Smashed Potatoes in the Air Fryer
Oct 13, 2022, Updated Mar 25, 2024
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Hot and crispy Smashed Potatoes in the Air Fryer are easy to make and ultra cozy. Drizzled with homemade garlic butter, they’re basically the perfect starchy side dish for any occasion!
Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes Recipe
I don’t think I’ve ever met a potato recipe I didn’t like – have you? From Basil Pesto Potatoes Grilled in Foil to Cheesy Potato Waffles and everything in between, the humble tater is just a perfect canvas for flavor blasting. But, potatoes are also scrumptious when they’re simply cooked with minimal ingredients. The naturally satisfying taste of the root veggie doesn’t need much to shine. And, when they’re air-fried until crispy? Forget about it. That’s why I love these crispy smashed potatoes, made quickly and easily in the air fryer. They’re fun, flavorFUL, and perfectly balanced!
Mashed Potatoes Vs Smashed Potatoes
Although the names are similar, these two styles for cooking spuds couldn’t be more different. We all know and love good old mashed potatoes – basically the perfect fluffy, buttery comfort food. Usually made with Russet potatoes, cream, and butter, they are wonderful as-is or with a hearty topping of homemade gravy.
However, smashed potatoes have a lot more texture due to their rough and minimal cooking method. Boiled to soften, crushed and broken with a fork, and drizzled with oil or butter, these potatoes still have their skins and a great baked-potato taste. Air frying adds a wonderful crispy finish, making these homestyle morsels absolutely irresistible.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Before you start on these fantastic garlic smashed potatoes in your air fryer, let’s gather all the essentials, from the creamy Yukon gold potatoes to the butter.
- Potatoes: Yukon gold potatoes are my favorite for this recipe, but you could use red potatoes as well.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted is fine. If you use salted butter, you may want to add less salt to the dish.
- Garlic: Minced or pressed – or use garlic powder if you like!
- Parsley: Finely chopped fresh parsley for the garlic butter, plus more for garnish.
- Salt and Pepper: To taste.
How to Make Smashed Potatoes in The Air Fryer
This easy recipe has two parts: boiling the potatoes to soften them up and air frying them to a crisp.
- Boil the Potatoes. Scrub the potatoes and place them in a pot of water, enough to cover the potatoes by one inch. Bring to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes or until fork-tender.
- Cool the Potatoes and Make the Garlic Butter. Next, drain the potatoes and dump them onto a cutting board. Let them rest for a few minutes to cool while you stir together the melted butter, minced garlic, and parsley in a small bowl.
- Smash. Now, you can use a potato masher or the back of a fork to carefully smash down the potatoes until they’re about 1-inch thick. Don’t push down too hard because they can break apart. Gently press down and release once they are as thick as you like.
- Butter. Brush the potatoes generously with the garlic butter and arrange them in the air fryer basket, leaving about an inch between each one.
- Air Fry the Smashed Potatoes. Air fry at 400˚F for about 10 minutes, or until they reach your desired level of crispiness. When they’re done, transfer them to a serving platter and serve.
How To Bake Them
Don’t have an air fryer? You can easily bake these smashed potatoes in the oven instead. After boiling, smashing, and giving them a good coat of garlic butter, arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Pop them into a preheated 425°F oven and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, or until they reach that perfect golden brown crispiness. For a crunchy bite, remember to flip them halfway through cooking.
Recipe Tips
- Wash Well: Have you ever heard the expression, “Filthy as an unwashed potato?” That’s because potatoes are root veggies, and when freshly picked, they are covered in dirt and mud. Of course, by the time they get to the grocery store, they’re usually a bit cleaner than that – but it’s still important to scrub your potatoes and rinse them well for a clean, grit-free dish.
- Spices Are Nice: This recipe keeps it super simple, but remember that you can add your own flavors easily by just sprinkling on extra spices or spice blends. Think Cajun seasoning, lemon pepper, Montreal steak, you name it!
