Mashed potatoes are nice, but these Crispy Smashed Potatoes are next-level side dish material. They can be served as a side dish to just about any meal or as an appetizer. The garlic-herb oil, reminiscent of chimichurri sauce, is optional but it’s great for dipping or drizzling. Leftovers (if you have any) can be reheated in the oven or toaster oven and served with a fried egg for a hearty breakfast.
This post was originally published on October 3rd, 2019. Updated on December 8th, 2020 to include cooking directions for stovetop and Instant Pot.
Move over mashed potatoes — Smashed Potatoes are here to stay!
These Crispy Smashed Potatoes are about to steal the show. Somewhere between a baked potato and a really thick-cut potato chip, their tender insides and crispy edges make them anything but average.
The best part is all of the nooks and crannies you get when you smash the cooked potatoes then bake them with ghee (clarified) and olive oil until the edges are golden brown.
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Ingredients for Crispy Smashed Potatoes
- Small red potatoes – Potatoes that are about 1½ – 2 inches in diameter work best but smaller ‘creamer’ potatoes will work. In a pinch, larger potatoes can be halved. If you can’t find red potatoes, you can substitute Yukon Gold potatoes. Purple potatoes will not work, however, as they tend to be too dry and waxy.
- Ghee – Also known as ‘clarified butter’. Ghee, because it has had the milk solids removed, is virtually lactose-free and has a wonderfully nutty and buttery flavor and helps make these taters really crispy. If you don’t have ghee or need to avoid dairy, you can substitute more olive oil or avocado oil for the ghee. Butter will work in a pinch but because butter contains water (and ghee doesn’t) the potatoes will be delightfully buttery but they may be slightly less crispy.
- Olive oil or avocado oil – Our go-t0 for organic olive oil and avocado oil is Primal Kitchen (save 10% with code REALFOODRDS when you order online)
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Coarse salt & cracked black pepper – Our favorite for salt for adding a bit of crunch and a little rockstar culinary appeal is Maldon Sea Salt Flakes. No kitchen should be without it.
For the Garlic-Herb Oil
- Olive oil or avocado oil
- Fresh parsley
- Fresh rosemary
- Fresh thyme
- Garlic
What is the best way to cook the potatoes before smashing them?
This recipe uses a “boil and bake” method to cook the potatoes. You’ll “pre-cook” the potatoes before smashing them and roasting with ghee or a fat of your choice. This allows you to get potatoes that are deliciously crispy on the outside, while remaining soft and tender on the inside.
To cook the potatoes, you can either boil them on the stovetop until they’re tender and easily pierced with a fork or toss them into an Instant Pot and let them cook while you make the garlic-herb oil. Choose the method that works best for you.
- Stovetop – Fill a large pot with water. Add potatoes and bring to a boil over high heat, reducing the heat as needed to keep the pot from boiling over. Boil the potatoes for 18-22 minutes or until tender and easily pierced with a fork. Cooking time will depend on the size of the potatoes and how vigorously the water is simmering/boiling.
- Instant Pot – Add 1 cup water to the bottom of the Instant Pot. Add the metal rack/trivet or a steaming basket and add potatoes on top. Secure the lid and cook for 12-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. If potatoes are not fork-tender after releasing the pressure and removing the lid, lock the lid back into place and add 1-3 minutes of cooking time.
How to Make This Smashed Potatoes Recipe
- Step 1 – Cook the potatoes using your desired method – stovetop (boil or steam) or Instant Pot
- Step 2 – Place the hot potatoes on a cutting board and lightly pat them dry using a clean kitchen towel or paper towel then transfer them to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Toss hot potatoes with ghee (if using), oil, garlic powder, and onion powder, rolling them around the pan to coat them on all sides.
- Step 3 – While the potatoes are still hot, use a glass with a flat bottom (a coffee cup will also work) to gently press down on potatoes to flatten them until they are about ½-inch thick.
- Step 4 – Place the pan in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 28-30 minutes or until potatoes are lightly golden brown on the underside and crisp on the edges. Remove from the oven and sprinkle your crispy potatoes with coarse or flaky sea salt and cracked black pepper.
If you’re making the Garlic-Herb Oil, you can do so while the potatoes are baking. The oil can also be prepared up to 2 days in advance and stored in a jar with a tight-fitting lid in the fridge until ready to use.
The Perfect Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner.
Like our nearly famous Crispy Garlic Ranch Roasted Potatoes, these Crispy Smashed Potatoes are a perfect addition to any meal. Try them alongside your favorite egg muffins, homemade sausage patties, or even just a couple eggs fried your favorite way. For lunch, add a few to a salad to add substance and flavor. And for dinner? Serve them with everything and anything.
We’re particularly fond of them with this One-Pan Pork Loin with Brussels and Apples or Slow Cooker BBQ Beef (you haven’t lived until you’ve topped these crispy little gems with slow-cooked barbecue beef).
Smashed Potatoes also make a great appetizer
This smashed potato recipe isn’t just for meals. In fact, they’re the perfect appetizer because the potatoes can be cooked ahead of time then smashed and roasted just before serving. They’re even addictingly delicious served at room temperature.
You have the option to serve the garlic-herb oil on the side for some serious dipping, or drizzle over the top and sprinkle with red pepper flakes or flaked sea salt and watch your guests go wild.
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Crispy Smashed Potatoes
- Prep Time: 15 min.
- Cook Time: 50 min.
- Total Time: 1 hr. 5 min.
