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These easy garlic parmesan smashed potatoes are boiled until tender, smashed, and roasted until the edges turn deeply golden and crisp. Then comes the best part: a generous brushing of garlic butter and plenty of Parmesan! They’re crunchy on the outside, soft in the middle, and exactly the kind of side dish you need on the table. Serve them anytime plain potatoes simply aren’t gonna cut it!
For more easy potato side dishes, try my brown butter garlic mashed potatoes or these loaded twice baked mashed potatoes next.
I can’t even count how many times these smashed potatoes are requested in my house. They’re the kind of side dish that somehow always steals the whole show. My crowd favorite brown butter mashed potatoes definitely have some competition!
Now, I love a side dish that feels a little special without requiring a whole lot of extra work. These come together with minimal prep and simple ingredients, but once that garlic butter hits those golden, craggy edges, they taste like something you’d order at a restaurant.
Serve them alongside my oven-baked BBQ salmon or bavette steak for an easy and delicious meal!
Garlic Parmesan Smashed Potatoes
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy!
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🥣 Cook Time: 50–60 minutes
- 🧑🍳 Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes–1 hour 15 minutes
- 👪 Serves: 4 servings
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Baby Yukon Gold potatoes, garlic, salted butter, Parmesan, fresh chives, and parsley.
- ⭐ Why You’ll Love It: They’re crispy, deeply flavorful, and easy to make!
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Table of Contents
Notes From My Kitchen
The key to these garlic smashed potatoes is all in the technique.
- Boiling the baby potatoes until completely tender gives you the perfect texture, while patting them dry before roasting helps the outside brown instead of steam. If the potatoes are still wet when they go into the oven, you won’t get those deeply golden, crispy edges we’re after.
- And here’s the real secret…don’t be shy when you smash them. After testing a few different thicknesses, I found that pressing each potato to about ½ inch thick gives you the best balance of crunchy edges and a tender center. Smash them too thin and they can turn dry and brittle; leave them too thick and you miss out on all those craggy little edges that crisp up so beautifully.
For another crispy variation, try my smashed potatoes with whipped herb ricotta.
Key Ingredients
(full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card)
- Baby Yukon Gold potatoes: Their thin skins and naturally creamy texture make them ideal for smashing. Baby red potatoes also work, but they have a slightly waxier texture. You can also use extra baby potatoes to make my Southern green beans and potatoes.
- Chicken bouillon paste seasons the potatoes as they boil. You can also use chicken broth but you’d need a lot. Substitute vegetable bouillon for a vegetarian version or just use water if you don’t have any on hand.
- Olive oil: Helps the potatoes brown and crisp in the oven. Avocado oil is a good high heat substitute.
- Garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper: This simple seasoning blend adds savory flavor and a little smokiness. Regular paprika can replace smoked paprika for a milder flavor.
- Salted butter and fresh garlic form the base of the garlic butter that soaks into the potatoes’ rough edges and crevices. Unsalted butter also works; simply adjust the added salt.
- Parmesan adds salty, nutty flavor and lightly crisps when melted. Freshly grated Parmesan melts and browns better than pre-shredded cheese.
- Fresh chives and parsley: Chives add a mild onion flavor, while parsley keeps the finished potatoes fresh and balanced. Green onions can replace the chives.
How To Make Garlic Parmesan Smashed Potatoes
Step 1. Boil the Potatoes: Boil the baby Yukon Gold potatoes until they are completely fork-tender but still holding their shape. The potatoes need to be soft enough to smash without breaking apart, so a paring knife should slide through the center with almost no resistance.
Step 2. Dry the Potatoes: Drain through a colander or sieve and transfer the cooked potatoes to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Gently pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel. Removing the excess moisture is an important step because wet potatoes will steam in the oven instead of developing those crisp, golden-brown edges.
Step 3. Smash, Season, and Roast: Use the bottom of a sturdy glass or measuring cup to smash each potato to about ½ inch thick, leaving space between them so the hot air can circulate. Drizzle generously with olive oil, then season with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper. Roast the smashed potatoes at 450°F until the edges are deeply golden and crispy.
Step 4. Make the Garlic Butter Sauce: While the potatoes roast, combine melted butter with fresh garlic and chopped chives in a small bowl. Brush the crispy smashed potatoes with garlic butter, top them generously with grated Parmesan cheese, and return them to the oven until the cheese is lightly melted. Finish with the remaining garlic butter, additional Parmesan, and fresh parsley before serving. Add a dollop of sour cream if you’d like!
