This smashed fingerling potato recipe is next level good! These potatoes are crispy, buttery, kissed with garlic, and the crackled edges make them irresistible. They're the perfect side dish that never gets old, and I know you're going to love them as much as I do.
Whether you’re serving them up with grilled steak, roasted chicken, or straight off the pan (I may be speaking from experience here), they’re guaranteed to disappear fast.
What makes these smashed fingerlings extra special? Fingerling potatoes have a thin skin and naturally creamy texture that contrasts perfectly with their crispy, craggly edges once smashed and roasted.
You could stop right there, but I take things one step farther by brushing the potatoes with a garlicky butter while they roast. The result is pure, addictive perfection.
Serve these potatoes with rotisserie chicken and broccoli-cheese casserole, and you've got yourself the ultimate comfort food dinner. Or pair them with this spatchcock turkey during the holidays. It's a side dish that can be served during the week or for special occasions. If you're a steak and potatoes person like me, then you'll love them paired with this bacon-wrapped filet mignon.
Ready to make these crispy smashed potatoes? Let's do it!
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Ingredients
Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this crispy potatoes recipe:
- fingerling potatoes
- olive oil
- salted butter
- fresh garlic
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- sour cream
- fresh chives
(See recipe card for full recipe and quantities.)
Instructions
Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to get cooking!
- First, boil the potatoes in salted water to cover (about 1 inch above the potatoes) until a knife can easily pierce them, about 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and let dry.
- Then, working one at a time, place a potato on rimmed sheet pan coated with oil or cooking spray. Use the bottom of a glass to smash the potatoes.
- Next, stir together the melted butter, olive oil, and garlic. Brush half of the butter mixture on the tops sides of the potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Finally, bake at 425°F for 20 minutes or until browned. Flip and brush with the remaining butter mixture and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the potatoes are browned and crispy. Sprinkle with chives and serve with sour cream.
Hint: For ultimate crispiness, let the potatoes steam and cool slightly after smashing.
Hint #2: Look for potatoes that are uniform in size so that they cook at the same rate. (If you have some small potatoes mixed in with larger ones, the small guys will get mushy by the time the bigger potatoes are fork tender.)
Substitutions
Need to make some ingredient swaps? I've got you covered! Here are some substitution suggestions:
- Fingerling potatoes - Instead of fingerling potatoes, choose another waxy potato like Yukon Golds or red potatoes.
- Butter - I'm a fan of salted butter, but use unsalted butter if that's what you have. You may just need to sprinkle a little more salt on the potatoes once they're done.
- Chives - If you don't have chives, you can use green onions instead or other fresh herbs you have on hand. Parsley, cilantro, and rosemary are all wonderful options.
- Sour cream - Serving with sour cream is totally optional, but I love a good dipping sauce with these potatoes. Another great option is Greek yogurt. Or, the burger sauce from my bacon cheeseburgers recipe, this jalapeño green sauce, and my white barbecue sauce recipe are other great options too!
Variations
There are so many ways to change up this recipe. Check out these simple variations:
- Spicy - Add a little kick to these potatoes. Stir a little cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes into the garlic butter.
- Smashed Sweet Potatoes - Want a savory-sweet side dish? Small sweet potatoes work great too, and they're particularly delicious when finished with rosemary salt.
- Smashed Potato Nachos - Make nachos with a twist! Use the smashed potato as your "chips," top with some shredded Cheddar cheese, and crumbled bacon, and top with the sour cream and chives.
Equipment
Here's the equipment you'll need to make this fingerling potatoes recipe:
- Dutch oven or large pot
- colander
- 2 rimmed baking sheets
- small bowl
- microplane grater
- pastry brush
Storage
Store leftover potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Tasty Tip
In order for them to smash well, be sure the potatoes are cooked properly. Boil them until a sharp knife can easily pierce through the centers (but don't overcook them either).
Frequently asked questions
There is! Mashed potatoes are made when you cook the potatoes in boiling water, drain them, and mash them into a creamy, smooth mixture with milk and butter.
Smashed potatoes are also boiled, but they're twice-cooked. After boiling them, you smash them until they're flat and cook them again so they have crispy edges.
If the potatoes are falling apart when you try to smash them, you may have either overcooked or undercooked them in the boiling water. Or, perhaps you didn't use the right kind of potato. The best potatoes for smashing are waxy potatoes.
They'll get super crispy and golden brown if you flip them halfway through during baking.
You sure can! Depending on the surface area of your air fryer basket, you'll likely have to cook the potatoes in multiple batches. But, since the air fryer basket has holes in the bottom, you won't need to flip the potatoes halfway during cooking.
Salting the water for boiling is the best and easiest way to season the potatoes. They'll be seasoned all the way through and will mean you won't have to use as much salt after they've been smashed.
You could, depending on the shape of the masher, but I find that the bottom of a glass works the best since it has a smooth, flat surface.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with these smashed potatoes:
🍽Get the recipe
Crispy Smashed Fingerling Potatoes with Garlic
Equipment
- Dutch oven or large pot
- colander
- 2 rimmed baking sheets
- small bowl
- microplane grater
- pastry brush
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fingerling potatoes
- Kosher salt
- Vegetable oil or cooking spray
- ½ cup salted butter, melted
- 3 cloves garlic, grated
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Chopped fresh chives and sour cream for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Boil the potatoes in salted water to cover (about 1 inch above the potatoes) for 12 to 15 minutes or until a knife can easily pierce through. Drain and let dry.
- Working one at a time, place a potato on an oiled rimmed sheet pan. Place a glass over the potato and smash until about a ¼-inch thickness. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, using two baking sheets if needed and making sure there's ample room between each potato so that they're arranged in a single layer.
- Stir together the melted butter and garlic in a small bowl. Brush half of the mixture over the tops of the potatoes and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Flip the potatoes over and brush with the remaining garlic butter. Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes or until browned and crispy.
- Remove the potatoes to a serving platter and sprinkle with chives. Serve with sour cream if desired.
Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips
When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:
- Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
- When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
- I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
- When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Food safety
Finally, don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
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