- Yield: Serves 4 as a side (8-10 as an appetizer) 1x
- Cuisine: Whole30, Paleo

Ingredients
For the Potatoes:
- 1 lb. small red potatoes (about 1½ – 2 inches in diameter)
- 1 ½ Tbsp. ghee (may sub additional olive oil or avocado oil)
- 1 ½ Tbsp. olive oil or avocado oil
- ¼ tsp. garlic powder
- ¼ tsp. onion powder
- Coarse salt & cracked black pepper to taste
For the Garlic-Herb Oil:
- ¼ cup olive oil or avocado oil
- ½ cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves
- 1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary
- 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme
- 1 small clove garlic
- ¼ tsp. salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450℉.
- Cook the potatoes using your desired method – stovetop or Instant Pot (See Notes below)
- Place the hot potatoes on a cutting board and lightly pat them dry using a clean kitchen towel or paper towel then transfer them to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Toss hot potatoes with ghee (if using), oil, garlic powder, and onion powder, rolling them around the pan to coat them on all sides.
- While the potatoes are still hot, use a glass with a flat bottom (a coffee cup will also work) to gently press down on potatoes to flatten them until they are about ½-inch thick.
- Place the pan in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 28-30 minutes or until potatoes are lightly golden brown on the underside and crisp on the edges. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with coarse or flaky sea salt and cracked black pepper.
- Drizzle the potatoes with garlic-herb oil just before serving or serve it on the side for dipping.
Notes
How to Cook the Potatoes:
- Stovetop – Fill a large pot with water. Add potatoes and bring to a boil over high heat, reducing the heat as needed to keep the pot from boiling over. Cook potatoes for 18-22 minutes or until tender and easily pierced with a fork. Cooking time will depend on the size of the potatoes and how vigorously the water is simmering/boiling.
- Instant Pot – Add 1 cup water to the bottom of the Instant Pot. Add the metal rack/trivet or a steaming basket and add potatoes on top. Secure the lid and cook for 12-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. If potatoes are not fork-tender after releasing the pressure and removing the lid, lock the lid back into place and add 1-3 minutes of cooking time.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ~3 oz. potatoes + 1½ Tbsp. oil
- Calories: 301
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 312mg
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
Pin it now and make it later!
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Photo Credit: The photos in this blog post were taken by Jess of Plays Well with Butter.
Katherine says
This looks delicious, but what if I don’t have an Instant Pot? Would you recommend that I bake or boil the potatoes?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Katherine,
Boiling the potatoes on the stovetop until they’re easily pierced with a fork works really well.
Corrinne says
I am going to make these potatoes this weekend! I’ve already made the chicken dijon drumsticks and will have these potatoes to have with them instead of mashed pots! Oh, yum! I cannot wait for dinner!
Amy Price says
Made these last night to pair with a pork tenderloin. I don’t own an Instant Pot, so I just boiled the potatoes for about 15 minutes before tossing and smashing. These potatoes are so easy but feel special…my husband called them “fancy.” I didn’t have enough herbs to make the dipping oil, but the potatoes are plenty flavorful on their own. Saved the leftovers to eat with a fried egg on top today! Thanks for another healthy, wholesome winner!
Jessica Beacom says
We love this!!
JESS says
Could you make the garlic-herb oil with dried herbs instead of fresh (as long as you reduce the amounts accordingly)? I’m always afraid to get fresh herbs, because I never seem to be able to use them up fast enough before they go bad 😛
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Jess, I’d suggest following the garlic butter recipe we use in our Crispy Ranch Roasted Potatoes. It’s what we toss the potatoes in before roasting. You can find that here – https://therealfoodrds.com/crispy-garlic-ranch-roasted-potatoes/
Hope that helps. Enjoy!
Tammy Kirkwood says
Made this tonight. I did not use my instant pot and selected the smaller potatoes in the bag and boiled them. The potatoes turned out tasty and crispy (didn’t have Ghee, so used olive oil). However, I don’t agree with the instructions for putting the garlic herb oil together. I used my Blendtec, then moved the ingredients to my food processor. Due to the small amount of ingredients, neither of these items blended the herb oil. I then got out my hand immersion blender. Needless to say I had quite a few things to clean up for a small bit of smashed potatoes. I suggest you change the recipe instructions or be a bit more specific as to the size of appliance to use.
★★★
Stacie Hassing says
Sorry about that. Thanks for the suggestion. We’ll take a look at the instructions and update accordingly.
Anna says
Love these! We make them once every two weeks or so. No Instant Pot so we just boil the potatoes.
★★★★★
Lyndsay says
I am not usually a potato person and my husband has been asking for them. I made this last night and WOW! You have turned me into a potato person. I doubled the sauce so I would have leftover for something else and I had to make it with dried herbs so I adjusted those measurements (social distancing so working with what we have). SOOOO GOOOD! Our 2 year old kept saying “Like it” with every bite 🙂
Stacie Hassing says
This is awesome! Love that the whole family enjoys them. Thank you for sharing!
Jules says
These were so good! I am sure they will be on a regular rotation at our house.
★★★★★
Sarah says
do these work with small yukon gold potatoes?
Jessica Beacom says
Yes, definitely!
Jenn says
Delicious! I used waxy yellow potatoes (I honestly don’t remember the type) and these still came out perfect. I had all of the ingredients for the garlic herb sauce at the end but these were so good without it, we didn’t even bother making it. My fiance has already eaten 3/4 of them and I need to make more. Thank you!
★★★★★
Ann Godfrey says
Hi.. this side dish looks delicious!! How do make the herb infused oil? Just mix all ingredients together and stir?
Jessica Beacom says
That’s exactly how you make it!