These crispy smashed potatoes are small potatoes boiled until soft, pressed flat on a hot oiled sheet pan and roasted until the cracked edges turn into shattering, golden lace while the centers stay creamy. A spoonful of garlic herb butter goes on at the very end, so nothing burns. Plan on about an hour, most of it hands off.
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Why boil the potatoes all the way through first?
A smashed potato gets its crunch from surface area. When a fully cooked potato is pressed flat, the skin splits and the soft flesh pushes out into ragged ridges and little crumbs. Those rough bits are what fry in the oil and turn brittle. A potato that's only half cooked won't do that. It resists the glass, then breaks into two firm pieces with smooth faces that never get properly crisp.
Start the potatoes in cold, well salted water. Heating them gradually cooks the centers before the outsides fall apart, and the salt seasons them all the way through, which you can't fix later with a sprinkle on top. Once the water boils, keep it at a lively simmer. They're ready when a paring knife slides into the biggest one and out again without any drag, usually 15 to 20 minutes.
Drain them and leave them in the colander for 5 minutes. You'll see steam rolling off. That's water leaving the surface, and every bit that goes now is water that won't be fighting the oil in the oven.
Which potatoes make the crispiest smashed potatoes?
Small, thin skinned potatoes about 1 1/2 to 2 inches across are the right size. They cook evenly, smash into a neat round about the width of a cookie, and each one gives you a good ratio of crisp edge to soft middle.
| Potato | Texture after smashing | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Baby Yukon Gold | Creamy center, edges crisp and golden | The best all round choice; buttery flavor |
| Small red potatoes | Firmer, holds together well | Skin crisps nicely but the ridges are less fluffy |
| Fingerlings | Smash into long ovals | Good, but uneven sizes cook at different speeds |
| Russets, cut up | Very fluffy, falls apart | Too starchy to press into neat rounds |
If your potatoes vary a lot in size, pull the small ones out of the pot a few minutes early so they don't go waterlogged while the big ones finish. Leave the skins on. They hold each potato together when you press it and they crisp up like a thin chip.
How thin should you smash them?
Aim for about 1/2 inch thick. Thinner than that and the potato turns into a cracker with no soft center; thicker and the middle stays steamy while the edges barely color.
Here's the smashing method that works without a mess:
- Pour the oil onto a rimmed sheet pan, tip it to coat, and heat it in the oven for 5 minutes.
- Pull the pan out, set it on a heatproof surface, and space the drained potatoes about 2 inches apart.
- Press each one with the flat bottom of a measuring cup or a sturdy glass until it spreads and cracks around the edges. A slight twist as you press frees up more ragged bits.
- If the potato sticks to the glass, brush the glass with a little oil before the next one.
Don't scrape up the loose crumbs that break off. Tuck them back against the potato; they'll fry into the crunchiest pieces on the pan.
Oil, heat and the pan for crispy smashed potatoes
You need more oil than feels polite: about 1/4 cup for a full sheet pan, plus a drizzle over the tops. The potatoes shallow fry from underneath, and a dry pan gives you leathery spots instead of an even golden crust. Spread them out, too. Crowded potatoes trap steam between them and the edges stay pale.
A 450°F (230°C) oven is hot enough to brown them in about 35 minutes. That temperature sits close to the smoke point of extra virgin olive oil, so a refined oil such as avocado oil or light olive oil handles the heat more cleanly. If you're unsure what your bottle can take, this rundown of which oils hold up to high oven heat compares the common ones. Save a spoonful of good extra virgin oil for drizzling after they come out, when its flavor survives.
Roast on the lowest rack for 20 minutes, then flip each potato carefully with a thin metal spatula and give it another 12 to 15 minutes. The undersides should be deep golden with brown, almost glassy edges before you turn them.
When should the garlic butter go on?
