Crispy Smashed Potatoes

One of a reliable sides to serve with any meal are these Crispy Smashed Potatoesgolden and crunchy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. They're everything you love about roasted potatoes and fries rolled into one irresistible bite.

The beauty of this crispy smashed potatoes recipe is in its texture. You get those buttery, crisp edges with a fluffy center that never dries out. And no matter how crispy you like them, one thing's for sure: they'll disappear from the table in seconds.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

These Crispy Smashed Potatoes have everything you could want in a side dish. Each bite delivers golden, crunchy edges with a soft and fluffy center that melts in your mouth. They're the kind of potatoes that make any meal feel a little more special, whether you're serving steak, roast chicken, or grilled fish.

What makes this crispy smashed potatoes recipe stand out is how easy it is to master. With just a few simple ingredients, you get a reliable balance of texture and flavor: crispy on the outside, buttery and tender inside. Once you try these smashed crispy potatoes, you'll never look at regular roasted potatoes the same way again.

What Goes Into Crispy Smashed Potatoes

These Crispy Smashed Potatoes come together with simple pantry staples and a few fresh touches that bring out a reliable flavor.

• Potatoes: Yukon Gold or Carisma varieties are ideal for their creamy texture and ability to crisp up beautifully when smashed and roasted.
• Butter or Olive Oil: Melted butter gives a rich, golden flavor, while olive oil adds a lighter, slightly fruity taste that enhances the crispiness.
• Garlic and Lemon Juice: Crushed garlic adds depth and aroma, while a squeeze of lemon juice brightens everything with fresh, tangy notes.
• Dried Oregano and Semolina: Oregano adds a hint of earthy Mediterranean flavor, and a sprinkle of semolina (if you use it) helps create that irresistible extra crunch.

Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.

On the stove

1. Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to broil or grill on medium-high heat, about 200°C (400°F), so the potatoes turn out perfectly crisp and golden.

1. Boil the Potatoes: Place potatoes in a large pot of salted water. Bring to a boil and cook, covered, for 30–35 minutes or until just fork-tender, then drain well.

1. Prepare the Tray: Lightly spray a large baking sheet with olive oil and arrange the potatoes on it. Use a potato masher to gently flatten each one without breaking them apart.

1. Mix and Season: Stir together butter, lemon juice, and garlic. Pour mixture over potatoes, then sprinkle with half of the oregano, salt, and pepper. Spray lightly with olive oil and add semolina if using.

1. Broil Until Crispy: Broil or grill the potatoes for about 15 minutes until they're golden and crisp around the edges.

1. Serve and Enjoy: Sprinkle with the remaining oregano, add extra salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately while hot and crispy.

These Crispy Smashed Potatoes are incredibly versatile and pair perfectly with bold, flavorful mains. Try them alongside Chili Lime Steak Fajitas for a zesty, sizzling combo that balances spice with buttery crunch, or serve them with juicy Greek Yogurt Chicken Breasts. They're also good with Easy Creamy Chicken Marsalawhere the rich mushroom sauce soaks beautifully into the crisp potato edges.

For something a little indulgent, serve these potatoes with Garlic Butter Grilled Steak and Shrimp. The juicy steak, tender shrimp, and garlicky butter sauce make the good match for the crispy, lemony potatoes, turning an ordinary dinner into something truly special.

Kitchen tip

• We used butter in this recipe, because garlic butter is unbeatable in flavour. However, you can substitute with olive oil if you wish!
• We've added a lot more garlic in these than traditional Greek potatoes. Feel free to reduce the garlic down to 2 cloves instead of 4.
• Semolina is optional. If using, sprinkle a light coating over your potatoes before baking.
• For even crispier potatoes, remove potatoes form the oven half way through baking, spray with a little extra cooking oil, and continue broiling (or grilling) in the oven until nice and golden brown.

Recipe FAQ's

Yes! While Yukon Gold and Carisma work best, you can also use baby potatoes or red potatoes. Just make sure they're all similar in size so they cook evenly.

No need to peel them. The skin gets beautifully crisp and adds great texture and flavor once roasted.

If you don't have semolina, you can skip it or replace it with a little cornstarch or fine breadcrumbs for added crunch.

Video

What you need

• 6 potatoes medium-sized, Yukon Gold or Carisma
• 3 tablespoons butter melted, or 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice juice of half a lemon
• 4 cloves garlic crushed
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano divided
• 1 pinch salt to taste
• 1 pinch pepper to taste
• 1 spray olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon semolina optional – for crispy potatoes

Method

1. Pre-heat your oven to broil (or grill) settings to medium-high heat (about 200°C | 400°F).
2. Place potatoes in a large pot of salted water. Bring to the boil; cook, covered for 30-35 minutes or until just fork-tender. Drain well.
3. Lightly spray a large baking sheet or tray with cooking oil spray. Arrange potatoes onto the sheet and use a potato masher to LIGHTLY flatten the potatoes in one piece (not too hard or they will end up mashed).
4. Mix together the butter, lemon juice and garlic. Pour the mixture over each potato. Sprinkle with half of the oregano, salt and pepper. Lightly spray with olive oil spray, and sprinkle with semolina (If using).
5. Broil (or grill) until they are golden and crispy (about 15 minutes). Remove from oven, sprinkle with remaining oregano.
6. To serve, season with a little extra salt and pepper; serve immediately.