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These Crispy Garlic Smashed Potatoes are about to change your life! Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and infused with garlic and herbs for an appetizer that’s down-right delicious. Have them ready to devour in less than 1 hour.
Table of Contents
We are lovers of all vegan potato recipes in our house. Vegan Potato Leek Soup, Fiesta Potatoes, Potatoes Au Gratin, Mashed Potatoes, Twice Baked Potatoes, Fondant Potatoes…you name it, we love it! We’ve even figured out a way to turn mashed potatoes into the perfect, Fluffy Potato Rolls.
But we realized we we’re missing one thing: a classic garlic smashed potatoes. This recipe is not only suuuper easy to make, but requires just 7-ingredients and can be served a number of ways. They’re easy enough to make the perfect side dish for a weeknight family dinner, yet classy enough to receive rave reviews at a dinner party. Trust us – you won’t have trouble finding a way to enjoy them.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Potatoes: The best potatoes to use are Yukon gold potatoes or yellow potatoes. These smaller potatoes have a creamy, buttery texture that makes them easy to smash. They also have a thin skin that doesn’t require any peeling.
- Oil: For the best crispy potato appetizer, you will need to brush the potatoes with extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil. Or, for an even more decadent flavor, use melted vegan butter. If you follow an oil-free diet, please try one of these recipes: Crispy Oil-Free Noochy Potatoes or Oven Roasted Breakfast Potatoes.
- Fresh garlic: We highly recommend using finely minced fresh garlic cloves. We used 5 large cloves, but feel free to adjust to your garlicky preference.
- Fresh herbs: A mixture of fresh rosemary and fresh thyme leaves add depth of flavor without over-powering the garlic butter.
- Vegan parmesan cheese: While optional, a final sprinkle of our homemade vegan parmesan cheese takes these crispy potatoes to the next level and adds a subtle cheesiness. If preferred, you can opt for a simple sprinkle of nutritional yeast, red pepper flakes, or an additional sprinkle of fresh herbs like fresh parsley or green onions.
Equipment Needed
- Large pot
- Colander or strainer
- Baking Tray
- Parchment paper/silicone mat (optional)
- Tool for smashing (drinking cup, potato masher, or flat-bottomed measuring cup)
- Pastry brush
How to Make Garlic Smashed Potatoes
- Boil the potatoes. Add the potatoes to a large pot and cover the potatoes with cold water. Set the pot over medium heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir in 1 tablespoon of salt and cook the potatoes for 15-20 minutes. When ready, they should be tender and easily pierced with a fork with no resistance.
- Make the garlic herb butter. In a small mixing bowl, mix together the butter, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and remaining salt and black pepper. Mix together until uniform and set aside.
- Smash the potatoes. Spread the cooked potatoes evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Using the bottom of a glass, flat-bottomed measuring cup, or potato mashed, press down on the potatoes to “smash” them until about 1/2-inch thick.
- Add garlic herb butter. Divide the butter mixture between all of the potatoes and do your best to cover the whole top surface of each smashed potato. We find this easiest to do using a pastry brush or the back of a spoon.
- Bake. Transfer the potatoes to a preheated oven and roast for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown with crispy edges.
- Serve. Remove the potatoes from the oven and top with vegan parmesan cheese and additional fresh herbs, or as desired. Serve while warm with dipping sauces of choice.
Serving Suggestions
This smashed potatoes recipe can be served as a simple dinner side dish, or our favorite, a fun appetizer! Like french fries, these garlicky potatoes make for an excellent finger food for parties, game days, and leading up to holiday meals like Thanksgiving or Christmas.
We typically serve with the classic ketchup, but try them with any of these homemade sauces:
- Vegan Pesto or Garlic Basil Pesto
- Garlic Truffle Aioli or this 5-Minute Vegan Garlic Aioli
- Vegan French Onion Dip
- Homemade Marinara Sauce
- Date-Sweetened Barbecue Sauce
- Cashew Mustard Cheese Dip
- Vegan Chipotle Cheddar Cheese Sauce
- Chimichurri Sauce (you might like our Roasted Smashed Yukon Gold Potatoes with Chimichurri!
Recipe FAQs
While both are popular potato side dishes, the two are prepared with a few differences. For example, smashed potatoes, like this recipe, are boiled until fork tender, then smashed and baked until creamy in the center with crispy outsides.
Mashed potatoes on the other hand are often made with peeled potatoes that have been boiled then fully mashed until creamy and fluffy. To see the visual difference, check out our Vegan Mashed Potatoes recipe!
This can happen if the potatoes are smashed too quickly or if you use waxy potato varieties like small red potatoes, russet potatoes, or fingerling potatoes. For the best results, please use Yukon golds. They’re high starch content keeps them extra creamy in the center and prevents them from falling apart.
