Crispy Smashed Potatoes

Smothered in a rich garlic butter

crispy smashed potatoes

The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 50 mins
Total: 55 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yields: 15 potatoes

Crispy smashed potatoes are a delicious addition to any meal. Small potatoes like fingerlings, red, purple, or golden work best. The trick is to boil the potatoes first, then gently smashed with a fork, and baked until golden brown and crisp. Make sure to choose fresh potatoes that are free of root sprouts or discoloration for the best taste and texture. 

The garlic butter and olive oil is what makes these babies really crispy, but if you want to make this recipe a bit lower in calories, you can cut the butter and olive oil in half. Add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese for an even crispier crust.

Serve them just as they are or as a fun appetizer with a homemade garlic aioli, ketchup, or ranch for dipping. Smashed potatoes go well with a juicy ribeye steak, golden honey ham, or a tender pot roast.


  • 1 1/2 pounds baby potatoes (scrubbed and cleaned)
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced or grated)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon parsley (chopped)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather your ingredients.

    crispy smashed potato ingredients
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, then add the baby potatoes. Boil for 25 to 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender enough to easily pierce with a fork.

    boiled potatoes
  3. Drain the potatoes and allow to cool for 5 minutes in the colander. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 F.

    boiled potatoes
  4. Place the potatoes on a greased baking sheet. Use a fork to smash each potato flat, but careful to not break the potato apart completely.

    smashed potatoes
  5. Melt the butter, olive oil and garlic together in a heatproof bowl in the microwave, about 1 minute.

    melted butter with garlic
  6. Drizzle or brush about half of the garlic butter mixture over the smashed potatoes. Sprinkle the potatoes with the salt and pepper. Set the remaining garlic butter mixture aside for later.

    smashed potatoes with garlic butter
  7. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the potatoes are crisp and golden brown.

    crispy smashed potatoes
  8. Reheat the garlic butter, if necessary, then pour over top the crispy potatoes and sprinkle with the parsley.  Serve immediately.

    smashed potatoes with garlic aioli

Recipe Tips

  • The potatoes keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can reheat the potatoes by placing them on a baking sheet in a 425 F oven for 10 minutes to re-crisp.
  • Don't try to flip the potatoes while cooking. They will get plenty crisp on their own and flipping may cause them to break apart.
  • The butter and olive oil really help to crisp the potatoes, but if you're looking to cut calories you can spray with olive oil spray and the minced garlic.

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