Baby Red Smashed Potatoes
This crispy Smashed Red Potatoes recipe shows how to make the best roasted potatoes! They're loaded up with cheese, bacon and more for an easy appetizer or delicious side dish.
Servings: 6
Calories: 230kcal
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Small Red Baby Potatoes 1½ to 2 inches in diameter, no bigger 16-20, washed thoroughly
- ½ cup Olive Oil or another vegetable oil
- Sea Salt
- Ground Black Pepper
- Sour cream, cheese, bacon, green onions optional for topping
Instructions
- Place your oven's top rack to upper middle and bottom rack to lower middle positions. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
- Arrange potatoes on rimmed baking sheet, pour ¾ cup water into baking sheet, and wrap tightly with aluminum foil.
- Cook on bottom rack until potatoes are fork tender (or sharp knife tender). Poke through foil to test. Usually between 25 and 30 minutes.
- Remove foil and cool 10 minutes. If any water remains on baking sheet carefully dry with paper towel.
- Place potatoes in metal bowl or pot, add oil and roll around until totally coated.
- Return potatoes to baking sheet and as best you can space evenly. Place second baking sheet on top of potatoes and press down firmly. Potatoes should be about a half inch thick.
- Brush remaining oil on top of potatoes and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
- Roast potatoes on top oven rack for 15 minutes.
- Transfer baking sheet to bottom rack and continue to roast potatoes until well browned, 20-30 minutes longer, depending on the size of your potatoes. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Resting the Potatoes. Allowing the hot potatoes to rest after they are partially cooked prevents them from crumbling when smashed.
- Mashing the Potatoes. I like the method of a baking sheet balanced on top of the partially cooked potatoes to smash them all at once. You can also use a potato masher or a glass with a flat bottom.
- Partially Flatten. Do not press all the way down as you want them to retain some height.
- Don't Over Cook. Remove the potatoes from the oven and baking sheet as soon as they are done. They will harden if left in the oven or on the pan for too long.
- Adding Cheese. Add it in the last few minutes of cooking in order to melt it.
Nutrition
Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 27mg | Potassium: 688mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 11IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg