These smashed fingerling potatoes are crispy and creamy, fuss-free, and absolutely delicious; the secret is roasting the garlic with the potatoes, honey. Then smother the smashed potatoes in my herby roasted garlic butter and broil until they are crispy on the outside. It's an easy beginner-friendly recipe that everyone will devour at your holiday table!
A big goal of mine before the year ends is to bring y'all as many different potato recipes as I can. Specifically because 17 people directly said they were tired of mashed potatoes during the holidays...I hope smashed potatoes are alright!
I make these crispy potatoes in the oven: first to cook, then to broil until they have amazingly crispy edges. Side note: Does this technically make them twice baked potatoes?
Smashed potatoes are so easy to make that they don't need to be saved just for the holidays. There's literally no prep other than washing your potatoes and putting them on the baking sheet! I love this recipe as breakfast potatoes on the weekends or on Christmas morning, and the perfect accompaniment to any pot roast or roasted chicken.
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Super Crispy Fingerling Smashed Potatoes
When I'm developing a recipe, I think about what level I'm trying to meet in the kitchen here. And during the holidays I know we are all at the same level no matter who we are: a little frazzled and working in a kitchen that really isn't meant for a restaurant-level operation of trying to cook 10 different dishes all at the same time, yet we want tons of restaurant-worthy flavor.
That's just me in general most days, actually, haha! It's why this recipe works out: there's very minimal work here. Pre-peeled garlic, small potatoes, and no boiling whatsoever! It's all done in the oven on one baking sheet, even roasting the garlic.
Why no boiling? Well, because moisture is the enemy of all things crispy, as I told y'all when I was making my Thanksgiving turkey (which has the crispiest skin, btw). Potatoes love to absorb water, and I don't want your potatoes ending up soggy! I want this to be a foolproof recipe, so no risking any sogginess: we want the holidays to always come out right, no matter the cooking skill!
Ingredients Needed
Full ingredients, measurements, and printable instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Fingerling Potatoes - these are naturally smaller potatoes when they're mature. They have a firmer texture than most other potatoes with a naturally buttery flavor, making them perfect for roasting!
- Olive Oil - use a good olive oil, but not your fancy extra virgin olive oil you got on that one trip to Italy, it's not going to do well in the high heat. The store-bought one works just fine here.
- Salted Butter and Garlic - buy that bag of peeled garlic. It will make your life so much easier, friend!
- Salt and Pepper
- Thyme - I added fresh thyme leaves to the roasted garlic butter for fresh, herby flavor that really shines in the butter.
How to Make Smashed Fingerling Potatoes
Step 1 | Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prep the potatoes by washing and cutting the bigger potatoes in half so everything cooks evenly. Place the potatoes in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Coat the potatoes with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
Step 2 | Speaking of aluminum, coat your garlic cloves in olive oil and a pinch of salt before wrapping them up into an aluminum ball basically. This is getting roasted on the baking sheet, too!
Step 3 | Roast the potatoes and garlic for 40 minutes, then bring them out of the oven. They're perfectly cooked but now it's time to smash the potatoes with the flat bottom of a glass or a measuring scoop.
Step 4 | Take the now-roasted garlic and mix it with melted butter, more olive oil, salt and pepper, and fresh thyme leaves. The garlic is so soft you can easily smash them with a spoon and mix their flavor right into the butter.
Step 5 | Use a silicone brush or a spoon to cover all the smashed potatoes in the garlic butter, then put them back into the oven under a low broiler for about 5-10 minutes until they get nice and crispy.
Step 6 | Serve your fingerling smashed potatoes hot! They're great as a side dish, but they're also wonderful as a party appetizer with an assortment of dips and sauces. I suggest creme fraiche, chimichurri sauce, and a chipotle aioli!
Variations and Pro Tips
- Can't find fingerling potatoes? Use another type of petite potatoes like baby yukon gold potatoes or baby red potatoes. Waxy potatoes work best in this recipe, not russets or 'baking potatoes'
- Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese before broiling the potatoes, this adds an extra crispy layer on top of the perfectly crispy, garlicky potatoes.
- Other herbs like parsley, sage, or chives can be used in this recipe!
- Change up the garlic butter flavors: add smoked paprika or chipotle powder for a smoky garlic butter, try spicing it up with hot sauce or cayenne!
Make Ahead, Storage, and Reheating Instructions
Make-Ahead and Storing Leftovers: Once potatoes are cool enough to store, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Reheating Leftovers: You can reheat the smashed potatoes in a single layer for 3-5 minutes in the air fryer at 370˚F or in the oven on a baking sheet at 400˚F for 10 minutes. I recommend the air fryer for peak crispiness.
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Aluminum Foil
- a small bowl -for mixing up the garlic butter
A Few Dinner Ideas to Eat with these 'taters!
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Garlicky Crispy Smashed Fingerling Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2½ lbs fingerling potatoes, washed and dried
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- ½ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup garlic cloves, or 1 head of garlic cloves; peeled
- 2 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400℉ (200℃/Gas Mark 6).
- Cut the larger potatoes ones in half to ensure even cooking. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with a quarter cup of the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.2½ lbs fingerling potatoes, 2 teaspoon kosher salt, 2 teaspoon black pepper, ½ cup olive oil
- Place the garlic cloves in foil and pour in a tablespoon of olive oil with a hearty pinch of salt. Then wrap the garlic up tightly to form a small pouch. Place this on the baking sheet alongside the potatoes.⅓ cup garlic cloves, ½ cup olive oil
- Roast the potatoes and garlic in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. Once done, remove them from the oven.
- Gently smash the roasted potatoes using the flat bottom of a glass or a measuring cup. For the most crispy bits, use a fork to raise up some ragged pieces from the potato.
- Create the garlic butter: Take the roasted garlic cloves and mix them with melted butter, the rest of the olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh thyme leaves. Smash the garlic with a spoon to really release their flavor into the butter mixture.2 tablespoon salted butter, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- Generously brush the smashed potatoes with the garlic butter mixture using a silicone brush or spoon. Return them to the oven and broil on low for 5-10 minutes, or until they are crispy and golden.
- Serve the fingerling smashed potatoes hot, ideally as a side dish or as a party appetizer.
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