- Similar Size: It takes longer for a larger potato to cook through and a shorter amount of time for the little guys. One way to get around that is to cut the potatoes into chunks, but for recipes that use whole potatoes like this one, try to choose spuds that are all nearly the same size.
Serving Suggestions
What should you serve with this crispy smashed potatoes recipe? These easy taters go with just about everything. A succulent cut of beef is so easy to cook and makes a mouthwatering meal you could serve anytime, from a random Wednesday to Christmas dinner. Check out this in-depth tutorial for Oven Roasted Tri-Tip to get all the details.
Also, air fryer smashed potatoes are always a welcome side dish to burgers! Black bean burgers, salmon burgers, cheeseburgers, or try them with one of my favorites, Juicy Grilled Turkey Burgers. Bulk up your meal by adding hearty smashed potatoes alongside this easy recipe for vegetarian Portobello Mushroom Fajitas.
How to Store
- Store leftover smashed potatoes in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 350˚F for about 5 minutes.
- To freeze them, arrange the potatoes on a baking sheet and place them in the freezer until frozen solid. Then, pop them into a zip-top bag and store in the freezer for up to one month. Let them thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
More Easy Ways to Cook Potatoes
- Maple Mustard Roasted Potatoes
- Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
- Garlic Rosemary Mashed Potatoes
- Vesuvio Potatoes
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Crispy Smashed Potatoes in the Air Fryer
Ingredients
Instructions
- Scrub the potatoes.
- Place the potatoes in a pot and fill with water, covering one inch above the potatoes.
- Cook for about 20 to 22 minutes, or until fork tender.
- Drain the potatoes and transfer to a cutting board; let rest a few minutes to cool a bit.
- Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl combine the melted butter, minced garlic, and parsley.
- Using a potato masher or the back of a fork, gently smash the potatoes until flattened to about ½-inch to 1-inch thickness.
- Brush the potatoes all over with the garlic butter mixture and season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the potatoes to the air fryer basket, leaving about an inch space between each potato.
- Cook at 400˚F for 8 to 11 minutes, or until cooked to a desired crispiness.
- Transfer smashed potatoes to a serving platter.
- Garnish with parsley and serve.
Equipment
Notes
- Smashing – When pressing down on the potatoes, be gentle so that you don’t break the potato apart. You just want to push down lightly until the potato is about 1/2-inch to 1-inch thick.
- Garlic Sauce – Make a little extra of the garlic butter sauce to serve with the potatoes. Totally optional, but highly recommended. 🙌
- Storage – Place the smashed potatoes in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. To freeze them, arrange the potatoes on a baking sheet and place in the freezer, until frozen. Then, place them into a ziploc bag and keep in the freezer for about 1 month.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
The ingredients list includes salt and pepper with no mention of when to use them.
This recipe is awesome! I added fresh cracked black pepper. Gonna make these again!
That’s wonderful! Adding fresh cracked black pepper sounds like a great touch. Glad to hear you’re planning to make it again! Thank YOU! 🙂
can you use baby gold potatoes?
Hi!
While I haven’t personally tested this recipe using baby potatoes, you should be able to use them without any issues. Due to their smaller size, you might find that the cooking time could be a bit shorter, so I’d recommend keeping an eye on them as they cook to ensure they’re done to your liking. Enjoy!
EXCELLENT! So easy and adds some variety to our weekly dinners. Thank you!!
I love potatoes! These are absolutely perfect!
That’s great! I hope you’ll enjoy it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Those crispy potato parts are everything!
Please enjoy! Thank YOU! 🙂
Looks seriously amazing! Can’t wait to try this one!
Thank YOU! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
I love potatoes cooked this way! SO GOOD!!
I hope you enjoy it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Any time I see potatoes that are crispy, I’m immediately sold. These are going to be perfect with the steaks I’m making tomorrow.
I hope you’ll love it! Thank YOU! 🙂