Pro Tips
- Leave plenty of room between the potatoes. Crowded potatoes trap moisture and steam one another. Use two pans when necessary instead of squeezing them together.
- Do not smash them too thin. About ½ inch thick gives you crisp edges with a creamy center. Potatoes pressed too thin can become dry and brittle.
- Add a touch of olive oil to the cup before pressing the potatoes. This prevents them from sticking.
- Press straight down. Avoid twisting the glass or masher as you press. Twisting can tear the potatoes apart and pull the skins away from the centers.
- Serve them right away. These potatoes are at their crispiest during the first 10–15 minutes after roasting. Leave them uncovered until serving so trapped steam does not soften the edges.
What to Serve With Garlic Smashed Potatoes
These potatoes pair especially well with steak, chicken, pork, and seafood. Serve them with steak au poivre with creamy peppercorn sauce, steak frites with Béarnaise sauce, or your favorite roasted chicken for a restaurant-style dinner at home.
For a weeknight meal, pair them with garlic Parmesan chicken skewers and Cajun corn on the cob for something easy and flavorful.
Recipe FAQs
The potatoes may have been too wet, placed too closely together, or not roasted long enough. Pat them dry after boiling, leave space between each potato, and roast until the edges and bottoms are deeply golden.
Yes. Baby red potatoes work well and hold their shape easily, but their centers will be slightly firmer and less creamy than Yukon Gold potatoes.
No. Baby Yukon Gold potatoes have thin skins that help hold them together after smashing and become crisp while roasting.
More Delicious Sides Dishes To Makes
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Garlic Parmesan Smashed Potatoes
Equipment
- Large Pot
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Baby Yukon Potatoes
- 1 tbsp Chicken Bouillon Paste , (optional)
- 2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 2 tsp Kosher Salt , (more or less as desired)
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
Garlic Parmesan Sauce
- 1/2 cup Salted Butter
- 4 cloves Garlic, (diced)
- 3 tbsp Fresh Chives, (diced)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan, (freshly grated)
- Parsley, (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Rinse the potatoes thoroughly to remove any dirt. Fill a large pot with cold water and stir in the chicken bouillon paste. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then add the potatoes and cook for 20–25 minutes, or until they are easily pierced with a fork or paring knife. The knife should slide through the center with almost no resistance, and the potatoes should be fully tender while still holding their shape. 2 lbs Baby Yukon Potatoes 1 tbsp Chicken Bouillon Paste
- Add the potatoes to the baking sheet and use a clean kitchen towel to lightly pat them dry – this will help them crisp up in the oven.
- Use the bottom of a sturdy glass or measuring cup to press each potato down to about ½ inch thick. Leaving at least 1 inch of space between them (if needed, use two baking sheets).
- In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and kosher salt, to taste. Drizzle the potatoes with a generous helping of olive oil (about 2-3 tbsps) and sprinkle with the seasoning mixture. It may seem like a lot of seasoning but potatoes soak up flavor, so they need a generous amount to make sure every bite is well seasoned. 2 tsp Garlic Powder 2 tsp Onion Powder 1 tsp Smoked Paprika 2 tsp Kosher Salt 1 tsp Black Pepper
- Place into the oven on the center rack and roast for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are crisp and golden brown.
- While the potatoes are roasting, add butter to a small mixing bowl and melt in the microwave. Add diced garlic and chives. Stir together. 1/2 cup Salted Butter 4 cloves Garlic 3 tbsp Fresh Chives
- Once the potatoes are crispy, remove them from the oven and brush with half of the garlic butter mixture. Add a generous sprinkle of parmesan on top. Return them to the oven and bake for an additional 5–7 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant and the parmesan has slightly melted. 1/2 cup Parmesan
- Brush the potatoes with the remaining garlic butter and sprinkle more grated Parmesan evenly over the tops and garnish with fresh parsley. Parsley
Notes
- Leave plenty of room between the potatoes. Crowded potatoes trap moisture and steam one another. Use two pans when necessary instead of squeezing them together.
- Do not smash them too thin. About ½ inch thick gives you crisp edges with a creamy center. Potatoes pressed too thin can become dry and brittle.
- Add a touch of olive oil to the cup before pressing the potatoes. This prevents them from sticking.
- Press straight down. Avoid twisting the glass or masher as you press. Twisting can tear the potatoes apart and pull the skins away from the centers.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
