Super Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary
These smashed potatoes deliver a potato-chip crust without deep frying — roasted with whole garlic and fresh herbs until the edges crackle and the insides stay creamy.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (900 g) baby yellow potatoes such as Yukon Gold, 1 ½-2 inches in diameter
- Kosher salt
- ⅓ cup (75 ml) olive oil or canola oil or an approximate ½-½ blend
- 5-6 whole, unpeeled garlic cloves
- 4-5 sprigs fresh rosemary, sage and/or thyme plus more for serving
- ¼ cup (25 g) grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Heat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Slice 2 pounds baby yellow potatoes in half. If some of the potatoes are especially small (less than 1 ½ inches around), keep them whole.
- Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and season with 2 tablespoons of the salt. Add the potatoes and cook exactly 10 minutes. The potatoes will be slightly firm. Drain in a colander.
- Pour ⅓ cup olive oil or canola oil, (or a mixture, see my notes above) on a large rimmed baking sheet. Add the potatoes and toss with 5-6 whole, unpeeled garlic cloves, 4-5 sprigs fresh rosemary, sage and/or thyme, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Arrange the potatoes cut side down, then use the base of a small heavy skillet, smooth end of a meat mallet, or just the palm of your hands to squish the potatoes — they don't have to be completely flat.
- Roast 35 minutes, until the potatoes are golden and crisp. Use a spatula to scrape them and flip them over. Roast 5 more minutes.
- Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of salt. Serve hot, garnished with more of the fresh torn herbs, if you like.
Notes
- Preheat your oven about 30 minutes in advance — the even, high oven temperature is the key.
- Season the boiling water with the amount of salt stated in the recipe. This will help the potatoes taste delicious all the way through.
- If you want to double the recipe, use two separate sheet pans. If the pan is overcrowded, you'll lose surface area and the potatoes won't brown as nicely.
- The roasted garlic is a bonus! Squeeze out the roasted garlic flesh from the skins (press them flat with a spatula if they're too hot to handle) and toss with the potatoes before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 244kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 4gFat: 13gSodium: 83mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1g
