Make some crispy smashed potatoes in the air fryer. They are delicious and ready in no time. Serve them with a dipping sauce or with your favorite main dish.
Try our delicious air fryer smashed potatoes! These spuds are crispy outside and soft inside. Just toss them in the air fryer, set the timer, and enjoy a simple, delicious side dish. No fuss, just yum!
The great part about this easy recipe? No need to pre-boil the potatoes, as you would for roasting them in the oven. But the crunch and flavor? Still there – no compromise on that.
And if you don’t have an air fryer, follow our recipe for baked Cheesy Smashed Potatoes.
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🥔Why will you love this recipe?
- Air fryer convenience: Quick cooking time and easy cleanup.
- Perfect side dish or light main dish. Serve them with Cottage Cheese Dip or Blended Cottage Cheese. You could also choose one of The Dipping Sauces for Calamari.
- Crowd-pleaser: Sure to impress friends and the whole family; the kids will adore these crunchy potatoes.
- Minimal ingredients: A few simple ingredients for maximum taste.
📋Recipe ingredients
- Potatoes: For super crispy air fryer smashed potatoes, go for smaller ones - baby potatoes, about the size of a golf ball, not bigger than 2 inches (50 mm) across. Larger ones make it tricky to smash without breaking.
- You can use small red potatoes or yellow kinds. Fingerling potatoes, baby gold potatoes, and petite potatoes also work well here.
- Olive oil for brushing the potatoes during the first stage of cooking.
- Butter and fresh garlic: Mix butter with garlic for loads of flavor, making these tubers impossible to resist. You can use unsalted or salted butter; adjust the salt in the mix.
- Spices: Rosemary, paprika, fine sea salt, and ground black pepper. Finish with some flaky sea salt (or Kosher salt) before serving.
- Alternatively, use other spices or spice mixtures you like. Onion and garlic powder, oregano, coriander, Herbs de Provence, Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning, Garam masala, curry powder, etc. Add cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes for a bit of heat. Once cooked, sprinkle them with fresh parsley, chives, dill, or cilantro.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
👩🏻🍳How to make smashed potatoes in the air fryer?
- Wash and pat dry the potatoes with a paper towel (don’t peel them). Preheat the air fryer if necessary.
- Cook potatoes: Place the spuds in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Brush or rub them with oil and air fry them for 12-15 minutes until fork tender.
Step 1: Smash potatoes on a cutting board to about ½ inch thick (1.3 cm) using a potato masher, a large fork, or the bottom of a cup.
Step 2: Melt butter in a small saucepan; add garlic and spices; mix well.
Step 3: Brush smashed potatoes with garlic butter.
Step 4: Air fry the smashed potatoes for 5 minutes or until crispy golden brown.
For more easy air fryer recipes, check out Air Fryer Bacon Asparagus, Air Fryer Meatloaf, or make some Air Fryer Turkey Burgers and Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes.
🔊Expert Tips
Smashing steps: Grab a potato masher, fork, or the bottom of a glass. Gently press down on the boiled potatoes. Don't squash them completely; keeping some chunks and texture makes the dish even better.
Serve pronto: These garlic smashed potatoes are at their best straight out of the air fryer when they're super crispy. If you wait too long, they might lose that delightful crunch.
❓Recipe FAQ
While they're crispiest fresh, you can get a head start. Prep up to the smashing step, then place them in the fridge. When it's time to serve, brush on the butter mix and air fry for that perfect crispiness.
Keep leftover smashed potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To revive that crispiness, air fry them again for a few minutes until crispy and hot.
Freezing smashed potatoes isn't ideal; they tend to turn mushy upon thawing and reheating.
🍽️Serving suggestions
- Crispy bacon topping: Cook crispy bacon separately and crumble it over the air-fried smashed potatoes before serving.
- Loaded smashed potatoes: Pile on classic baked potato toppings like sour cream, green onions, and even a drizzle of barbecue sauce.
- Mushrooms and onions: Sauté mushrooms and onions in butter, then pile them onto the smashed potatoes. Make a yogurt or sour cream dip to go with them; you will need nothing more.
- Truffle oil: Drizzle some over the air fryer smashed potatoes before serving for a touch of luxury.
- Tex-Mex: Use taco seasoning and serve the potatoes with salsa, refried beans, guacamole, and sour cream.
🍔What to serve with crispy potatoes?
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📖 Recipe
Smashed Potatoes in the Air Fryer
Equipment
- Air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 lb small potatoes 450 g, Note 1
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter 30 g
- 1 large garlic clove grated
- ½ teaspoon rosemary Note 2
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1-2 tablespoons chives or other herbs, chopped
- flaky sea salt or kosher salt
- ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare potatoes: Wash and pat them dry (don’t peel them).
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F/ 200°C if necessary; some need it, and some don’t. Mine needs 3 minutes of preheating.
- Air fry potatoes: Place potatoes in the basket in a single layer. Brush or rub them with the oil (I use my hands and rub them well all over). Air fry the potatoes for 12 -15 minutes or until fork-tender.1 lb small potatoes / 500 g + 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Smash them to about ½ inch thick (1.3 cm) using a potato masher, fork, or glass bottom. Don't squash them entirely; keeping them a bit chunky gives the best crispy texture.
- Butter mixture: Make the butter mixture shortly before the potatoes are ready. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, add the grated garlic and the spices, and mix well.2 tablespoons butter + 1 large garlic clove + ½ teaspoon rosemary + ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- Brush the mixture onto the smashed potatoes. Return the potatoes to the air fryer basket.
- Air fry again for about 5 minutes or until the potatoes are crispy and golden brown. Sprinkle them lightly with a bit of flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper if desired.1-2 tablespoons chives + flaky sea salt + ground black pepper
Notes
- Potatoes: Choose small potatoes, about the size of a golf ball, not bigger than 2 inches (50 mm) across. You can use small red or yellow potatoes. Fingerling potatoes, baby potatoes, and petite potatoes also work well here.
- Spices: You can use other spices if you like; most anything goes. Try Italian or Cajun seasoning, garlic and onion powder, Garam masala, curry powder, etc.
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