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Crispy Smashed Potatoes

These are the side dish I make most often, full stop. Tender steamed baby potatoes, smashed flat under a fork, doused with olive oil and salt, and roasted at high heat until the edges crackle and the centers stay creamy. Five ingredients, almost no skill required, and they steal the spotlight from whatever main you serve next to them.

Why this works

• Steam first, smash second, roast last. Microwaving (or boiling) the potatoes first means they're fully cooked through and ready to soak up oil. Smashing creates the maximum surface area for crisping. Then high-heat roasting takes them golden.
• Small potatoes, not big ones. Baby Yukon Gold, baby red, or fingerling potatoes give you the best skin-to-flesh ratio. Big russet potatoes don't smash neatly.
• Olive oil, generously. Don't skimp. The oil is what fries the smashed surfaces into that beautiful crackly crust.
• Hot oven. 425°F is the floor. 450°F is even better. Anything lower and they steam instead of crisp.

Pro tips

• Don't smash too hard. You want flattened but still one piece. Use the side of a fork, the bottom of a glass, or a flat spatula and press gently.
• Space them out on the sheet pan. Crowded potatoes steam each other. Use two pans if needed.
• Flip halfway through. Both sides get crispy that way.
• Finish with flaky salt right when they come out of the oven. The salt sticks to the oil and the contrast is what makes them addictive.

FAQ

Can I use big potatoes?
You can but the technique gets fiddly. If you must, cut them into 2-inch chunks first, boil until tender, then smash and roast.

Can I add toppings?
Yes. Once they're crispy, top with parmesan, fresh herbs (parsley, chives, dill), garlic confit, sour cream, bacon bits, or a drizzle of pesto. Endless variations.

Can I make them ahead?
Microwave and smash up to a day ahead. Roast right before serving. Pre-roasted smashed potatoes lose their crisp quickly.

What do I serve them with?
Roasted chicken, steak, fish, eggs, anywhere you'd serve french fries. They're the everywhere side.

Storage

Best straight out of the oven. Leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 days and re-crisp in a 425°F oven for 8 minutes. Skip the microwave (rubbery). Freeze fully-cooked smashed potatoes for up to 2 months in a single layer, then reheat from frozen in a 425°F oven for 15 minutes.

More cozy side dishes in Side Dishes.