Crispy Oven-Roasted Smashed Potatoes with Golden Craggy Edges

These smashed potatoes come out of the oven crackling, with golden craggy edges and fluffy, creamy centers in just 60 minutes. Three humble pantry staples do all the work, making them perfect for Sunday dinner or busy weeknights.

Roasting the potatoes whole first steams their insides fluffy, then smashing them while warm creates cracked, craggy edges that drink up olive oil and turn shatteringly crisp at 425°F.

Ingredients You'll Need

Baby Yukon Gold Potatoes: These little golds have thin, buttery skins and creamy yellow flesh. Their middle-of-the-road starch gives you fluffy centers and edges that crisp up instead of falling apart. No Yukons? Baby red potatoes work too, though the insides turn out a touch waxier.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Good olive oil brings a fruity, peppery warmth that makes plain potatoes taste like Sunday. A little helps the skins roast, and the rest soaks into every crack for that golden, crackly crunch. Avocado oil is a fine swap if you'd like a milder flavor.

Kosher Salt: Kosher salt has coarse, flaky crystals that are easy to pinch and scatter evenly. It seasons the skins first, then gives the craggy tops a light, crunchy finish. Only have fine table salt? Use about half as much so the potatoes don't taste too salty.

How to Make It (Step by Step)

Everything happens on one sheet pan: roast the potatoes whole, smash them flat, then roast again until golden and crackling.

If you've never smashed a potato in your life, don't worry, because a measuring cup and a little patience are all it takes.

1. Toss the scrubbed, dried baby Yukon Golds on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Keep going until every potato looks glossy, about 1-2 minutes, while the oven preheats to 425°F / 220°C. Spread them out in a single layer.

2. Roast the whole potatoes on the middle rack until a fork slides in with no resistance and the skins look slightly wrinkled, 25-30 minutes at 425°F / 220°C. Mama always said to trust the fork, not the clock.

3. Rest the potatoes on the pan until they're cool enough to touch but still warm, 5-10 minutes at room temperature (70°F / 21°C). Leave the oven on at 425°F / 220°C. Warm potatoes smash cleanly. Cold ones crumble.

4. Smash each potato with the flat bottom of a measuring cup until it's about ½ inch thick, with craggy, cracked edges, about 2-3 minutes total. The oven stays at 425°F / 220°C. Those rough edges turn into the crispiest bits.

5. Drizzle the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil over the smashed potatoes until every craggy edge glistens, about 1 minute. Let it pool into the cracks. The oven holds at 425°F / 220°C.

6. Sprinkle the remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt over the tops until each potato wears a light, even dusting, about 30 seconds. The oven is ready and waiting at 425°F / 220°C.

7. Roast the smashed potatoes until the edges are deep golden-brown and crackle-crisp, 20-25 minutes at 425°F / 220°C. You'll hear them sizzle. That's the sound of Sunday dinner.

8. Lift the hot potatoes onto a serving platter with a thin metal spatula, 1-2 minutes after they leave the 425°F / 220°C oven. Serve right away while they're still crunchy outside and fluffy inside.

Leftover smashed potatoes keep three days refrigerated and recrisp in a 425°F oven; baby reds swap in nicely. Roast them whole a day ahead, and never crowd the pan, or they'll steam.

Serving size: 1 portion · Calories: 230 · Total Fat: 11g · Saturated Fat: 1.6g · Carbs: 30g · Fiber: 2.5g · Sugar: 1.4g · Protein: 3g · Sodium: 700mg

Tips and Tricks

• Equipment: Use a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and a measuring cup: The rim keeps the oil from sliding off. The parchment stops the potatoes from sticking. The flat bottom of a measuring cup presses each one evenly, so you get rough edges without tearing.

• Temperature precision: Keep that oven at 425°F / 220°C the whole time: Never switch it off while the potatoes rest. A fully hot oven hits those oiled edges hard and fast. That instant blast is what turns them crackle-crisp instead of greasy and limp.
• Common mistake: Smashing them before they're fork-tender: Underdone potatoes fight back and split into hard chunks. Wait until a fork slides in with zero resistance and the skins wrinkle slightly. Mama trusted the fork, and so should you.
• Flavour upgrade: Add a little garlic or fresh herbs: Toss a few smashed garlic cloves or a sprig of rosemary on the pan for the final roast. The olive oil turns fragrant and every golden edge tastes richer. It's optional, but oh, it's lovely.
• Texture tip: Let the oil pool into every crack: Drizzle slowly so it sinks into the craggy edges and splits. Those oily nooks fry right in the oven. That's how you get shattering crunch outside and velvety, fluffy centers inside.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make smashed potatoes without olive oil or keep them low-sodium?

Swap the 4 tablespoons olive oil for 4 tablespoons melted ghee, avocado oil, or bacon fat, all of which handle 425°F beautifully. For less sodium, cut the kosher salt to ¾ teaspoon total and finish with 1 teaspoon garlic powder and fresh rosemary.

Can I freeze smashed potatoes, and how do I reheat them from frozen?

Freeze the fully roasted smashed potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet until firm, about 2 hours, then bag them for up to 2 months. Bake straight from frozen on a parchment-lined sheet at 425°F / 220°C for 15-20 minutes until the edges crackle again.

Why do my smashed potatoes crumble and fall apart when I smash them?

They're either undercooked or too cold, so roast until a fork slides in with no resistance, then smash after just 5-10 minutes of resting while they're still warm. Press slowly with the measuring cup until each one is about ½ inch thick with cracked edges that stay connected.

What to Serve With This

• Lemony Arugula Salad: Peppery greens in a sharp lemon dressing cut right through the rich olive oil on those crackly edges.
• Braised Collard Greens: Silky, smoky, tender greens soften every bite of crunch, just like Mama's Sunday table.
• Creamy Cucumber Dill Salad: Cool, tangy sour cream and crisp cucumber balance the hot, salty, golden-brown potatoes beautifully.
• Tomato and Red Onion Salad: Juicy tomatoes in a splash of vinegar bring bright, sweet acidity against the fluffy, savory centers.