Introducing your new favourite way with spuds – buttery, crispy SMASHED POTATOES! Crazy crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, there’s a serious risk that only half of these will make it to the dinner table….
MEET YOUR NEW OBSESSION – CRISPY SMASHED POTATOES!!
Let me introduce you to your new favourite way with potatoes.
SMASHED!
CRISPY!
BUTTERY!!
If you are yet to experience the joys of crispy smashed potatoes, and my first experience was only 3 years ago when I was introduced to them by Claire from Sprinkles and Sprouts, a fellow Australian food blogger, these are going to change your potato game forever.
These taste like buttery french fries, albeit they are look completely different. “Rustic”, I declare loftily. They’re fluffy on the inside, and ultra crispy on both the underside and on the surface. All those ridges are the best! Forget squashing them neat and flat – the more nubbly the surface, the better the crunch!!!
TIPS TO MAKE ULTRA CRISPY SMASHED POTATOES
Ultra Crispy Smashed Potatoes are straight forward to make – boil, squish, drizzle, bake – but there are two little tips I’ve discovered along the way:
- Let the potatoes steam dry a bit after smashing them. This ensures optimum crispiness!
- Use butter and a touch of oil. Because butter = flavour, oil ensures more even and better browning and crispiness. Can’t use just butter because it burns in the oven at high temperatures.
Also, you can totally feel free to add flavourings like garlic and dried herbs, but they do burn a bit so you’ll get little black bits on the surface. In all honesty, these are so tasty as they are, they don’t need anything more! (In my personal, potato-opinion)
HOW TO SERVE ULTRA CRISPY SMASHED POTATOES
I would be totally happy just munching on these as a snack. And if I had a larger oven, or multiple ovens, I would make loads of these and serve them as a snack at gatherings. Because if you make these with small potatoes as I have done, they are perfect finger food snacking size.
But I typically serve these on the side of mains. It will go with pretty much any Western dish, from pork chops to fish, chicken to steak. Try it on the side of this Steak with Creamy Peppercorn Sauce, these Lemon Garlic Marinated Pork Chops, these Crispy Garlic Chicken Thighs or this Sun Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken Breast.
However you plan to serve these Crispy Smashed Potatoes, it has your name written all over it. Do it, do it, do it! – Nagi x
FEED YOUR POTATO OBSESSION!
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Sometimes it helps to have a visual, so watch me make these Crispy Smashed Potatoes!!
Recipe VIDEO above. Extra crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. They taste like French fries except they're buttery (and look more rustic! 🙂 ) These will be your new favourite way with potatoes! Makes 12, depending on size of potatoes. Make as many as can fit on the tray once smashed, as long as they aren't touching.
- 700 g / 1.4 lb small potatoes (Note 1)
- 50 g / 3 tbsp unsalted butter , melted
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Finely chopped parsley , optional garnish
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Bring a pot of water to the boil. Cook potatoes until soft - small ones should take around 20 to 25 minutes, large ones might take 30 minutes. It's ok if the skin splits. Alternatively, steam or microwave them.
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Preheat oven to 180C/350F (standard) or 160C/320F (fan / convection).
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Drain the potatoes and let them dry in the colander for 5 minutes or so.
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Place on the tray then use a large fork or potato masher to squish them, keeping them in one piece. Thin = crisper. More nubbly surface = better crunch!
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Leave on the tray to steam dry for 5 minutes or so - makes them crispier!
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Drizzle with butter, then just a bit of olive oil (about 1/4 tsp on each). Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
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Bake for 40 minutes or until deep golden and crispy. Do not flip!
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Serve hot, sprinkled with parsley if desired.
1. I've used a variety of potatoes over the years and this works great with all types, including baby potatoes. High starch potatoes will yield a fluffier inside, whereas waxy potatoes are a bit less fluffy but are sort of creamy. You'll love both!
You can make these with smaller or medium potatoes. Small ones - size of a golf ball or smaller - will come out crisper (like finger food, you can pick them up), whereas larger ones have the same crispiness on the surface but you get more fluffy potato on the inside because they don't get squished as thinly. I like them both ways!
2. Flavourings: If you add garlic or dried herbs into the butter, it has a tendency to burn so you end up with black bits and they can be bitter. If you're really keen for garlic flavour, use the side of your knife to smash 2 cloves so they burst open. Place in small saucepan with butter and melt, then leave to infuse with garlic flavour. Discard cloves and proceed with recipe.
For herbs, add a generous amount (dried or fresh) into the pot of boiling water so the potatoes get infused with herb flavour. Discard herbs and proceed with recipe.
3. Nutrition per potato, assuming 12 potatoes.
LIFE OF DOZER
When I travel, Dozer stays with a golden retriever boarder. Rumbling with his friends, a whirlwind of fur chasing each other around the backyard, somersaulting across the lounge room as they tumble.
I’m told he’s internally fretting about me. 😂
How I wish to have met you when I was in Sydney last month staying in the Gladesville neighborhood. Since discovering your site I have become a big fan as are the members of my weekly Sunday night “F&F” dinner (Family and Friends) who have enjoyed so many of your recipes, one of whom is a native of Sydney. This year I am in charge of the Thanksgiving turkey and am going to use your dry-brined recipe. Should you ever visit the Las Vegas area I would love to meet you.
Can’t wait to try these!was pondering what to do other than left-over meatloaf. I have a feeling they’ll be considered the main dish and not a side after a while.
this is a new fav in my household. A trick I use so when you smash the potatoes they don’t stick to your fork….dip the fork in melted butter! that way you don’t have to drizzle it on afterwards, and your fork wont stick to the potatoes.
GENIUS!!
Made these last night to go with some yummy sirloin and peas. We used multi-color potatoes and shredded some Parmigiano-Reggiano on top. Mmmmmmm MMMMM!
Quote: “Best potatoes I have EVER had!” from my husband who has LOVED potatoes for 65 years!