Smashed and roasted creamy yellow potatoes topped with Parmesan chopped parsley and ground black pepper.

Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro

Hot take: Crispy smashed potatoes are the ultimate form of potato. Sure, mashed potatoes get all the glory, but there’s something about these creamy in the center, crisp on the outside twice-cooked spuds that can’t be beat. The two-step cooking method is key to any good smashed potatoes recipe; boiling the potatoes fluffs up their interior and gets them soft enough so you can smash them against the sheet pan, while roasting them gets them crispier than a french fry ever dreamed of. Don’t be tempted to line your pan with parchment paper, as doing so would only hinder any browning you’re looking to achieve.

Use small yellow or baby Yukon Gold potatoes here—they have just the right amount of starch to ride the line between crispy and creamy. Once baked, the potatoes are craggy, with nooks that take well to all kinds of dips and sauces. Serve them as a side dish with grilled fish or pork chops. Or use them as a base for a nachos-inspired snack or dinner, topped with black beans, sour cream, and fresh herbs like chives and cilantro. Or turn them into “pizza potatoes” with a topping of store-bought marinara, mozzarella, pepperoni, and a scattering of fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Recipe information

Total Time
1 hour 30 minutes
Yield
4–6 servings

Ingredients

2 lbs. small yellow potatoes

1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal salt or ¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more for pot

2 tsp. garlic powder

1½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more

Finely grated Parmesan and finely chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving; optional

Preparation

Step 1
Place a rack in the bottom third of oven; preheat oven to 450°. Place 2 lb. small yellow potatoes in a large pot, cover with water, and generously season with kosher salt; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until potatoes are fork tender, 15–20 minutes. Drain and transfer potatoes to a rimmed baking sheet lightly drizzle in extra-virgin olive oil. Let cool slightly.
Step 2
In a small bowl mix together 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal salt or ¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 2 tsp. garlic powder, and 1½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Using the bottom of a glass or lightly oiled measuring cup, smash each potato to a roughly ½"–¾" thickness. Drizzle the tops with 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle the top with half of the seasoning mixture. Flip potatoes (it’s okay if they fall apart - that’s part of the beauty), drizzle with the remaining 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive olive, and season with the remaining seasoning mixture. Roast potatoes, flipping them halfway through with a thin spatula (again, it’s okay if they fall apart), until crispy and dark golden brown, about 40 to 50 minutes total. Sprinkle the tops with finely grated Parmesan and finely chopped fresh parsley leaves before serving, if desired.
Cooks’ note: Small waxy yellow potatoes are ideal here, but any petite potato would do the job. If using very small potatoes, such as fingerlings, you might just need to adjust the cooking time.