Let me tell you about the side dish that has upstaged every main course I’ve ever served it with.

Crispy smashed potatoes look impressive, taste incredible, and require about five minutes of actual effort. The rest is just waiting while your oven does the heavy lifting. Boil, smash, roast, drench in garlic herb butter. That’s it.

You end up with potatoes that are creamy in the middle, shatteringly crispy on the edges, and absolutely drenched in flavor.

This is the recipe I bring out when I want people to ask for seconds. And thirds.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs (680g) baby potatoes or small yellow potatoes
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • Flaky sea salt for finishing

Instructions

  1. Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork-tender, about 15-20 minutes depending on size. You want them soft enough to smash easily but not falling apart.
  2. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and drizzle with half the olive oil.
  3. Drain the potatoes and let them cool for a few minutes until you can handle them. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each one.
  4. Using the bottom of a glass, a measuring cup, or a potato masher, press down firmly on each potato until it’s about half an inch thick. You want them flattened but still holding together. Some will crack and get ragged edges. That’s exactly what you want.
  5. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the smashed potatoes. Season generously with salt and pepper.
  6. Roast for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are deeply golden and crispy. No need to flip them.
  7. While the potatoes roast, make your garlic herb butter. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not browned. Remove from heat and stir in the parsley, rosemary, and thyme.
  8. When the potatoes come out of the oven, immediately spoon the garlic herb butter over them. Let it pool in all those crispy crevices.
  9. Finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and serve hot.

Tips for the crispiest results

The secret to maximum crispiness is surface area. Those ragged, broken edges that happen when you smash the potatoes? They turn into the crunchiest bits. Don’t try to keep them pretty.

Make sure your potatoes are dry before smashing. Excess moisture is the enemy of crispy. Let them sit in the colander for a minute after draining.

Don’t crowd the pan. The potatoes need space for hot air to circulate. If they’re touching, they’ll steam instead of crisp. Use two baking sheets if you need to.

And here’s the move that changed everything for me: get your baking sheet hot before adding the potatoes. Put it in the oven while it preheats, then carefully place your potatoes on the sizzling surface. That initial contact creates an extra layer of crunch on the bottom.

Variations to try

This basic method works with almost any flavor profile you can dream up.

For a Mediterranean twist, swap the butter for olive oil and top with crumbled feta, olives, and fresh oregano. Want something with more kick? Add red pepper flakes to your garlic butter, or drizzle with a spicy aioli after roasting.

Parmesan and black pepper is a classic combination. Grate the cheese over the potatoes during the last five minutes of roasting so it gets crispy and golden.

You can also go the loaded potato route: sour cream, chives, and a sprinkle of sharp cheddar. Suddenly your side dish is basically a meal.

The bottom line

Crispy smashed potatoes with garlic herb butter are proof that simple techniques done well beat complicated recipes every time. You’re not doing anything fancy here. Just boiling, smashing, and roasting.

But the result? Golden, crunchy edges. Creamy, fluffy centers. Pools of garlicky, herby butter in every bite.

Make these once and they’ll become a permanent part of your rotation. Fair warning though: whatever main dish you serve them with might start feeling a little insecure.