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5 from 3 votes
Home | Recipe | Side Dishes

The Best Garlic Smashed Potatoes

Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Protein 5g
Carbs 31g
Fats 27g
Oh hi, these are the best garlic smashed potatoes around town. The potatoes are perfectly crispy and they have a delicious garlic sauce to drizzle on top!
Jump to Recipe

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    Open wide, my friends! My Garlic Smashed Potatoes are here and you absolutely need them in your life. STAT. Did I say STAT? Well, I meant it. I have mastered the perfect crisp on these potatoes, and created the perfect balsamic-olive oil sauce to drizzle on top.

    And, if you haven’t attempted smashed potatoes before, I’ll go on the record and say that they are EASY TO MAKE. Just be sure to follow my tips below for obtaining the perfect crunch factor!

    Here’s what you need to make these Garlic Smashed Potatoes!

    Red potatoes

    For this recipe, you actually need red potatoes. You can’t just regular Yukon potatoes, it simply will not work. One, they are way too big, and two, they are way too starchy. And good news, y’all, red potatoes are inexpensive. You need 1 pound, which is basically 8-12 small red potatoes, or 6-8 large-ish ones.

    Olive oil

    Olive oil is your oil of choice in this recipe, especially because of its flavor.

    Garlic & garlic powder

    Ok, so in this recipe, I use a combination of fresh garlic, mashed, and garlic powder. Why? Because the fresh garlic is much more pungent than the powder, but we need the powder too, so it’s not garlic overkill. The powder adds a nice flavor, without that pungent garlic-ness. So use both, okay?

    Smoked paprika

    Smoked paprika is one of my favorite seasonings and I feel like it’s so underutilized. The smokiness adds the best flavor, and it’s easy to find at your local grocery store. If you can’t find smoked paprika, just grab regular paprika. You’ll be ok, I promise!

    Onion powder

    Onion powder is another must in this recipe, because a garlic-onion combination is truly unbeatable. At this point, you should just do as I say 🙂

    Fresh rosemary & thyme

    I am going to go on the record here and say that FRESH herbs make ALL the difference in this recipe. Yes, you can use dried rosemary and thyme in a pinch, butttttttt there is something very special and extra flavorful about using the fresh herbs in this recipe. 

    Salt & pepper

    Because duh! What is a recipe without salt and pepper!

    Tips for ensuring you get the crispiest potatoes EVER

    1. Boil the potatoes until fork tender. One of the mistakes that newbies make when it comes to making smashed potatoes, is that they don’t boil the potatoes long enough, which means that the potatoes will be difficult to smash/flatten, and because of that, they won’t get as crispy as flatter potatoes would. For me, the perfect boil time is 15-16 minutes. Take fork and poke one of the potatoes. If you are easily able to stab the potato, then you are all done! Drain the water, let them cool somewhat, and then line them up on the baking sheet and start smashing them!
    2. Rub the baking sheet with olive oil. In every single one of my baking recipes, I line the baking sheet with parchment paper, and that’s because I like easy cleanup, and I can’t stand when things stick. But this recipe is a little different. I like to rub some olive oil all over the baking sheet and place the potatoes directly on the sheet (no parchment paper). This really ensures that the potatoes turn out crispy on the top and the bottom.
    3. Smash those babies pretty thin, about 1/4 – 1/2 inch thick! That is the trick to getting them CRISPY!!!
    4. Eat the potatoes right away. This isn’t one of those recipes that you can let sit and sit. Once they are out of the oven, I recommend eating them as soon as you can! That way you get to fully enjoy all the crispiness of the potatoes. No one likes soggy potatoes!

    If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a rating below, and tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your creations and I often repost them!

    Home | Recipe | Side Dishes

    5 from 3 votes

    The Best Garlic Smashed Potatoes

    • Gluten Free
    • Grain Free
    • Refined Sugar Free
    • Vegan
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 25 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Oh hi, these are the best garlic smashed potatoes around town. The potatoes are perfectly crispy and they have a delicious garlic sauce to drizzle on top!
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    Servings: 4
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    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ pounds red potatoes
    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • 3 garlic cloves, mashed
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, remove from the stems and roughly chop
    • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, remove from the stems and roughly chop
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    Balsamic Drizzle (Optional)
    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    • 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, roughly chopped
    • ½ teaspoon salt

    Instructions 

    1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stove.
    2. Once the water is boiling, add the potatoes, and set a timer for 15-16 minutes.
    3. While the potatoes are boiling, prepare the sauce for the potatoes.
    4. To do that, whisk together the olive oil, mashed garlic, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper.
    5. When your timer goes off, test the potatoes for doneness, by poking one of them with a fork – if it comes out easily, then the potatoes are done. If it doesn't, add an extra minute or two of boil time.
    6. Once the potatoes are done, remove from the pot from the heat and drain all of the water.
    7. Next, preheat oven to 450.
    8. Rub some olive oil all over a baking sheet (this is so the potatoes get extra crispy).
    9. Line up the potatoes on the oiled baking sheet.
    10. Use the bottom of a glass/mug to smash each potato, about 1/4 – 1/2 inch thick.
    11. Next, coat the potatoes evenly with the mixture that you prepared earlier.
    12. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the potatoes are nice and crispy – ovens vary and so does the thickness of your potatoes, so just keep an eye on them, and remove from the oven at your desired time.
    13. If you are going to make the balsamic drizzle, simply whisk together the ingredients and drizzle it evenly over the baked potatoes!
    Nutrition Hide Nutrition
    Calories: 380kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 5gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 457mgPotassium: 862mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 427IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 2mg

    Hey I’m Nicole!

    Founder of Kale junkie

    Your go-to girl for bold, nourishing eats that actually taste good.

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    Rate & review

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    What others are saying

    1. Jaden Haskins
      April 2, 2021

      5 stars
      These are simply the best potatoes I have ever had!!! They are so crispy and the garlic flavor is incredible. Highly recommend!!

      Reply
    2. Nico
      December 8, 2021

      5 stars
      These were SO good!

      The leftovers reheated well and with and egg on top for breakfast were amazing!

      Definitely recommend

      Reply
      1. kalejunkie
        December 8, 2021

        An egg sounds like the PERFECT addition to this recipe, Nico! Thank you so much for your kind review!!

    3. Raquel
      April 13, 2022

      These were scrumptious! I didn’t make it with the optional Balsamic drizzle. They were plenty tasty w/out, but will try it next time.

      Reply
      1. kalejunkie
        April 14, 2022

        Woohoo! I am so thrilled to hear that you loved this recipe, Raquel! Definitely try the balsamic drizzle next time – it’s the best!

    4. Sondra Raider
      November 18, 2023

      I am hoping to make this for Thanksgiving . It mentions a garlic sauce for the potatoes. Where’s the recipe:) thank you! loving your recipes!

      Reply
      1. kalejunkie
        November 18, 2023

        Hi Sondra, the garlic sauce refers to the balsamic drizzle on top!

    Delicious, nourishing
    and totally doable!

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