a roast that needs to rest for 20–30 minutes, the potatoes can go in as it comes out, with the oven turned up.
Pan-seared chicken, steak, fish and pork chops all fit this timing well. Our marry me chicken cooks on the stove in the 35 minutes the potatoes spend in the oven, and its cream sauce is good spooned over them. For more ideas, browse our dinner recipes.
When things go wrong
They’re stuck to the tray. They weren’t ready to turn. Give them another 5 minutes; a crisp crust releases on its own. Using enough oil and a heavy tray helps too. Baking paper prevents sticking but gives slightly less crisp bottoms.
They’re pale and soft. Usually the potatoes were still wet, the tray was crowded, or the oven wasn’t hot enough. Use two trays if necessary, and let them dry fully.
They crumbled when smashed. Starchy potatoes, or potatoes that were overcooked or still very hot. Let them cool a little longer, and push gently.
They cracked rather than flattening. They needed a few more minutes of boiling.
The garlic burned. Add it with the herbs halfway, not at the start, or use ½ tsp garlic powder with the oil instead.
Flavour variations
- Parmesan and rosemary: the version above, with the Parmesan added. For more Italian-inspired ideas, browse our Italian recipes.
- Smoky barbecue: mix 1 tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp garlic powder and 1 tsp brown sugar into the oil. It suits grilled meat and other American classics.
- Za’atar and lemon: skip the rosemary. Sprinkle the potatoes with 2 tsp za’atar after turning, and finish with grated lemon zest.
- Butter and soy: toss the hot potatoes with 1 tbsp melted butter mixed with 2 tsp soy sauce and sliced spring onions.
- Chilli and lime: season with chilli flakes before roasting, and finish with lime juice and chopped cilantro.
Air fryer
Boil, dry and smash the potatoes as above, on a board or tray. Brush both sides with oil and season. Cook in a single layer at 200°C (400°F) for 15–20 minutes, turning halfway, until deep golden. Add the garlic and herbs for the last 5 minutes. Most air fryers fit about half the batch at a time.
Make ahead, storage and reheating
This is a good dish for making ahead, because the potatoes can be boiled and smashed the day before. Cool them on the oiled tray, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Roast them straight from the fridge, adding 5 minutes to the first stage. Potatoes that have been chilled usually crisp up even better.
Cooked smashed potatoes keep for 3–4 days in a covered container in the fridge. Reheat them in a single layer in a 220°C (425°F) oven or an air fryer at 200°C (400°F) for 8–10 minutes, until they are hot through and crisp again. A microwave makes them soft. Freezing isn’t recommended; the texture becomes watery.
Serving
Serve them as you would roast potatoes or fries, with a dip on the side if you like: garlicky yogurt, aioli, sour cream with chives, or a herby green sauce. They go especially well with simply cooked meat, like our Greek chicken souvlaki, where the lemon and oregano match a za’atar or herb version. You can find many more side dishes and mains among the recipes at World Recipe Club.
Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 kg small waxy or all-purpose potatoes 2 ¼ lb, 4–5 cm / 1 ½–2 in across
- 1 tbsp fine sea salt about 18 g, for the cooking water
- 4 tbsp olive oil 60 ml, divided
- 2 tbsp butter 30 g, melted, or 2 tbsp more olive oil
- ¾ tsp flaky sea salt or ½ tsp fine salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary or thyme
- 25 g finely grated Parmesan ¼ cup, optional
- 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Cover the potatoes with cold water by 2.5 cm (1 in), add the salt, and bring to a boil. Simmer 15–20 minutes until a knife slides into the centre with no resistance.
- Drain and spread out to steam-dry for 10 minutes, until the skins look dry and matte.
- Heat the oven to 230°C (450°F) / 210°C fan. Spread 2 tbsp oil on a large rimmed baking sheet.
- Space the potatoes at least 5 cm (2 in) apart and press each to about 1–1.5 cm (½ in) thick with the base of a glass.
- Mix the remaining oil with the butter and drizzle over. Season with salt and pepper.
- Roast on the lower-middle shelf 20 minutes, until golden underneath and easy to release.
- Turn, scatter with garlic, herbs and Parmesan, and roast 10–15 minutes more until deep golden and crisp at the edges.
- Finish with parsley and a little flaky salt. Serve hot.
Notes
Photo: Kübra Doğu on Pexels
