Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Here is a really fun and different way to serve potatoes. These smashed potatoes are so good because you get a soft creamy center like mashed potatoes, but a crunchy crisp outside like roasted potatoes – delicious! We love serving food in different ways {and of course we love potatoes} this is a yummy change from baked or mashed potatoes – it’s one of our favorites!
The smashed potatoes are so simple, but they do take about 1 1/2 hours (mostly cooking time) – so plan accordingly. We like to make them with Crockpot Barbecue Ribs - since they are going to be cooking 7 or so hours anyway, there is plenty of time for these potatoes!
Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
2 pounds small red potatoes (1 1/2 – 2″ diameter)
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (more if needed)
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
fresh ground salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place one oven rack at the lowest position and one at the top position.
Scrub the red potatoes and lay on a baking sheet. Add 3/4 cup of water the to the potatoes and cover with foil. Bake in hot oven for 30 minutes.
When the potatoes are done, removed foil, drain, and let cool for 10 minutes. Toss potatoes with 3 tablespoons olive oil making sure each is coated with oil. Take a cup and “smash” each potato to about 1/3 – 1/2 in thick {this is the fun part}.
Drizzle another 3 tablespoons olive oil on the potatoes, sprinkle with thyme leaves and salt and pepper. Place the potatoes in your 500 degree oven on the top rack and bake for 15 minutes. Move potatoes to the lower oven rack and continue to bake for another 25-30 minutes (until nice and brown).
Hmmm . . . crispy brown on the bottom, moist and tender in the center. These potatoes are so good!
Another great variety is to omit the thyme and season with garlic salt and rosemary – yummy!
Recipe from America’s Test Kitchen.
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Mmmm….I should check the blog first thing in the morning. My cereal is just not enough any more. I am craving these for sure now.
These look so scrumptious!
mmmmm, these look so good! I am printing this and will try it soon! Thank you! I am a new follower. Pls follow back. Growing Old With Grace http://growing-old-with-grace.blogspot.com/
Your blog is great! Love this recipe; I’ll have to try it.
Thanks for stopping by and following; I’m following you back via GFC!
Potatoes are my favorite. I’d like to try out this recipe sometime soon.
amazing!! Definitely pinning these to my recipes board!
Oh. My. Yum! These look totally fab, and like a super easy side. I’ll be trying these out this fall! Jen @ http://www.icantstopcrafting.blogspot.com
These sound so good! Time to get a big bag of potatoes.
This look so delicious! I have a ton of potatoes from my CSA, I’m going to try this recipe out with them!
I love potatoes & these look delish!
I would love for you to link it up to My Favorite Things Friday Party going on all week. I saw this over at the Tip Junkie Party.
XoXo
~Iffy~
http://www.StayAtHomeNation.blogspot.com
Looks delish! During the first stage which rack do you have the potatoes on??
Top rack in your oven – hope you love them!
Just a question, couldn’t you just boil them first till their tender then smash and bake? Would this not work? Or was their a reason for cooking them in the oven with water first?
Great question from Angela! According to America’s test kitchen – you lose flavor when you boil, that’s why they recommend steaming in the oven!
One of my FAVORITE ways to have potatoes! Sometimes, I will sprinkle fresh grated Parmesan on them… and some garlic…. and other times some dry ranch dressing.
GREAT GREAT GREAT!!!
You can put these in the microwave to cook them first also.
I read a similar recipe for these the other week that I have been making nonstop. It’s a little different, though. Boil the potatoes until they are fork tender, then put on an oiled baking sheet, smash, brush on some oil (I like a little butter!), add your herbs/spices, and bake at 450 on the top shelf for 25 to 30 minutes. Bake longer if they are larger potatoes. They get better the longer they roast so you don’t have to worry about perfect timing! :]
I had to leave the potatoes in the oven for 1 hr and 10 minutes because when I took them out after 30 mins, they were still hard. I guess the potatoes were a little bigger than the recipe called for. They were good, but I just wished I left them longer in the oven so they really could get crispier.
Try using the little reds – about 1″ – 1 1/2 ” they work well!
Made these for dinner everyone liked them, my daughter-in-law even asked for the recipe. Excellent. I also had to leave them in the oven longer, about 1 hour. I used reds, maybe they were to big.
So glad you like them! The size of the potatoes does make a difference. I used the little 1″ ones. Thanks for following Caramel Potatoes – Have a declicious week!
I make these often but I do it simpler. I bake small reds or small yukon golds at 425 degrees. When the first one pops open (one always explodes but doesn’t get all over) I know they are pretty much cooked. I smush them with a potato masher to leave them bumpy, drizzle olive oil, place a small pat of real butter on each potato and season with sea salt, fresh cracked black pepper. It only takes about 45 minutes from start to finish.
Sounds like a great idea – thanks!
Can you make a big batch and then freeze 1/2 of them to eat later?