These crispy smashed potatoes is just the right dish to celebrate everyone's favorite veggie..the potato!. I mean seriously, is there anyone that does not like potatoes? And by potatoes, I mean potatoes that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside not to mention slathered with a delicious mint and cilantro chutney that's just made for these potatoes.
These potatoes are so good that you won't be able to stop yourself from stealing a bite right off the pan. Also did I mention, they are made in an air fryer which means crunchier potatoes in half the time! If you don't own an air fryer, no worries since I have also included instructions on baking them in a regular oven and on the stove top.
Making crispy smashed potatoes
Choosing the right spuds
Making good crispy smashed potatoes starts with using the right potatoes i.e., waxy potatoes. Waxy potatoes are smaller in appearance and have a shiny outer skin. They tend to contain less starch and more moisture. Here in the US, some of the common waxy potatoes are yellow, red, fingerings, baby potatoes. They tend to hold their shape when cooked and work well for our recipe. Yukon Golds also work well since they are considered an all purpose potato.Avoid using Russet or any high starch potatoes that tend to get creamy or fall apart when cooked(these are excellent for potato mash btw).
Choosing the right size of potatoes are also important since smaller sized potatoes result in crispier potatoes as compared to larger potatoes. They also crisp up more evenly. Choose potatoes that are around a medium sized lemon. Make sure to remove any nubby growth and wash them well since we will keep the skin on.
Seasoning
I have gone with very simple seasoning for the potatoes since I wanted their flavor to shine. I mixed some olive oil with finely chopped garlic, salt and brushed it on top of the potatoes before air frying them. You can also use any other flavors like spices including chilli flakes/paprika, cumin, onion powder. You can also top it with cheese, nutritional yeast or even make a topping like spinach & artichoke dip or sundried tomatoes & mushrooms(yum!)
Baking vs Air Frying vs Stove Top
Using an air fryer will give you crispy potatoes in a very short amount of time. I use an oven style air fryer(affiliate) but you can also use a basket style air fryer as well if you have one.
If you prefer to bake the potatoes, then follow the same steps but the oven temperature will be a little higher at 425 deg F and you will have to bake them for extra time to get the same crispiness.
For making them on the stove top, I recommend using a non-stick pan or a well seasoned and oiled cast iron pan. The cast iron pan/skillet will give you the best crispiness due to the even heating the pan provides. However if you are not sure if the potatoes will stick to the pan, then the non-stick is a safe bet. Make sure the pan is well heated and use some oil to the coat the pan before placing the potatoes in the pan.
I have included the detailed instructions in the recipe card.
Looking for other recipes?
Hara Bhara Kabab ( Pan fried spinach and potato patties)
Making the Mint & Cilantro Chutney
Mint and cilantro chutney is widely used as a side in a large number of dishes in India especially in street food generically known as 'chaat'. A lot of these chaats contain potato and this chutney goes amazingly well it. The chutney also comes together really quick. It is such a delicious and tasty sauce that you will want to use it on everything. Besides the mint and cilantro, the chutney needs
- Green Chilli (sub with jalapeños or Serrano chiles)
- Salt
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Cumin Powder (optional)
- Lemon juice
Just add all the ingredients in a blender with 3-4 spoons of water and blend for 60-90 seconds until it is a smooth paste.If it is too thick, add a little more water and blend for another 30 seconds. Keep aside. If you have leftovers, use it as a side with any Indian dish, on eggs or even slather on some bread while making a sandwich.
What other sauces and dips can you use with the smashed potatoes?
There are plenty of other dips or sauces that you can use to serve these crispy smashed potatoes with. This will go great with
- Chipotle Mayo
- Garlic Aioli
- Tomato Ketchup
- Honey Mustard sauce
- Thai Peanut Dipping sauce
These are just a sample of the sauces that will go great with potatoes. The sky is the limit when it comes to what you can pair with this tasty dish.
Serving, Storage and Freezing
The potatoes are best served when fresh out of the air fryer or oven since they are at their crispiest best. I would also not suggest storing them in the fridge or freezing since they would not regain the same texture even when they are heated again the oven.
Preparing ahead of time
If you want to make a batch ahead of time, I would suggest cooking the potatoes until done and smashing them when they have cooled down. You can store these smashed potatoes in the fridge for 2-3 days. Remove it from the refrigerator an hour before you are ready to cook them further.
Did ya make it?
This dish is so simple to make and yet so tasty that I promise you will keep coming back for more! If you did try it, please let me know how it went by leaving a rating and comment below. Also share your creations on Instagram by using #dillandthyme. You can also follow along on Pinterest or Facebook.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The links provided in this post and recipe card might include affiliate links including ones which mention "affiliate" or "a" after a link mentioned in the post. These earn me a small commission when you purchase using them at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support
Recipe
Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer
- 1-2 Quarter sheet pan
Ingredients
Crispy Potatoes
- 1 ¼ lb Small Yellow Potatoes* washed and cleaned
- 2-3 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2 cloves Garlic peeled, finely chopped
- Salt to taste
Mint and Cilantro Chutney
- 1 cup Mint Leaves cleaned, removed from stalks
- 1 cup Cilantro Leaves cleaned, chopped with stalks
- 1 clove Garlic
- ½ inch Ginger
- 1 Green Chilli sub with ¼ jalapeño or Serrano pepper
- ½ teaspoon Cumin optional
- Salt to taste
Instructions
For Crispy Smashed Potatoes (Air Fryer Method/Oven)
- Heat a deep pot filled with water up to ¾ volume.Ensure the heat is set to medium high. Once the water starts boiling, add the potatoes gently and keep it covered for 8-10 minutes.
- Carefully check one of the potatoes to see if it fully cooked by inserting a fork or knife through the center. Once done, turn off the stove and remove the potatoes to let it cool down.
- Place the potatoes on a quarter sized sheet pan(s)*. Using a potato masher, press down on the potatoes until they are squished down to about ¼" thickness. Brush the mixture of olive oil, salt and finely chopped garlic on the potatoes until well covered.
- Place the sheet pan in the air fryer and air fry at 400 deg F for 10 minutes (timing may vary based on the model).The outside will be golden brown.Remove as soon as it is done and top with the chutney before serving.
- If using a regular oven, pre heat the oven to 425 deg F and roast the potatoes for 20 -25 minutes until the potatoes are golden brown and crispy. Serve hot topped with chutney or any dip of you choice.
Stovetop Method
- Follow the first 2 steps as mentioned above. Smash the potatoes and keep aside. Heat a non stick or well seasoned cast iron pan to medium low heat. Heat the oil in the pan.
- Add the garlic and saute for 20-30 seconds and place the potatoes in the pan. Top with some salt. Once the bottom of the potatoes have crisped up, flip them and wait for the other size to finish cooking. Repeat until all the potatoes are done.
Notes
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The links provided in this post and recipe card might include affiliate links including ones which mention "affiliate" or "a" after a link mentioned in the post. These earn me a small commission when you purchase using them at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
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