At the end, after the pan comes out of the oven. Minced garlic burns fast at 450°F and turns bitter, and butter's milk solids scorch at that heat too. Melt the butter with the garlic in a small pan over low heat for 2 minutes, just until the garlic smells sweet and hasn't colored, then stir in the parsley, chives and a pinch of flaky salt.
Spoon it over the potatoes while they're still sizzling. The hot surfaces soak up some of the butter, but the edges stay crisp because there isn't enough liquid to soften them. Serve within 10 minutes for the best crunch.
They suit almost any roast or seared main. Put them next to a lemon herb roast chicken to catch the pan juices, or alongside steak au poivre, where they do the job fries usually do. For a vegetarian plate, pair them with a sharp green salad and a soft boiled egg on top.
The recipe
Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Garlic Herb Butter
Ingredients
For the potatoes
- 2 pounds (900 g) baby Yukon Gold potatoes, about 1 1/2 to 2 inches across
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt, for the cooking water
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) avocado oil or light olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon for the tops
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the garlic herb butter
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, for finishing
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes. Put the potatoes in a large pot, cover with 2 inches of cold water and add the kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until a paring knife slides into the largest one with no resistance.
- Heat the oven. While the potatoes cook, heat the oven to 450°F (230°C) with a rack in the lowest position. Pour the 1/4 cup oil onto a rimmed sheet pan and tip it to coat.
- Steam dry. Drain the potatoes and leave them in the colander for 5 minutes, until the surfaces look dry and chalky. Meanwhile put the oiled pan in the oven to heat for 5 minutes.
- Smash on the pan. Space the potatoes 2 inches apart on the hot pan and press each to about 1/2 inch thick with the bottom of a measuring cup, letting the edges crack. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and season with the pepper and half the flaky salt.
- Roast and flip. Roast for 20 minutes, until the undersides are deep golden. Flip with a thin metal spatula and roast another 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are brown and crisp.
- Make garlic butter. In the last few minutes, melt the butter with the garlic over low heat for about 2 minutes, until fragrant but not colored. Take it off the heat and stir in the parsley and chives.
- Finish and serve. Spoon the garlic herb butter over the hot potatoes, drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with the rest of the flaky salt. Serve right away.
Cook's notes
- Make ahead: boil and drain the potatoes up to 2 days ahead, refrigerate them uncovered for the first hour, then covered. Smash and roast straight from the fridge, adding 5 minutes.
- Grate 1/3 cup (30 g) Parmesan over the potatoes for the last 5 minutes of roasting for a cheesy crust.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat at 425°F for 10 to 12 minutes rather than in the microwave.
- A large titanium-surface skillet works in place of the sheet pan for a half batch; heat it with the oil in the oven the same way.
Crispy Smashed Potatoes questions
Why are my smashed potatoes soggy instead of crispy?
Soggy smashed potatoes usually come from too little oil, a crowded pan or wet potatoes. Let them steam dry for 5 minutes after draining, use about 1/4 cup of oil on a preheated sheet pan, and leave 2 inches between each potato. Roast at 450°F and don't flip them until the undersides are deep golden.
Should I peel potatoes before smashing them?
No. The skin is what holds a smashed potato together when you press it flat, and it roasts into a thin, crisp layer that adds flavor. Thin skinned potatoes such as baby Yukon Golds or small reds need only a scrub under running water. Peeled potatoes tend to crumble apart and soak up more oil.
How do I reheat smashed potatoes so they crisp up again?
Spread the cold potatoes on a sheet pan with a teaspoon of oil and reheat at 425°F for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges sizzle again. An air fryer at 400°F takes about 6 minutes. Skip the microwave, which turns the crisp edges soft and chewy. Add fresh herbs after reheating.
Is an air fryer good for smashed potatoes?
Yes, for small batches. Boil and smash the potatoes as usual, brush both sides with oil, and air fry at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once halfway. Work in a single layer with space between pieces, which usually means 6 to 8 potatoes per batch in a standard basket.
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