There is something fundamentally satisfying about a perfectly cooked potato. I’m talking about one that boasts an outrageously crunchy, craggy exterior that gives way to a centre as soft and fluffy as a cloud. For years, my go-to was a classic roast potato, but these Crispy Smashed Potatoes have completely stolen my heart. They deliver that incredible textural contrast in a way that’s both rustic and wonderfully elegant. They look as fantastic as they taste, with golden-brown peaks and valleys that are designed to catch every last drop of herby, garlicky oil.

This recipe was inspired by a dish I had at a little restaurant in Spain. They served ‘patatas aplastadas’ – literally, ‘flattened potatoes’ – as a simple tapas, seasoned with nothing more than smoky paprika and flaky sea salt. I took that beautiful, simple idea and added the fragrant warmth of rosemary and garlic, which reminds me of the Sunday roasts I grew up with. The result is a hybrid of sorts: part Mediterranean simplicity, part British tradition, and wholly delicious.

These Smashed Potatoes are the kind of side dish that threatens to upstage the main event. They work beautifully for a special meal when you want something a bit more impressive than your average spud, but they are also straightforward enough for a weekend family dinner. Everyone seems to love this recipe; the battle for the extra-crispy bits on the oven tray is a regular occurrence in my house.

Recipe Overview

This recipe transforms humble boiled potatoes into a spectacular side dish. We start by boiling them until they are perfectly tender, then we gently smash them to create a larger surface area with lots of nooks and crannies. A generous drizzle of garlic and rosemary-infused olive oil before a final roast in a hot oven is what creates that signature, irresistible crunch. When I was testing this, I found that letting the potatoes steam-dry for a good 5-10 minutes after boiling is the most crucial step for achieving maximum crispiness.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 55 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Servings: 4 people
• Difficulty: Easy

Why You’ll Love This Crispy Smashed Potatoes

• Genuine Flavour: The combination of earthy rosemary and mellow, sweet roasted garlic infused into the olive oil creates a deeply savoury and aromatic taste that perfectly complements the fluffy potato.
• A Stunning Side Dish: While the total time is just over an hour, most of it is hands-off oven time, leaving you free to prepare the rest of your meal.
• Flexible Recipe: This is a brilliant base recipe. You can add a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese for the last 10 minutes of roasting, scatter over some fresh thyme, or add a pinch of chilli flakes for a little heat.
• Great for a Sunday Roast: These are an ideal accompaniment to a roast dinner, pairing wonderfully with my Juicy Chicken Recipe or a lovely piece of grilled fish.
• Family Tested: My kids, who can be fussy about textures, absolutely adore these. They call them “crispy potato pancakes,” and the tray is always cleared in minutes.

Crispy Smashed Potatoes

⏱️ 10 min prep  •  🍳 80 min cook  •  👥 4 servings

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Ingredients You’ll Need

For the best Smashed Potatoes, the type of potato you choose matters. I recommend a floury or all-rounder variety like Maris Piper or King Edward, as they have a fluffy texture that works brilliantly. You can also use smaller new potatoes or Charlotte potatoes; they will be a little firmer inside but just as delicious. I always use a good quality extra virgin olive oil here, as its flavour really shines through.

• 1 kg small to medium-sized Maris Piper potatoes, scrubbed clean
• 75ml extra virgin olive oil
• 5 whole garlic cloves, skin on and lightly crushed
• 2 large sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt (I find Maldon flakes give the best texture)
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Sara’s Tip: Leaving the skins on the garlic cloves prevents them from burning in the hot oven. They will steam inside their papers, becoming sweet and soft, infusing the oil with a gorgeous, mellow garlic flavour rather than a harsh, bitter one.

How to Make Crispy Smashed Potatoes

The method for these crispy potatoes is a simple three-stage process: boil, smash, and roast. The key is to handle the potatoes gently during the smashing stage to keep them mostly intact while creating those all-important craggy edges.

1. Preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C fan) and place a large, sturdy baking tray inside to get hot.
2. Place the scrubbed potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold, salted water. Bring to the boil and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are completely tender when pierced with a knife.
3. Drain the potatoes carefully into a colander and leave them to steam-dry for at least 5-10 minutes. This step is vital for removing surface moisture, which helps them become incredibly crispy later. Give the colander a gentle shake to rough up the edges slightly.
4. Carefully remove the hot baking tray from the oven. Pour the olive oil onto the tray, then add the crushed garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs. Swirl them around in the oil for 30 seconds to start releasing their flavours.
5. Tip the steam-dried potatoes onto the hot oil and turn them gently to coat. Spread them out, ensuring there is plenty of space between each one.
6. Using the base of a glass or a potato masher, gently but firmly press down on each potato until it’s about 1.5-2cm thick. Don’t worry if they break apart a little – those are the bits that will get extra crispy! I find that a flat-bottomed mug works best for an even press.
7. Sprinkle generously with coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
8. Roast for 25 minutes. Then, remove the tray from the oven, carefully flip each potato over, and return to the oven for another 20-25 minutes, or until they are deeply golden-brown, crisp, and sizzling.
9. Remove from the oven, discard the rosemary stems and garlic skins if you wish (the soft garlic is delicious squeezed out and eaten!), and serve immediately.

Tips From My Kitchen

• Temperature Control: A very hot oven is essential. Don’t be tempted to put the potatoes in before it has fully preheated. Preheating the tray and the oil creates an initial sizzle that kick-starts the crisping process the moment the potatoes hit the pan.
• The Secret Step: Don’t skip the steam-drying. I learned that this is the single most important factor for avoiding soggy potatoes. Wet potatoes will steam, not roast. For an in-depth look at the science, food writers at BBC Good Food have great explanations on starch gelatinisation.
• Make-Ahead: You can boil the potatoes up to a day in advance. Once cooked and drained, let them cool completely before storing them in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to cook, bring them to room temperature for 30 minutes before smashing and roasting as per the recipe.
• Storage: Leftover smashed potatoes can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat and bring back their crunch, place them on a baking tray in a preheated oven at 200°C (180°C fan) for 8-10 minutes. An air fryer also works brilliantly for this.

What to Serve With Crispy Smashed Potatoes

These potatoes are a truly versatile side dish. Their robust, herby flavour means they can stand up to rich main courses but are also delicious enough to be the main attraction.

• A Classic Main: They are a dream served alongside a grilled steak, roast lamb, or this delicious Lemon Garlic Chicken. They are perfect for soaking up any juices or sauces.
• As a Light Meal: Serve a pile of them topped with a dollop of soured cream and chives, some crumbled feta cheese, or even alongside a simple fried egg for a brilliant brunch or lunch.
• Drink Pairing: A crisp, dry white wine like a Sauvignon Blanc or an unoaked Chardonnay works well. If you prefer red, a light-bodied Pinot Noir won’t overpower the delicate garlic and rosemary notes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Crispy Smashed Potatoes

Tender boiled potatoes, smashed and roasted with garlic and rosemary until perfectly golden and crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Modern European

Calories: 350

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 kg small to medium-sized Maris Piper potatoes scrubbed clean
• 75 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 5 whole garlic cloves skin on and lightly crushed
• 2 large sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt I find Maldon flakes give the best texture
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C fan) and place a large, sturdy baking tray inside to get hot.
2. Place the scrubbed potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold, salted water. Bring to the boil and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are completely tender when pierced with a knife.
3. Drain the potatoes carefully into a colander and leave them to steam-dry for at least 5-10 minutes. This step is vital for removing surface moisture, which helps them become incredibly crispy later. Give the colander a gentle shake to rough up the edges slightly.
4. Carefully remove the hot baking tray from the oven. Pour the olive oil onto the tray, then add the crushed garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs. Swirl them around in the oil for 30 seconds to start releasing their flavours.
5. Tip the steam-dried potatoes onto the hot oil and turn them gently to coat. Spread them out, ensuring there is plenty of space between each one.
6. Using the base of a glass or a potato masher, gently but firmly press down on each potato until it’s about 1.5-2cm thick. Don't worry if they break apart a little – those are the bits that will get extra crispy! I find that a flat-bottomed mug works best for an even press.
7. Sprinkle generously with coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
8. Roast for 25 minutes. Then, remove the tray from the oven, carefully flip each potato over, and return to the oven for another 20-25 minutes, or until they are deeply golden-brown, crisp, and sizzling.
9. Remove from the oven, discard the rosemary stems and garlic skins if you wish (the soft garlic is delicious squeezed out and eaten!), and serve immediately.

Notes

For the best texture, use a coarse sea salt like Maldon flakes. The soft, roasted garlic can be squeezed from its skin and eaten with the potatoes.

I really hope you give these Crispy Smashed Potatoes a go. They are one of the most requested side dishes in my home, and they never fail to impress. That first bite, with its audible crunch followed by the soft, steamy potato inside, is just a little bit of magic. Please let me know how you get on in the comments below – I always enjoy reading about your kitchen adventures!