This Crispy Smashed Potatoes recipe with Parmesan is the BEST! They’re fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and delightfully flavoured with garlic, herbs, and parmesan!
If you’ve been a reader of The Busy Baker for awhile now you’ll know how much we love a good side dish! It’s our firm belief that the best side dishes are usually the most simple – how can you go wrong with potatoes, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, herbs, salt and pepper? The simple answer is, you can’t!
The trick to these Crispy Smashed Potatoes is that they’re twice-baked! No need to parboil the potatoes first before roasting them (because who wants to wash a pot AND a sheet pan? Not us!) – just roast at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for the first 20 minutes, and crank up the heat to 425 degrees Fahrenheit for the last 10 minutes after you smash the potatoes and you’ll be left with the perfect crispy smashed potatoes with the best savoury Parmesan flavour!
We’ve shared SO many of our favourite side dishes with you before, like these Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes, these Rosemary Dill Roasted Potatoes, these Crispy Salt and Vinegar Potato Wedges, and these Creamy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes.
If you’re looking to spice up your dinner routine, or even try a new recipe to simplify a holiday meal, this crispy smashed potato recipe is a great one to try. And if you’re looking for even MORE holiday-worthy dishes, sign up for our FREE Easy Holiday Meals course where you’ll learn all about delicious dishes that will take your holiday dinners over the top without added stress. Sign up below – it’s FREE!
To make this recipe you will need these kitchen items (affiliate links):
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To make this recipe, you’ll need these ingredients:
- baby or new potatoes
- olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- Parmesan cheese
- garlic powder
- dried and fresh parsley (optional)
Time needed: 35 minutes
Follow these tips for the perfect crispy smashed potatoes in under 30 minutes!
- Wash and DRY the potatoes.
It’s critical that the potatoes are clean and dry – oil and seasoning won’t stick to wet potatoes and wet potatoes don’t crisp up like dry ones do.
- Season the potatoes well.
The beauty of smashed potatoes is that they’re enjoyed with skins on, so it’s important that the skins are well seasoned for lots of flavour!
- Don’t overcrowd the pan.
If you’re going for a crispy texture, use a pan big enough that the potatoes form a single layer with a bit of room between each one. This way the moisture will have space to escape and the skins will be nice and crispy.
- Use high-quality Parmesan cheese.
Skip the pasta aisle shelf-stable Parmesan cheese and opt for a high-quality block of Parmesan you can grate at home. Pre-grated Parmesan, even when it’s fresh, often contains preservatives and anti-clumping agents that prevent it from crisping up well in the oven.
- Add the Parmesan and garlic last.
Parmesan, garlic and parsley can sometimes burn in the oven when left in too long, so it’s best to add them to the potatoes after they’ve roasted for 20 minutes, toss well, and then smash.
- Smash with a flat-bottomed glass or bowl.
To achieve the perfect crispy tops, use a bowl, glass or some other kitchen item with a flat bottom to smash the potatoes down.
- Watch them carefully at the end of cooking!
To make sure the tops get nice and crispy and the cheese doesn’t burn, watch the potatoes for the last minute or two of cooking time.
Can I make this recipe with full sized potatoes?
It’s possible, although we don’t recommend this. Large potatoes take a very long time to cook through when they’re whole, and because they’re so large and cook for so long they can dry out when you use this method. Baby or new potatoes work best for this recipe.
How should I reheat crispy smashed potatoes?
Place them back on a sheet pan and crisp them up in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until they’re heated through (it should only take a few minutes in a hot oven).
What main dish should I serve with these Crispy Smashed Potatoes?
We recommend serving these potatoes with this Easy Maple Dijon Glazed Ham, this Instant Pot Roasted Chicken and Gravy or this Beef Ribeye Roast (Prime Rib).
We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do! Let us know in the comments below, what’s your favourite way to enjoy potatoes? We’d love to know!
Looking for dishes to serve alongside this delicious side dish? Try these!
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Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Parmesan
Recipe: Equipment
Recipe: Ingredients
- 6 cups baby potatoes (about 2 pounds)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- fresh parsley for serving optional
Recipe: Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Wash and dry the potatoes well. It's best to wash them an hour before using, and let them air-dry on a clean kitchen towel.
- Add the potatoes to a mixing bowl, add the olive oil, salt and pepper, and toss very well to coat. You can use your hands to rub the oil, salt and pepper into the skins of the potatoes.
- Pour the potatoes out onto a large sheet pan, making sure the pan isn't too crowded and that there's room between the potatoes for moisture to escape.
- Roast for 20 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add the freshly grated parmesan to a bowl and add the parsley and garlic powder. Stir well to combine.
- After the potatoes have roasted for 20 minutes, remove them from the oven and turn up the oven temperature to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Sprinkle the Parmesan mixture over the potatoes and toss them well with the parmesan mixture to coat.
- Using a glass or bowl with a flat bottom to smash each potato down until flattened.
- Scoop up any parmesan mixture from the bottom of the pan and sprinkle it over the smashed potatoes.
- Roast for 7-10 more minutes until the parmesan coating is crispy and golden brown. Watch the potatoes for the last few minutes of roasting to be sure they don't burn.
- Remove them from the oven and serve immediately.
Recipe: Notes
Recipe: Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.