If french fries and baked potatoes had babies, these crispy air fryer smashed potatoes would be the result.
Crispy on the outside, yet tender and flavorful on the inside. And what I love the most about this air fryer recipe is that it’s so changeable, or versatile, depending on what you have in your cupboard!
Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes – a delicious combo of fries and baked spuds!
Ingredients you’ll need are:
Potatoes: I think the best potatoes to use for this recipe are baby potatoes of any sort. Don’t get me wrong, practically any type of potatoes will work, but the new (or creamer) potatoes work the best because their peel is thin and it crisps up in the air fryer like a dream.
Use what you have in your pantry! Today I used Baby Gold’s because that’s what I had. In the past, I’ve used the tri-color new potatoes, as well as regular russets, chunked up, and they worked well too. (The starchier a potato is, the better it crisps up, in my opinion.)
Oil: The best to use here is a high smoke point oil like vegetable, grapeseed, or my favorite, avocado oil. The heat gets pretty hot in the air fryer so using a delicate oil like olive oil will work, but the best results are using the other high smoke point types.
Seasonings: Fresh garlic (or garlic powder), rosemary (fresh or dry), parsley (fresh or dry), salt and pepper.
Optional items not pictured: Parmesan cheese, fresh chives and butter.
Let’s Get Cooking!
Step #1: Boil the potatoes until just soft. (I prefer to boil first and then air fry. This way there is less chance of the potatoes burning the skins on the outside before the centers are fully cooked.
Step #2: Meanwhile, mix up your oil and seasonings together.
Step #3: When the potatoes are done, remove them from the water and place on a flat surface. (Tray, plate, cutting board, etc). Using the bottom of a glass, press down on the potato to flatten (smash) it down. Place them in the air fryer basket.
Step #4: Season the potatoes with the seasoned oil mixture. Reserve some for after the air frying process.
Step #5: Air fry until the potatoes are nice and crisp on the outside. Remove from the air fryer and season with the remainder of the seasoned oil or as an alternative step, brush them with melted butter, chives, parmesan cheese and a dash of salt and pepper.
Note: Please see the fully printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for exact amounts, complete directions, tips and notes to make this recipe perfect every single time.
Tips and Variations
Types of Potatoes: I’ve made these crispy smashed air fryer potatoes using different types of potatoes. Go ahead and use what you have on hand, but if you’re making this crispy potato recipe specifically, choose any baby variety you can find.
Seasonings: I love the drizzle of butter after frying them, it makes these crispy potatoes even more decadent. (Imagine whipped brown butter melted over them! Oh wow, I need to do that next time!) Try switching up the seasonings and herbs by using:
– Steak seasonings
– Fresh thyme, or other herbs you really enjoy
– Dollop some sour cream over top just before serving for a mini, crispy, baked potato vibe!
– Try mixing in some dried chili flakes into the oil/butter mixture for some added heat, or, drizzle a little hot sauce over top on serving.
Spacing: Careful not to crowd the air fry basket. You’ll prevent the potatoes from crisping up as well as they could if they overlap or are piled on top of each other.
This recipe is so incredibly versatile that you can make it different every single time. The first time I made this potato recipe, it reminded me of my Crispy Roasted Bacon Potatoes recipe that’s just as delicious, but a bit different than air frying because this one is done in the oven and has a few more toppings.
Serving
These fantastic potatoes will go with anything you’d serve a potato with. Everything from an easy air fryer beef roast, to a chicken sandwich, or even my air fryer beef short ribs. They’ll literally go with anything.
Smashed potatoes in the air fryer will stay great in the fridge for about 4-5 days. They won’t hold onto the crispiness when you go to eat them but, if you want to freshen up the crispiness again, throw them back in the preheated air fryer for a few minutes after microwaving them to warm them through.
I’ve not tried to freeze them after they’re cooked. There are usually no leftovers to freeze!
The Second Act
If you do happen to have any of these crispy potato nuggets left over, an absolutely fantastic way to repurpose them is to warm them in a frying pan after cutting them up into smaller bites. Add some onion, bacon bits, or anything else you have on hand that sounds great with potatoes. Then just before serving, crack a few eggs into the potatoes and let them cook to your desired yolk consistency. Divine!
Another idea is to heat them as I just described above, and dollop some piping hot chili over top!
The ideas are endless. If you want more second-act ideas, send me an email titled “second-act ideas” and I’ll send you more!
Did you try making these smashed potatoes in the air fryer? Do you have any questions about the recipe? Please leave your thoughts and questions in the comments below and I’ll do my best to answer them ASAP. Thank you again for stopping by The Salty Pot and I hope you have a fantastic day!
~Joanne
Crispy and Delicious Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes
Crispy, delicious, and easy to make, air fryer smashed potatoes will become your go-to method of cooking potatoes!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs baby gold potatoes
- 6 cups water
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- Sea salt flakes & fresh cracked black pepper to taste
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- As desired Rosemary, fresh, chopped
- As desired Parsley, fresh, chopped
- Garnish: Butter, chives, parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Wash the potatoes and place them in a large pot with water. Salt the water with a tablespoon or so of regular salt. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are just soft, approximately 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the oil, salt & pepper, garlic, rosemary and parsley - set aside.
- When the potatoes are cooked, drain and place the potatoes on a flat surface like a baking sheet, large plate, etc.
- Smash the potatoes with a spatula, fork, or the bottom of a glass.
- While you're smashing the potatoes, begin to preheat
the air fryer to 400 degrees and lightly spray the basket with oil or line it with parchment paper basket liners - AFTER PREHEATING AND BEFORE YOU PUT IN THE FOOD! Otherwise, the liner could blow around, touch the element, and catch on fire. - Brush the seasoned oil on the potatoes and place in the air fryer basket, leaving space between each one for circulation. You might have to air-fry your potatoes in batches.
- Air fry for 10 - 15 minutes, checking periodically so they don't burn, and remove them when they're golden and crispy.
- Plate and top with extra seasoned oil, or use melted butter, chives, and parmesan cheese.
Notes
1. Careful not to overcrowd the basket while air frying. It's better to do them in batches rather than have them overlap.
2. Use any type of potato you like, but I find the best results are with baby or 'creamer' potatoes that have thin peels that crisp up very well.
3. The recipe is so versatile! Think of different seasonings, and herbs, use butter as a garnish over oil if you prefer. Get spicy by adding dried chili flakes, or even chili crisp! The options are plentiful and check out the body of the post for more suggestions.
4. When preheating the air fryer, be careful not to include a parchment liner during this step. Place the liner in the basket when you're ready to put in the potatoes. I speak from experience when I say the liner could fly around on the inside and catch on fire with no food to weigh it down.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 365Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 229mgCarbohydrates: 49gFiber: 5gSugar: 3gProtein: 6g
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
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