Description
There are infinite ways to make potatoes, but these crispy smashed potatoes remain one of my favorite ways to whip up taters. They’re buttery, crispy, crunchy, and loaded with flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs baby gold potatoes*
- Olive oil or avocado oil and kosher salt for roasting
- 4 tbsp butter or vegan butter
- 6 garlic cloves, smashed and roughly chopped
- 2 lemons worth of zest
- Flaky salt for garnish
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water, and sprinkle in 1 tbsp of kosher salt. Bring to a boil and cook the potatoes until they’re soft, about 15 minutes. Larger-sized potatoes will take 5-10 minutes longer. Just make sure the potatoes are fork-tender before draining! Once the potatoes are done, drain in a colander and let dry for 5-10 minutes – this will help any excess water steam off and ensure the potatoes get ultra-crispy in the oven.
- Preheat the oven and prepare your pan. While the potatoes are boiling, preheat the oven to 450°F and move the oven rack to the top of the oven. Drizzle a large-rimmed baking sheet (I used this baking sheet here) with olive oil or avocado oil and set aside.
- Smash and bake the potatoes. Place a potato on the prepared sheet pan, and using the bottom of a cup or mason jar, press down on the potato and smash it down into a patty. Repeat this process with all of the potatoes. A good rule of thumb: the thinner the potato, the crisper, and the thicker the potato, the fluffier. Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil or avocado oil, and sprinkle over kosher salt. Bake the potatoes in the preheated oven until the tops turn brown and begin to crisp, about 25 minutes.
- Make the butter sauce. While the potatoes roast, make the butter sauce. Add the butter and garlic into a small saucepan, and heat on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic starts to look golden. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest. Set aside.
- Spoon over the sauce and serve. Once the potatoes are done roasting, remove them from the oven, spoon over the sauce, and toss the potatoes so they’re coated in the butter sauce. Finish with a sprinkle of flaky salt and serve immediately!
Notes
*Quick note, I’ve tested this recipe with a variety of potatoes, and this recipe works great with all types. High-starch potatoes (ie. russet potatoes) will be fluffier, whereas waxy potatoes (ie. baby gold, yukon, red potatoes) are more creamy on the inside. Additionally, you can use small or medium-sized potatoes. Smaller potatoes will come out crispier, whereas larger potatoes will have the same crispiness but more fluffy insides. My favorite potato variety to use for this recipe is baby gold potatoes; they’re small and turn out super crispy.