Extra crispy garlic smashed potatoes – a delicious and easy recipe for oven roasted new potatoes (baby reds, Yukon golds or creamers). Perfectly easy and fresh these smashed potatoes can be made in an air fryer as well.
Crispy smashed potatoes with herbs and garlic, topped with some wild garlic pesto– these potatoes are a dream light (spring) meal. Or even main accompanied by a good salad or soup. Can be enjoyed also with roasts and fish if one prefers.
In love with baby potatoes, check out my recipe for European Roasted Baby Potatoes.
INGREDIENTS and Substitutions:
- Small new potatoes – the smaller and fresher the better
- Olive oil – or duck fat or lard for most crispy and delicious results
- Seasoning: paprika, garlic powder, sea salt and black pepper to taste
- Boiling water
TIPS for crispy garlic smashed potatoes:
1) Choose small new potatoes (I like to use golden baby potatoes — the first ones that come out in spring). Pick ones that are similar in size to ensure they cook evenly. New potatoes have much thinner skins than regular ones, which makes them extra crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside once cooked.
Tip: If you’re buying potatoes in bulk and can’t select the sizes yourself (whether from the store or your garden), sort through them at home. Set aside similarly sized ones for this recipe, and save the rest for another dish.
2) Toss the potatoes in a mixture of oil and dried herbs to boost flavor and create a crisp, golden coating (see below for seasoning variations).
3) Cook using a convection method — either in the oven or an air fryer. Hot air circulating around all sides of the potatoes is key to achieving that irresistible crispy texture.
4) After boiling, smash the potatoes unevenly and coat them well with the oil and herb mixture — this helps maximize their crispiness.
Make SMASHED POTATOES in the AIR FRYER?
These crispy smashed potatoes can easily be made in the air fryer instead of the oven — and they turn out just as delicious!
- Boil small golden baby potatoes on the stovetop until fork-tender.
- Let them cool slightly, then gently smash them with a fork on a flat surface like a baking sheet or parchment paper.
- Generously coat the smashed potatoes with a mix of oil and dried herbs to boost flavor and help them crisp up.
- Place them in the air fryer basket in a single layer if possible. Two layers can work, but be sure to shake or stir them once or twice during cooking for even crisping on all sides.
- Air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 10–20 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes and your air fryer model.
Just like with any air-fried food, it’s a good idea to check on them around the 5–10 minute mark to make sure they’re not cooking too quickly.
Garlic Smashed Potatoes (Roasted)
Ingredients
- 500 g new potatoes
- 4 tbsp. duck fat
Seasoning:
- 1 tbsp. sweet paprika
- 1 tbsp. garlic powder
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
- water for blanching potatoes
Instructions
- First, brush new potatoes skin and clean it well. Use kitchen brush if needed to remove dirt from skin.
- Then, in a large soup pot, bring water to a boil and blanche potatoes for 10 minutes (or until softer, but not mushy). Alternatively steam potatoes.
- Next, drain new potatoes from water and let cool slightly. In the meantime in a small bowl mix melted duck fat and seasoning.
- Then, place potatoes onto cooking tray ( non-stick or covered with baking paper) and crush potatoes with fork or potato masher.
- Finally, using kitchen brush coat each potato on both sides with the herb-fat mixture.
- Place in preheated oven/air fryer/ on ventilation for about 15-20 min or until potatoes are golden on top.
Notes
Nutrition
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