Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Garlic Herb Oil
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45–55 minutes
Serves: 4
There is no side dish with a better effort-to-payoff ratio than smashed potatoes. You boil them, you smash them, you roast them until they're deeply golden and shatteringly crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Then you finish them with garlicky herb oil and flaky salt, and suddenly everyone at the table is talking about the potatoes.
This is one of those recipes that sounds almost too simple to be as good as it is. Trust it.
Why the smash method works
Smashing the potatoes before roasting dramatically increases the surface area that comes into contact with the hot pan — which means more crust, more caramelization, and more of the crispy edges that everyone's fighting over. Boiling them first ensures the inside stays fluffy even while the outside gets completely crispy. It's a two-step process that's completely worth it.
Ingredients
1½ to 2 pounds baby potatoes
Salt
Olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
Flaky salt
Black pepper
How to make it
Step 1: Boil
Put the potatoes in a pot and cover with cold salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until completely fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and let them sit for a few minutes to steam dry — this helps the exterior crisp up later.
Step 2: Smash
Preheat your oven to 450°F. Place the potatoes on an oiled or parchment-lined sheet pan with space between them. Use the bottom of a glass or measuring cup to press each one down firmly until it flattens and cracks apart slightly. You want them about half an inch thick.
Step 3: Roast
Drizzle or brush generously with olive oil — don't be shy here, the oil is what makes them crispy. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 to 35 minutes until the edges are deeply golden and the tops are visibly crispy. Don't pull them early.
Step 4: Finish
While the potatoes roast, mix a little olive oil with grated garlic, parsley, and chives. Spoon over the hot potatoes straight out of the oven, then finish with a generous pinch of flaky salt. Serve immediately.
A few things worth knowing
High heat is non-negotiable. 450°F is what gets you genuinely crispy potatoes — lower temperatures will just give you soft ones with a little color. Commit to the heat.
Give them space on the pan. Crowded potatoes steam instead of roast. Use two sheet pans if you need to.
The garlic herb oil goes on after roasting, not before — raw garlic burns at high heat and turns bitter. The residual heat from the potatoes is enough to bloom the garlic perfectly.
