Smashed Potatoes
35 Comments
Posted: 08/14/25
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These crispy Smashed Potatoes are an easy, flavorful side dish brushed with garlic butter and seasoned to perfection—perfect for weeknight dinners and guaranteed to be a family favorite.
Looking for a way to change a classic side dish for dinner? These crispy, buttery smashed potatoes are just what you need! They’re so easy to make and have the most incredible flavor. First, you’ll boil the potatoes, then smash them on a sheet pan.
Smashed potatoes in the oven are crispy, creamy, fluffy and melt in your mouth delicious. Serve up some yummy sloppy joes with these crispy potatoes and you’ve got an easy meal in minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The crispy factor is out of this world! The best texture and most incredible flavor.
- While it’s not the fastest to cook, this smashed potato recipe only requires pantry staples so it’s easy to throw together.
- You don’t need many ingredients to make these smashed oven potatoes. Just a super simple list!
I love this. It was so easy and the family loved that it was something new. Big hit
Ingredients for Smashed Potatoes
- Potatoes – The main thing is you pick small potatoes for CRISPY potatoes. The bigger they are, the less crispy they become. You can use any potato type of for this technique, just be sure they are roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
- Butter – Helps get that perfect crisp skin and adds flavor. You can also brush the smashed potatoes with olive oil if you don’t want to use butter.
- Minced garlic – A mixture of garlic and parsley give these crispy smashed potatoes loads of flavor.
- Parsley – I love adding parsley to these potatoes for the perfect herby touch. You can also add some rosemary.
- Seasonings – Use a little bit of salt and ground black pepper to make the flavor pop.
- Parmesan cheese – Optional, but we like the slightly tangy flavor sprinkled on ours.
- Extra garnish – Load up your smashed potatoes by offering flaky salt, sour cream, chives and bacon bits on the side.
Helpful Tools
- Potato masher – You can use the bottom of a jar, measuring cup or glass, but a potato masher is a great tool for smashing potatoes, too.
- Slotted turner – This particular turner makes it simple to transfer potatoes from the baking tray to your serving platter.
How to Make Smashed Potatoes
Fill a large pot halfway with water, bring to a boil and liberally salt the water.
Add potatoes, and cook until fork tender. Strain and then set them to the side.
Arrange potatoes on prepared baking sheet and LIGHTLY flatten with the bottom of a glass jar – do not completely mash.
Melt the butter and mix it with minced garlic and parsley. Drizzle the mixture over each potato. Season with salt and pepper.
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until browned.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Return to oven until cheese is melted and browned.
Serve immediately alongside your favorite main courses.
Pro Tips
- Make sure that your potatoes are tender after you boil them, but not mushy.
- Make sure there’s room to circulate around the potatoes on the sheet pan so they get crispy.
- Skipping the parchment paper and baking directly on the pan will help crisp up your potatoes
- A dark sheet pan will give you the best crispy factor so use a dark pan if you have it.
Can I Prepare These Ahead of Time?
You can definitely boil and smash your potatoes ahead of time. Store them in the fridge in an airtight container until you are ready to season and bake them.
Storage and Reheating
Fridge: Allow to cool and transfer leftovers to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing these because potatoes don’t typically have a great texture after being frozen and reheated.
To reheat, place the smashed potatoes on a baking sheet and bake until crispy. These would reheat great in the toaster oven or air fryer too.
Why are my smashed potatoes falling apart?
If you end up with smashed potatoes that are falling apart you likely overcooked them. You also have to be careful that you don’t smush the potatoes too much. Just lightly smash them before baking.
I love that these smashed potatoes are fancy enough to serve to guests but easy enough to make during the week. This will become your new go-to method of cooking potatoes!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Smashed Potatoes Recipe
Crisp Smashed Potatoes are the best side dish ever! Brushed in butter and perfectly seasoned with herbs and salt then topped with Parmesan cheese.
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup butter melted
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- kosher salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
- 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large stock pot filled halfway with water, bring to boil and liberally salt water. Add potatoes, and boil for 20 minutes, or until they are fork tender. Strain; set aside.
- Lightly grease a large baking sheet or tray with non-stick spray. Arrange potatoes on the sheet and LIGHTLY flatten the potatoes with a potato masher or the bottom of a glass jar in one piece (not too hard or they will end up mashed).
- Mix together the melted butter, garlic and parsley. Pour over each potato. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place in preheated oven and bake 10-15 minutes or until browned on the top. Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Return to oven until cheese is melted and browned.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 251kcal (13%), Carbohydrates: 29g (10%), Protein: 7g (14%), Fat: 12g (18%), Saturated Fat: 8g (50%), Cholesterol: 33mg (11%), Sodium: 169mg (7%), Potassium: 945mg (27%), Fiber: 5g (21%), Vitamin A: 470IU (9%), Vitamin C: 27.8mg (34%), Calcium: 105mg (11%), Iron: 7.4mg (41%)
Serving Suggestions
These crispy potatoes pair well with pretty much anything but our favorite recipes to serve them with are our perfectly seasoned griddle steak and baked chicken thighs, or baked pork chops!
They are delicious with a shrimp boil or easy baked hamburgers. I love these crispy potatoes as an alternative to french fries with some cheeseburger sliders too!
More Family Favorite Potato Recipes
- For a tangy twist on a classic side dish, try German Potato Salad this weekend. Served warm, this one is a delight for the tastebuds!
- You can never go wrong with a traditional, buttery Mashed Potato. These step by step instructions are fool-proof and you’ll be eating the best mashed potatoes you’ve ever had!
- Layered potatoes with a cheesy, creamy sauce that you can set and forget? Crock Pot Au Gratin Potatoes will be your next hit contribution to the family potluck.
- Looking to indulge? Twice Baked Potatoes are the perfect dish! Filled with potato, gooey cheese and crispy bacon, they are perfect as a dinner side for your family get together, big or small.
charlene schultz says
Can you boil the potatoes and let them completely cool while you run errands before putting them in the oven?
Julie Evink says
Yes you can!
Karen says
I love this. It was so easy and the family loved that it was something new. Big hit
Julie Evink says
Yay Karen! I love to hear when people say their family loved the recipe! Thanks for sharing!
sharon George says
I made this first time as written. Again with dill replacing parsley (didn’t have) and again with cilantro (again out of parsley). Will hope to have parsley next time around, although chives would be good sub. Also like the idea of chopped scallions garnish after cooking. great recipe and happy to have found it. Big hit with family. 4 stars for sure.
Courtney says
Thank you!!
Flo says
Hi can the potatoes be smashed a few hours after boiling and baked ?
Courtney says
I would recommend smashing them before you bake them!
Cyndy Keyes says
This recipe looks great, but if you are posting several recipes, please give them a name rather than a number. It is a waste of time to look at each numbered recipe if it something the reader is not interested in.
Julie Evink says
You are more than welcome to hit the “Update You Profile” link at the bottom of your emails. On the next page you will select the “Reduce Emails”. This will give you only a few emails, all with images and links.