If you are looking for the crispiest potatoes around, these are THE ONE. Smashing them means more surface area to crisp up while roasting and the garlic, herbs and butter make their flavour unbeatable. I wanted a versatile crispy smashed potato recipe I could use as a side dish to roasts and other meals, and one without the faff of par-boiling the potatoes first, so I came up with this.
How to Make My Easy Crispy Smashed Potatoes
First, you’ll toss them in oil and salt, nestle in some split garlic cloves and thyme/rosemary sprigs, and pop them in the oven to roast. Then take them out about half way through, turn them over, and smash them open carefully with a potato masher. Next, add a little silky dollop of butter on top of each one, then carry on roasting them. They are sooo good you’ll want to eat them by themselves. Oh and drizzled with gravy? Double YUM.
Watch me make these Crispy Smashed Potatoes step-by-step before or as you cook.
Ingredients
I like to use floury potatoes for this recipe as I like to contrast the crispy outside with a fluffy inside. If you are in the UK these would be Maris Piper’s or King Edward potatoes. But if you are in the US, go for a white potato like Russet potatoes. If you prefer a more solid, firmer potato you can go for waxy yellow potatoes like Yukon Gold or if you are in the UK, waxy Charlotte potatoes or Jersey Royals. Make sure you use a medium-large roasting tin as these bad boys need space to spread out when you smash them down. See Feed a Crowd note if you are cooking for more than 4 adults.
Kids Cook Too
Younger children can get involved by tossing the potatoes in the oil, and then help smashing them down half way through the cook - just make sure they are super careful not to touch the hot roasting pan.
My Easy Crispy Smashed Potatoes Pair Perfectly With…
Feed a Crowd
You can increase the quantity of potatoes to feed more people, you’ll at least need a large roasting tin. You may even need two, depending on how many people you are cooking for. Just bear in mind, if you overfill the roasting tin there will be no space for the potatoes to go once you smash them down. They are going to need more pan space than when you roast them the traditional way.
Storing My Easy Crispy Smashed Potatoes
You can store leftover potatoes in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days (cook day + 2). You can also freeze them, just defrost them for 24 hours in the fridge before you reheat. And remember, if you reheat them in the microwave, they will not be crispy. Alternatively, reheat in the oven on an greased oven tray and the same temperature for 7-8 minutes.
For more on safe food storage and reheating read here >
Diet Details
My Easy Crispy Smashed Potatoes are vegetarian, gluten and nut-free. They can be made diary-free and vegan if you use plant based butter or margarine.
Adapting My Easy Crispy Smashed Potatoes for Your Family
Here, I give tips for making this recipe to share with the whole family, including children of different ages and stages.
Keeping Picky Eaters Happy
Unless you have a rare fussy-eater who doesn’t like chips or roast potatoes, you should have no problem at all with these crispy smashed potatoes.
See more from me on fussy eaters here >
Making Them Baby & Toddler Friendly
The only issue here is the salt. But, we can tweak the recipe slightly so little one’s potatoes are salt-free. Instead of adding the salt to the oil, toss the potatoes in the oil only then sprinkle the salt over most of the potatoes, leaving one or two in a corner salt-free. Just remember which corner! You could pop a strip of foil over just the corner of the tin where little one’s potatoes are (not covering the potatoes, just the tin).
BABY-LED WEANING
As these potatoes are flat and wide, they are a good shape for baby to grab and hold as they are.
SPOON-FEEDING
6-12 months
Slice the smashed potato open lengthways and then use a fork to pull out all the fluffy soft potato from inside.
1 year +
Chop into bite size pieces or split open and fork out the soft inside.
I’ve also added these notes at the bottom of the recipe so you have them to hand when you come to cook.
See more on how I keep my family meals baby & toddler friendly here >
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EASY CRISPY SMASHED POTATOES
Equipment
- Potato masher
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.2-1.9 kg small-medium Maris Piper or King Edward potatoes / Russet potatoes (US) peeled
- 3 rosemary sprigs
- 3 garlic cloves
- Salt to taste
- Butter for dolloping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200ºc/180ºc fan/400ºf/gas 6.
- Carefully, using a knife handle, apply pressure to one side of each garlic clove to split it open.
- Add the potatoes to a large roasting tin (you’ll need the extra space once you smash them), drizzle over the oil and sprinkle over some salt. Toss well, then arrange in one layer, with good size gaps between each one. Nestle in the garlic cloves and the rosemary sprigs.
- Transfer to the top of the oven and roast for 35 mins. Then remove, turn the potatoes over and using a potato masher, slowly and carefully press down on each potato once, until the sides split and a little of the inside pops out. Add a little dollop of butter to the top of each potato. Return to the oven and roast for a further 30 minutes. They should be crispy and deep golden-brown when done.
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