Do you know that crunching sound when you bite into something really good? That is exactly what you get with these smashed potatoes. I honestly used to mess up roasted potatoes all the time—they would come out soggy and just sad. But this trick of boiling them first and then smashing them flat on the baking sheet changes everything. It gives you all the best parts of a french fry and a creamy baked potato in one bite. You get these golden, jagged edges that hold onto the garlic butter, and the inside stays soft. My family asks for these at least once a week now, and they are super easy to make on a busy weeknight.
Choosing the Best Potato Varieties for Smashed Potatoes
I get asked a lot about which potatoes work best for this recipe. Honestly, picking the right bag at the store is half the battle. You really want to use what they call “waxy” potatoes. These are the ones with thin skins, like Yukon Golds or red potatoes. They hold together nicely when you boil them, so they won’t turn into a pile of mush when you press down on them later.
I personally love using the small yellow Yukon Golds. They have this naturally buttery flavor and a creamy texture that is just delicious. The red ones are great too, and they tend to hold their shape a little better if you are worried about smashing them too hard. Just make sure you grab the “baby” size or “new potatoes.” You want them small and whole. If you try to use big potatoes and cut them into chunks, they just fall apart, and you miss out on that perfect circle of crispy skin. Stick to the little guys for the best results.
The Essential Ingredients for Savory Garlic Herb Butter
You can’t just toss these in the oven dry and expect them to taste amazing. The real trick is in the mixture you brush on top. I learned that using just butter can make them burn, and using only oil is a bit boring. So, I like to use a mix of both. Melted butter gives you that rich, movie-theater popcorn flavor, while the olive oil helps the skins get super crispy without smoking up your whole house.
For the herbs, fresh is usually best if you can get them. I chop up fresh rosemary and thyme really fine so you get a little bit in every bite. It smells so good while it’s baking. If you only have dried herbs in your pantry, that works too, just use a little less since they are stronger.
Now, for the garlic. I love fresh garlic, but you have to be careful because it burns fast in a hot oven. I mince my cloves really small and mix them into the butter/oil mixture. If you are worried about burnt, bitter garlic bits, you can swap it for garlic powder. It coats the potatoes evenly and is a lot more forgiving. Just don’t be shy with the salt—potatoes soak it up!
I also usually add a good amount of cracked black pepper, but if you want it to look really clean, you can use white pepper instead. If you like a little kick, a pinch of red pepper flakes in the butter mixture is a total game-changer. It doesn’t make it “spicy” spicy, but it gives it a nice warmth that cuts through the fat. Sometimes I even throw in a little onion powder if I’m out of fresh garlic, because it adds that savory base flavor that everyone loves. If you want to get really fancy, a little bit of lemon zest mixed in at the very end really brightens up the whole dish and makes the herbs pop. For my vegan friends, you can just use all olive oil or a plant-based butter, and it still tastes pretty great, though you might miss that dairy richness just a little bit. I’ve found that using a high-quality sea salt makes a difference too, as those bigger crystals don’t just disappear into the potato.
Parboiling: The Secret to Fluffy Centers
I figured out pretty quickly that you can’t just try to smash a raw potato. It just doesn’t work. You have to boil them first to get that soft inside. It sounds like an extra step, but trust me, it is the most important part.
Put your washed potatoes in a big pot and cover them with cold water by about an inch. Throw in a good pinch of salt—honestly, put in more than you think you need. The potatoes soak it up, and it makes them taste way better. Turn the heat on high and bring it to a boil.
You want to cook them until they are “fork-tender.” That basically means if you poke one with a fork, it slides in easy, but the potato doesn’t fall apart. It usually takes about 15 to 20 minutes. If they turn to mush in the water, you went too far.
Here is the real trick I learned: after you drain them in a colander, leave them alone for about 5 minutes. Let the steam come off. You want them to dry out a little bit. If they are soaking wet when they go in the oven, they steam instead of roasting, and you wont get that crunch. Letting them “steam dry” helps the skin get super crispy later.
How to Smash Potatoes Perfectly Every Time
This is honestly the fun part, and if you have kids, get them in the kitchen to help with this. First, get your biggest baking sheet out. I always line mine with parchment paper because scrubbing burnt potato off a metal pan is the worst. If you don’t have paper, just grease the pan really well with oil so nothing sticks.
Space the boiled potatoes out on the sheet. Give them some room because they get wider when you squish them. Now, you need something flat and heavy. I usually just grab a sturdy water glass or a mason jar from the cupboard. A potato masher works too, but it leaves waffle lines, which is fine if you like that look.
Here is a little annoyance I ran into: the potato loves to stick to the bottom of the glass. To stop that, I dip the bottom of the glass in a little bit of olive oil before I press down. Then, just press down steady until the potato flattens out.
You have to find a happy medium on how flat to go. If you smash them super thin, they get really crunchy like a chip but might burn fast. If they are too thick, they are just lumpy mashed potatoes. I try to get them about half an inch thick. That way, the jagged edges get crispy and the middle stays soft.
Roasting Techniques for Maximum Crispiness
Getting these things crispy is the whole point, right? You can’t be afraid of high heat here. I set my oven to 425 degrees F (around 220 C). If you try to roast them at 350 like a cake, they will just get soft and sad. You need that high temperature to shock the skin into getting crunchy.
I actually like to roast them in two shifts. I put the smashed potatoes in the oven plain for about 15 minutes first. This dries out the skin even more. Then, I pull the hot pan out (be careful!) and brush on that garlic herb butter we made. Doing it this way stops the garlic from burning and turning bitter before the potatoes are done. If you put the garlic on right at the beginning, it usually turns into little black charcoal bits, and nobody wants to eat that.
Pop them back in for another 20 minutes or until they look deep golden brown. Keep an eye on them towards the end. If you take them out and they aren’t crunching when you tap them with a fork, put them back in! Every oven is different, so don’t be afraid to leave them in a few extra minutes to get that perfect snap.
Serving Suggestions and Delicious Pairings
These potatoes are honestly good enough to eat right off the pan, but dipping them makes it even better. I always set out a bowl of sour cream on the table. My husband likes to mix a little hot sauce or spicy mayo in his for a kick. If you want something fresh, mixing some lemon zest into plain yogurt is surprisingly tasty with the salty potato.
For dinner, steak is usually my go-to with these. It just feels like a nice meal you’d get at a restaurant without the price tag. But on a regular Tuesday, we usually just have them with roasted chicken or even grilled salmon. They are heavy enough to fill you up but don’t feel as heavy as a big pile of mashed potatoes.
If you are hosting a party, you can even treat these like little appetizers. Just put a dollop of Greek yogurt and a tiny piece of smoked salmon on each one to make them look fancy. My kids actually like to dip them in applesauce, which sounds weird, but the sweet and salty mix is actually pretty good. Another great idea is to sprinkle some shredded cheddar cheese over them during the last two minutes of baking so it gets all melty and gooey.
Before I put the platter on the table, I always throw on some fresh green stuff. Chopped chives or green onions make them look finished. And if you have that fancy flaky sea salt, sprinkle a pinch on top for that extra crunch. It makes a big difference in how they look and taste.
So, that is really all there is to it. The main things to remember are picking the small waxy potatoes, letting them dry off after boiling, and not being afraid of a hot oven. If you do those three things, you are going to have the best potatoes ever.
They honestly disappear so fast when I put them on the table. It is one of those recipes that looks fancy but is actually super simple to pull off. I really hope you give them a try for your next family dinner.
If you liked this recipe, please save it to your “Best Side Dishes” board on Pinterest so you can find it later! And if you make them, take a picture and tag me—I love seeing how they turn out in your kitchen.
