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Potato/ Roast Dinner/ Sides

EXTRA Crispy Smashed Potatoes

October 30, 2019 (Last Updated: November 30, 2020) by Chris Collins

Here I’ll show you the game changing method to getting EXTRA crispy smashed potatoes. Roasted with garlic and rosemary, say hello to your new roast potato!

overhead of smashed potatoes on baking tray fresh out the oven

Smashed Roast Potatoes

I know I do a lot of stuff that might be considered ‘extra’ here on the blog, but you know it’s always for a good cause 😂 ‘why do you need to smash a potato?’ I hear you cry! Well, I’m here to tell you exactly why..

The best part of a roast potato is the crispy parts, right? We’re all in agreement here?? Okay good. By gently smashing the potato you’re essentially increasing the surface area and adding more texture to it. Therefore, there’s more opportunity for the potato to flake and become crispy. You’re also making the potato thinner, which also increases the crispiness.

For these smashed potatoes you’re going to want to use baby potatoes aka new potatoes because 1. They’re nice and small, so easy to work with and 2. The skins are will help keep the smashed potato in tact.

Just look and that golden gorgeousness 😍

smashed potato on spatula raised up to camera with potatoes blurred in background

CRISPY Smashed Potatoes

Okay, so many of you have seen smashed potatoes before. So what makes these different? 

* My number 1 tip for getting outrageously crispy smashed potatoes is to use goose or duck fat *

There, the secrets out. Here’s why it works:

Goose and duck fat have high smoking points, which essentially means they can withstand high temperatures without smoking out the kitchen and burning what they’re supposed to be cooking. In terms of smashed potatoes, which are already crispier than your average, it means you can crank up the heat and use more fat/oil than you’d usually be able to. Therefore – extra crispiness.

How to make crispy smashed potatoes (quick summary)

  1. Boil baby potatoes until knife tender.
  2. Add fat to a pan and roast.
  3. Mix in garlic and rosemary.
  4. Space out potatoes.
  5. Gently smash.
  6. Baste with fat then roast.

How to make crispy smashed potatoes - 6 step by step photos

Top Tip #1 – It’s essential to let the potatoes steam dry after you’ve boiled them. This will ensure as much moisture leaves the potatoes as possible, which in turn reduces the chance that they’ll fall apart or fail to crisp up in the oven. Also make sure you space out the potatoes to ensure they don’t end up steaming, as opposed to roasting.
Top Tip #2Sprinkle with salt at the end to draw out the final bit of moisture for extra crispiness!

Can I use Olive Oil?

Short answer – yes. They’ll still work great, but they won’t be quite as crispy/flavoursome. If olive oil is all you’ve got, here’s a summary of what changes you’d have to make:

  • Preheat oven to slightly lower temp.
  • Place baking tray in the oven without oil until scorching hot.
  • Brush/toss the potatoes with olive oil after they’ve steamed.
  • Continue recipe as stated, using a tiny bit extra oil to brush the tops once smashed.

Can I use other potatoes?

New potatoes/Baby Potatoes are best as they’re completely coated in skin, meaning they stay in tact better. I have tried with sliced regular potatoes and they don’t work quite as well and more likely fall apart. The smaller the potato the crispier the smashed potato.

smashed new potatoes on white plate

EXTRA Crispy Smashed Potatoes

And there we have it! Extra crispy smashed baby potatoes are yours for the taking. Just remember:

  • Leave the spuds to steam.
  • Make sure you use goose/duck fat and make sure it’s HOT.
  • Space them out.
  • Add salt at the end to draw out the final bit of moisture.

Hey, whilst you’re here why not check out my other recipes?

Easy Potato Sides

Alrighty, let’s tuck into these smashed potatoes shall we?!

overhead shot of crispy smashed new potatoes on white plate

How to make EXTRA Crispy Smashed Potatoes (Full Recipe & Video)

overhead of smashed potatoes on baking tray fresh out the oven

EXTRA Crispy Smashed Potatoes

Here I'll show you the game changing method to getting EXTRA crispy smashed potatoes. Roasted with garlic and rosemary, say hello to your new roast potato!
5 from 6 votes
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Servings (click & slide): 4
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American / British
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Calories per serving: 188kcal
Cost per serving: £1 / $1

Equipment:

  • 12" x 9" Baking Tray
  • Large Pot
  • Spatula
  • Fork or Potato Masher
  • Brush

Ingredients (check list):

  • 20 (approx 1.5lbs/700g) Baby Potatoes
  • 4-5 sprigs of Fresh Rosemary
  • 2-3 heaped tbsp Duck or Goose Fat, or enough to fill the base of your pan
  • 1 small bulb of Garlic, cloves removed & skins left on
  • Salt, to taste
  • Fresh Parsley, to garnish

Instructions:

  • Pop your potatoes in cold water and bring to the boil for 20mins, or until knife tender. Drain (don't rinse) and allow to steam dry for 5-10mins, or until they mostly stop steaming (important to release as much moisture as possible)
  • Meanwhile, add 3 tbsp goose/duck fat to the tray and place in the oven for 15mins at 220c/430f, or until smoking hot.
  • Carefully take tray out the oven and add your garlic and rosemary. Swish around with a spoon to infuse the oil, then space out your potatoes (careful the fat doesn't spit at you).
  • One by one gently press down on each potato with a fork, potato masher or even a mug. I recommend going easy on the first one, just to find the limits of the potatoes before it completely breaks apart.
  • Use a brush to baste the tops with fat then sprinkle with salt. Pop in the oven for 30-35mins or until deep golden brown. No need to flip, but do feel free to rotate the tray if they're cooking unevenly. They may take longer to completely crisp depending on the size of your spuds.
  • Take out the oven, allow to rest for a few mins then plate up with an extra sprinkle of salt (draws out final bit of moisture) and finely diced fresh parsley.