To make the best, crispy smashed potatoes you will need something with a flat bottom to smash the potatoes. We find this easiest to do with the bottom of a cup or drinking glass, but it will also work with the back of a flat spatula, measuring cup, or even a potato masher.
If you are using a potato masher, just be sure to press down on the potatoes gently or place a piece of parchment paper between the potato and the potato masher. This will help keep the top surface of the potato flat and smooth.
Storage Instructions
Leftover potatoes will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. To reheat, brush the leftover potatoes with a bit of oil and place in an air fryer, toaster oven, large skillet or regular oven. Heat at 350F for 10-15 minutes (check after 6-8 minutes if using the air fryer or toaster oven) or until warm and lightly crispy again.
Important Tips for the Best Crispy Potatoes
- Dry the potatoes after boiling. The potatoes will crisp up better in the oven if you towel dry them thoroughly before smashing. The dryer the exterior, the more crispy they will be!
- Broil as needed. All ovens vary in temperature and performance. If after 20 minutes the potatoes aren’t as crispy as you’d like, broil the potatoes for a few minutes. Watch carefully, or the garlic may burn.
- Finely mince the garlic and herbs. This will evenly infuse the potatoes with their flavor and make it easiest to brush the garlic butter on.
More Yukon Gold Potato Recipes You May Enjoy:
Appetizers and Sides
Vegan Potatoes Au Gratin
Appetizers and Sides
Vegan French Onion Mashed Potatoes
Appetizers and Sides
Roasted Smashed Yukon Gold Potatoes with Chimichurri
Appetizers and Sides
Baked Mojo Fries {oil-free} + Vegan Super Bowl Party Platter
Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you make this recipe. We love to see your photos!
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The Best Garlic Smashed Potatoes Recipe
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 5 side servings
Description
These Crispy Garlic Smashed Potatoes are about to change your life! Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and infused with garlic and herbs for an appetizer that’s down-right delicious. Have them ready to devour in less than 1 hour.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds small yukon gold potatoes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, avocado oil or melted vegan butter
- 5 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely minced
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon salt (or as desired)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or as desired)
- Optional: 2-3 tablespoons vegan parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Add the potatoes to a large pot and fill with cold water. Set on stove over medium heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add in 1 tablespoon of salt then cook the potatoes for 15- 20 minutes, or until tender and easily pierced with a fork. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the potatoes, so we recommend checking on them every 10 minutes by piercing the largest potato with the tip of a sharp knife. You will know when it’s ready when the knife slides in easily with no resistance.
- Preheat oven to 450°F and lightly grease a baking sheet OR line it with parchment paper/a silicone mat.
- In the meantime, grab a small bowl and mix together the oil/butter, garlic, rosemary, thyme, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper until uniform. Set aside.
- Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them and then spread them evenly on your baking sheet. Using a drinking up, measuring cup, or potato masher, press down on the potatoes to “smash” them until they are about 1/2-inch thick (the thinner the potatoes the crispier the result). Be sure to press down on them slowly so that they don’t break! Evenly distribute oil mixture onto the potatoes, trying your best to cover the whole top surface of each.
- Place the potatoes in the oven for 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown and crisped up.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven and top them with vegan parmesan cheese as desired. Serve warm with your dipping sauces of choice!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Side
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten-free, Soy-free
These were SO delicious! Very easy to make as well. I loved the rosemary and thyme in them. I infused the oil with fresh garlic and brushed the smashed potatoes with it before baking. We made a cashew sour cream and served the potatoes with it and fresh finely sliced green onion. What a great recipe. Thank you!
We made these tonight and they were sooooo good!!! I wish I could eat these everyday without gaining a pound lol!
I just made this for dinner with some lovely Quorn fillets, vegetables, and gravy – and they were amazing! I’ll be making these again with other meals, for sure. ????????
Hello! I just found your website today: always looking for low-oil vegan stuff. On the one hand, way back when you posted the bean dip recipe there was a clear point made about not using oil for health concerns. I have those concerns as well. Yet in this recipe, possibly among others, there’s a whopping 3 tablespoons of oil. Of course, oil always makes things taste really good, and serve to prevent sticking. Yet, the health concerns are paramount, in many people’s case. So, is there in fact a way to cook potatoes, etc – without oil – that you’ve discovered? Thank you!
You can definitely cook potatoes without oil! One thing to do is to steam them a bit and them pop them into the oven to finish cooking so that they don’t dry out. Here is a recipe idea for you to try out: https://sweetsimplevegan.com/2018/01/baked-mojo-fries-vegan-super-bowl-party-platter/
Oh, Yum! Delicious and so easy! Making them for my friends tonight for Girls night in. Hopefully they will be watching their carb intake so I can have them all 🙂
haha we hope that everyone loves these!