These seasoned, crispy smashed potatoes are an easy, crowd-pleasing side. No peeling required — baby new potatoes are boiled, smashed and roasted until fluffy inside with plenty of crispy, crunchy edges.
“First time for this tasty variation on roast potatoes. My wife complained that I hadn’t made enough! I think they will become a regular feature on our table.”
– Geoff
Nicky’s Notes
One of my favourite quick potato side dishes — minimal effort with maximum flavour.
Skip peeling: simply boil a batch of baby potatoes until tender, drain, arrange on a baking tray, then give each a firm smash with the back of a spoon. Drizzle or brush with oil, sprinkle on the seasonings, and roast until crisp and golden.
These potatoes are always popular. I’ve served them many times while testing steaks and sauces and they disappear every time.
Smashing the boiled potatoes exposes ridges and nooks that turn into crunchy, tasty bites while the inside stays fluffy — perfect with most mains.
Table of Contents
- Nicky’s Notes
- 📋 Ingredients for smashed potatoes
- 🧑🍳 Abbreviated Recipe
- Pro Tips
- 🍽️ What to serve them with
- 📺 Watch how to make them
- Crispy Smashed Potatoes Recipe
- 🥔 More Perfect Potato Sides
📋 Ingredients for smashed potatoes
Full recipe quantities and details are in the recipe card below.
- Baby new potatoes — any baby white potatoes or fingerlings will work
- Oil — neutral roasting oil such as sunflower, vegetable, avocado or light olive oil
🧑🍳 Abbreviated Recipe
Full recipe with step-by-step instructions is in the recipe card below.
Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, then drain. Place on a baking tray and squash each potato with the back of a spoon or a masher. Season with salt, pepper, smoked paprika and garlic salt, brush with oil and roast in a preheated oven for 20–25 minutes until crisp and golden.
Pro Tips
Don’t be afraid to really smash the potatoes. If some fall apart, that’s a good thing — more surface area becomes crispy edges.
🍽️ What to serve them with
- Pan-fried steak with peppercorn sauce
- Garlic-crusted salmon or garlic bread
- Roast chicken with gravy
- Beef bourguignon or other rich stews
- Tuscan chicken
- As an alternative to roast potatoes with a traditional roast dinner
They’re great for casual gatherings too — serve with a big sausage casserole or chilli con carne for a hearty combo.
📺 Watch how to make them
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Crispy Smashed Potatoes Recipe
5 mins
45 mins
50 mins
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp neutral oil (avocado, sunflower or similar)
- ⅔ kg (1.5 lbs) baby white potatoes or fingerlings (larger ones halved)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground pepper
- ¼ tsp garlic salt
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley, to finish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F (fan).
- Place the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes until tender when pierced with a knife. Drain.
- Brush a large metal baking tray with 1 tbsp of the oil. Arrange the potatoes on the tray and squash each one with a masher or the back of a spoon. Don’t worry if some break apart — that creates more crisp edges.
- Sprinkle the salt, pepper, garlic salt and smoked paprika over the potatoes.
- Brush the remaining 2 tbsp of oil over the potatoes and roast for 20–25 minutes, until crispy and golden.
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve hot.
Notes
Can I make them ahead?
Partial make-ahead: You can boil the potatoes in advance, cool and refrigerate them, then smash and roast when ready.
Full make-ahead: You can prepare and roast the potatoes ahead of time. Once cooked, cool, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. To reheat, place on a baking tray at 200°C/400°F for 18–20 minutes until piping hot and crisp. For best results, cover with foil for the first 10 minutes to avoid over-browning, then uncover to crisp.
Keep the skins on until you smash them to help prevent grey discolouration from oxidisation. If making the whole recipe ahead, the oil and seasonings help protect the flesh.
Ingredient swaps
- Swap smoked paprika for curry powder and top with fresh coriander and mango chutney for an Indian-inspired twist.
- Top with lemon zest and crumbled feta for a bright BBQ side.
- Add crispy bacon and a drizzle of BBQ sauce for a heartier option.
Nutritional information is approximate per serving (serves 4).
Nutrition
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Carbohydrates: 30g
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Protein: 4g
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Fat: 11g
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Sodium: 447mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
This smashed potatoes recipe was first posted in Oct 2021 and has been updated since with improvements and housekeeping updates.
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