The Ultimate Crispy Smashed Potatoes
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These roasted smashed baby potatoes will have you hooked from the very first bite. They’re perfectly salty, seasoned to perfection, and baked until irresistibly crispy and golden brown.
Smashed baby potatoes are not to be confused with mashed potatoes. These potatoes are boiled until tender, gently flattened (a glass works great for this!), then drizzled with olive oil + butter, seasoned, and roasted to crispy perfection.
Think of them as little golden bites of heaven, crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and perfect for dipping in a creamy jalapeño aioli. Not into aioli? They’re just as delicious with ketchup or a dollop of sour cream.
Serve these delicious crispy potatoes as an easy appetizer or a side dish. And for more delicious side dish recipes, try my Honey Balsamic Brussels Sprouts, Rosemary Garlic Pull Apart Rolls, French Onion Rice Pilaf, or Honey Roasted Carrots.
Table Talk with Tawnie
- Potatoes: You can use Yukon gold, red potatoes, baby carisma, or a potato medley.
- Olive oil and butter: I’ve found a combination of butter and olive oil works best. Butter gives flavor, and olive oil helps the potatoes get nice and crispy.
- Optional seasonings: Garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, or your favorite seasoning blend.
- Fresh herbs: Fresh parsley, chives, or dill are great for garnishing!
- Dipping sauce: Dip these smashed potatoes in my homemade Jalapeno Garlic Aioli or your favorite dipping sauce like burger sauce (store-bought or homemade), chipotle mayo, ranch dressing, lemon herb yogurt sauce, or honey mustard!
Step by Step Directions
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
Boil the potatoes
Boil the potatoes for ~20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Then drain and allow potatoes to cool slightly.
Smash
Transfer potatoes to the prepared baking sheet and use the bottom of a glass to gently press down and smash each potato.
Season
Drizzle the smashed potatoes with melted butter and a spritz of olive oil, then add seasonings.
Bake
Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown and crispy around the edges. 👀Tip: Keep an eye on them and judge how crispy you’d like them. I usually take mine out around the 40-45 minute mark.
Garnish & serve!
Garnish with fresh herbs and serve with my favorite jalapeño aioli or your favorite dipping sauce(s)!
Expert Tips
- Choose the right potatoes: Baby Yukon Gold or baby red potatoes work best. They have a creamy interior but get nice and crispy on the outside.
- Don’t skip the salt: Salting the boiling water well helps to season the potatoes from the inside out and prevents bland centers.
- Let potatoes dry after boiling: After draining, let them sit in the colander for 5–10 minutes to dry and cool slightly. Dry potatoes will crisp better in the oven.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Make sure to leave space between potatoes so they roast instead of steam. If needed, use two separate sheet pans.
- Bake on a hot pan: You can place the baking sheet in the oven while it preheats, so when you add the potatoes, they start crisping immediately.
- Finish under the broiler: For extra crisp edges, broil for 1–2 minutes at the end. Just watch closely as they can burn easily!🔥
Variations / Substitutions
- Garlic parmesan: Season with garlic powder + freshly grated parmesan
- Ranch: Ranch seasoning + garlic powder (then serve with ranch dip😋)
- Buffalo: After baking, drizzle with buffalo sauce + blue cheese crumbles
- Loaded smashed potatoes: Top hot potatoes with cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, sour cream, and green onions (you can pop them back in the oven for just a minute to melt the cheese)
- 🍋Lemon herb: Season with lemon zest + garlic powder then finish with fresh parsley, dill and a squeeze of lemon after baking
- Chili crisp: Drizzle with chili crisp, sesame seeds + scallions and serve with my bang bang sauce
Jalapeno Garlic Aioli
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 small jalapeño, finely minced (remove seeds)
- 2 garlic cloves, grated or minced
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice (about ½ of a lime)
- 1 tsp. lime zest
- 1 tsp. honey
- ¼ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper
To make, combine all the ingredients in a food processor (no need to chop anything with this method). Or, prep and chop all ingredients and combine in a small bowl. Stir until smooth and well combined. Then, refrigerate for ~20-30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Storage / Freezing
- Make ahead: The potatoes can be boiled and refrigerated for up to 2 days before roasting.
- Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
FAQs
What type of potatoes work best for this recipe?
Baby Yukon Gold or baby red potatoes work best for this recipe. They have a creamy interior but get nice and crispy on the outside. You can also use baby carisma or a potato medley.
What should I use to smash the potatoes?
You can use a fork, bottom of a mason jar or flat-bottomed cup, or a potato masher.
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Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1½ – 2 lbs. small potatoes (baby Yukon gold or baby red potatoes work well)
- 1 Tbsp. kosher salt (plus more for sprinkling on potatoes)
- 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter (melted)
- 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- Optional seasonings: garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, or your favorite seasoning blend
- Fresh herbs for garnish (parsley, chives, or dill)
For serving:
- Aioli or your favorite dipping sauce
Jalapeno Garlic Aioli:
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 small jalapeño (finely minced (remove seeds))
- 2 garlic cloves (grated or minced)
- 2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro (chopped )
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice (about 1/2 of a lime)
- 1 tsp. lime zest
- 1 tsp. honey
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a large baking sheet. (I like to use this olive oil spray bottle)
- Boil the potatoes: Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add 1 Tbsp. Kosher salt and bring to a boil. Cook for ~20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Start Timer1½ – 2 lbs. small potatoes, 1 Tbsp. kosher salt
- Drain and cool: Drain the potatoes in a colander and allow them to cool slightly for 5-10 minutes. Start Timer
- Smash the potatoes: Transfer potatoes to the prepared baking sheet. Using the bottom of a glass, gently press down to smash each potato.More smashing = thinner, crispier potatoesLess smashing = fluffier centers
- Season: Drizzle the smashed potatoes with melted butter and then a spritz of olive oil. (Once again I like to use the olive oil spray bottle for this!) Season generously with salt, pepper, and any additional spices you like.3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil, Optional seasonings: garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, or your favorite seasoning blend, Freshly ground black pepper
- Bake: Pop in the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown and crispy around the edges. Keep an eye on them and judge how crispy you’d like them. I usually take mine out around the 40-45 minute mark. Start Timer
- Garnish and serve: Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh herbs. Serve with aioli or your favorite dipping sauce(s)!Aioli or your favorite dipping sauce, Fresh herbs for garnish
For the Jalapeno Garlic Aioli
- Combine ingredients: Blitz all ingredients in a food processor (no need to chop anything with this method). Or, prep and chop all ingredients and combine in a small bowl. Stir until smooth and well combined.3/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 small jalapeño, 2 garlic cloves, 2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice, 1 tsp. lime zest, 1 tsp. honey, 1/4 tsp kosher salt, Freshly cracked black pepper
- For both methods: Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, lime juice, or pepper if desired. And for the best flavor, refrigerate for ~20-30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Start Timer
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
📸 Photography by Creating Kaitlin
I made these, but, added a little something extra! After I oiled my pan, I put a little shredded Parmesan cheese in piles where I put each potato before smashing! Absolutely delicious! The aioli was loved by my husband! Thank you for the delicious recipe!
Loveeee that parmesan idea! Thank you for making 🙂
OMG!!! This recipe is amazing!! So glad my daughter turned me on to this recipe and your ‘Korner’. Only change was to make it with vegenaise to make it vegan. This recipe is utterly addicting!!!! I agree with another reviewer that this would make a fantastic party appetizer. Thank you for sharing this winner!!
Hi Terry! Thank you so so much for the wonderful review, so glad you love this recipe as much as we do! Love the vegenaise swap. I am going dairy free because of breastfeeding my little one so I’ll have to try that! xo, Tawnie
I loved smashed potatoes so I can’t wait to try these with the aioli dip ? That sounds AMAZING!! Thanks for sharing.
These baby smashed potatoes look to DIE FOR! We are potato lovers in my house, so I know these will get devoured.
That jalapeno aioli sounds amazing. I want to dip everything in it.
These make such a great party appetizer and the use of jalapeno has just the right amount to spice. So delicious!
Yum! This looks so delicious and tasty! I can’t wait to make this soon!