Quick 1 min demo!

Notes:

a) Can I use olive oil instead of goose/duck fat? - short answer is yes, but they won't be as crispy/flavoursome. Duck and goose fat have high smoking points, meaning you can roast them at a super high temperature, hence how they come out so crispy. They also inject a gorgeous rich flavour to the potatoes. Olive oil doesn't add that rich flavour and has a lower smoking point. However if it's all you've got, here's what to do:
  • Preheat oven to 200c/390f.
  • Place baking tray in the oven without oil until scorching hot.
  • Brush/toss the potatoes with 2 tbsp olive oil after they've steamed.
  • Continue recipe as stated, using a tiny bit of extra oil to brush the tops once smashed.
b) Working carefully, but quickly - You want to keep the process as short as possible, to keep the fat as hot as possible. The more it cools, the more chance the potatoes are just going to soak up the fat and fall apart.
c) Steaming is important - steam is merely the moisture leaving the potatoes, which is good. If you smash them right away they'll be too soggy and will either fall apart, or just won't get crispy.
d) Space - Ensure there's space between each potato, otherwise you run the risk of the potatoes steaming instead of roasting.
e) Calories - based on using 2.5 tbsp goose fat and 650g baby potatoes, shared between 4 people.

Your Private Notes:

Nutrition:

Nutrition Facts
EXTRA Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Amount Per Serving
Calories 188 Calories from Fat 74
% Daily Value*
Fat 8.26g13%
Saturated Fat 2.296g11%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.985g
Monounsaturated Fat 4.55g
Cholesterol 8mg3%
Sodium 30mg1%
Potassium 748mg21%
Carbohydrates 26.25g9%
Fiber 2.9g12%
Sugar 2.1g2%
Protein 3.15g6%
Vitamin A 35IU1%
Vitamin C 14.4mg17%
Calcium 20mg2%
Iron 1.25mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition is based on the absence of salt unless stated as a measurement in the ingredients. Cost is worked out based on ingredients bought from UK supermarkets, then divided by the number of servings. In both instances these values are just for guidance. Please check out my FAQ Page for more info.
Tried this recipe?Show me how you got on by tagging @dontgobaconmyheart_ on IG and #dontgobaconmyheart
Looking for more?You'll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook 'Comfy'

If you loved this Crispy Smashed Potatoes recipe be sure to pin it for later! Already made it or got a burning question? Give me a shout in the comments and pick up your free ecookbook along the way!

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Recipe Rating




14 Comments

  • Reply
    Kat
    February 16, 2021 at 2:43 am

    5 stars
    These are SO delicious! I learned so much about cooking potatoes just in this one post. My kids scarfed these down, I’ll definitely be making these again…probably tomorrow.

    • Reply
      Chris Collins
      February 16, 2021 at 6:08 pm

      That’s awesome to hear, Kat! Glad they went down well. Thanks so much for the review 🙂

  • Reply
    Shadi Hasanzadenemati
    November 1, 2019 at 5:28 pm

    5 stars
    We made this the other day and everyone loved it.

    • Reply
      Chris Collins
      November 1, 2019 at 7:57 pm

      So glad it was enjoyed!!

  • Reply
    Kate
    October 31, 2019 at 1:00 am

    I’ve always wanted to try a recipe like this! Yours looks great can’t wait!

    • Reply
      Chris Collins
      October 31, 2019 at 9:13 am

      Enjoy!!

  • Reply
    Shadi Hasanzadenemati
    October 30, 2019 at 11:04 pm

    5 stars
    Love this idea! Looks so delicious and I can’t wait to try it!

    • Reply
      Chris Collins
      October 31, 2019 at 9:13 am

      Enjoy! 🙂

  • Reply
    Lisa Huff
    October 30, 2019 at 10:55 pm

    5 stars
    Forget mashed potatoes, these would be great for Thanksgiving! I’d take crispy over mashed any day!

    • Reply
      Chris Collins
      October 31, 2019 at 9:13 am

      Totally with you on this!

  • Reply
    Patty at Spoonabilities
    October 30, 2019 at 10:52 pm

    5 stars
    I never thought of slightly mashing the potatoes while roasting! Where has this been all of my life!? Loving the crispy goodness of this!

    • Reply
      Chris Collins
      October 31, 2019 at 9:13 am

      It’s life changing!

  • Reply
    Anita
    October 30, 2019 at 10:45 pm

    5 stars
    These are super cute and delicious. Bonus point for using the skin as they become crispy and yummy. 🙂

    • Reply
      Chris Collins
      October 31, 2019 at 9:13 am

      Thanks, Anita 🙂

    5 KNOCKOUT

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    YOU'LL NEVER STOP MAKING!

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