Garlic Smashed Potatoes (2024)

These Garlic Smashed Potatoes are one of our favorite side dishes! They are everything a potato should be. They are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. They are packed with the perfect amount of garlic flavor and the perfect amount of richness. And with a only a few ingredients, of course they are easy to make! Garlic Smashed potatoes are the perfect dish for everything from a steak on the grill, to a baked chicken dinner, meat loaf, or something traditional like a burger.

this Recipe

Garlic Smashed Potatoes Recipe

Let me start out by saying if you have never had potatoes made this way, you are missing out on life! This recipe is super simple and the result is something that so many agree is absolutely the most delicious way to eat potatoes. There can be variations on flavor like these Ranch Smashed Potatoes, but the concept is the same. Boil the potatoes until soft, mash them down, add enough oil to help them get nice and crispy and bake at a high temperature until crispy perfection.

I feel almost as if it is my job in life to convert people to making these one by one, because every time we serve them people say it is one of the best potatoes they have ever had. I also love that these are just as easy to make in a small batch for a family dinner or a huge batch for barbecue or football party.

As a bonus, these Garlic Smashed Potatoes are both gluten free and dairy free so it makes a great choice when you are serving someone with sensitivities or special dietary requirements.

How to Make Garlic Smashed Potatoes

This Garlic Smashed recipe is super simple but there are a few tricks to getting a great result. I am going to walk you through some of my tips for getting the best out of this recipe, but makes sure to hop down to the FULL printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Ingredients

All you need for this recipe are 5 of the most basic ingredients, so it is easy to make this in a pinch since you almost always have these on hand.

• 24 oz baby red potatoes- This is a common weight they are sold in at the store which is why I generally make this quantity. If you have to buy them individually this equates to 1.5 pounds of potatoes. My biggest tip is to buy the smaller potatoes. Even though the larger potatoes will work, they take substantially longer to cook and are harder to smash to the right thickness. Smaller potatoes just yield a better result in this recipe.
• 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil-This sounds like a lot of oil and it is, but you really need it all to get them to cook properly. Much of the oil does stay on the pan so it isn’t all consumed.
• 1 tsp garlic powder-I really prefer using garlic powder and salt instead of garlic salt because it allows you to always know the ratio of the spices you are getting so that you can get the taste you want. In a pinch I am sure it would be okay to use garlic salt.
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper

Instructions

Again, these are pretty basic to make, but there are a few pointers to add to get the best result. First, make sure that the potatoes are soft enough when you boil them. You don’t want the fork to just be able to pierce the skin, but you want them really soft so they will be easy to mash down.

Next, make sure you are generous with the olive oil. The first coat on the pan keeps them from sticking while baking so make sure it is covered. When you drizzle it over the top try to make sure it gets in all of the nooks and crannies because this will make those nooks and crannies into delicious crispy potato bites.

When you smash the potatoes try not to demolish them, but also, make sure that you get them thin and spread out enough. If they are thicker you will end of with more of a mashed potato and less of the delicious crispy outsides with little bits of creamy insides.

Lastly, I know 425˚F sounds high, but the potatoes need it to get those crispy edges! Keep an eye on them toward the end and adjust the cooking time up or down if they seem like they are getting too browned or are not quite crispy enough yet.

I really hope that you love and rave about these potatoes as much we do! If you get a chance to try them, I would love it if you would let me know! You can leave me a note in the comments or if you post a pic, tag me @easyfamilyrecipes so I can see what you are making! Nothing makes me happier than seeing others enjoy the recipes I share!

….Oh and before you go! If you are like me and need a regular steam of dinner inspiration, please think about signing up to get my Hungry Emails. It’s free! I send out an email each week with what I am making and what I need to make ASAP! I would love to have you join us! Just click here or on the button below.

Leave a Reply

1. Christine

   February 23, 2024

   
   These potatoes are delicious, especially when they get a little crispy. My husband loves when I make them.

   Reply

2. Elisabeth Smith

   November 17, 2023

   
   I’ve been making these for years. They’re delicious! I like to let them get crispy on the bottom.

   Reply

3. Casey

   November 29, 2022

   
   Awesome!

   Reply