Smashed Fingerling Potatoes with Rosemary Garlic Butter
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I’ve never met a potato I didn’t like but these smashed fingerling potatoes are one I would pick time and time again. With baby potatoes, fresh rosemary, and a good dose of garlic, they’re buttery, crispy on the edges, and creamy in the centers. Made in just 50 minutes, they make a lovely side or appetizer for anything from dinner parties and holidays to weeknights and date night at home!
Last Saturday, we went on a whirlwind trip to Amador City, California for a weekend of wine tasting, eating, and staying in the cutest little cottage! It was absolutely lovely. But needless to say, after a weekend of decadent food and perhaps maybe a little too much wine (?), I’m pretty excited to spend a weekend on my couch.
My favorite at-home weekend activity of late is to make something cozy and watch lots of SVU. And my go-to comfort food is roast chicken or pot roast with any kind of potato situation. Cheesy garlic mashed potatoes, these extra crispy domino potatoes with shallots, or this smashed version. I’ll take any and all.
Speaking of, have you hopped on the smashed potato train yet? Because if you haven’t, it’s time. They’re so. damn. good. My mom originally introduced me to this recipe a few years ago, but we also used to make something similar back when I was in culinary school. Of course, in school, we fried the potatoes. But the baked version is just as delicious and crispy!
This is the kind of recipe that’s super quick but tastes a lot more complicated. And the potatoes are topped with garlic butter and rosemary for a crispy, fluffy, creamy, and beyond amazing side dish. Let’s make ’em.
Use small potatoes
The key ingredient in this recipe is fingerling potatoes. These are a type of heritage potato that are small and usually long (finger-shaped). Although the grocery store near my house sells fingerling potatoes that are more round so… 🤷♀️ Use what you can find! Creamers, new potatoes, baby potatoes, etc. will work too. You can find all of these potatoes in the produce aisle of most grocery stores.
Aside from the potatoes, you’ll also need Morton’s Kosher salt, freshly-ground black pepper, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, unsalted butter, fresh garlic, fresh rosemary, and flaky salt.
If you want to make these potatoes cheesy, add a sprinkle of parmesan during the last 3-5 minutes of cooking. Use freshly-grated parmesan so it melts nicely!
Boil the potatoes
If you want the potatoes to be super crispy, they have to dry out in the colander before you roast them. I recommend letting them sit for 3-5 minutes, gently shaking the colander, and giving it another 3-5 minutes. The steam from the residual heat will help them dry out quicker!
Make the garlic butter
Smash & roast the potatoes
For extra crispy potatoes, smash them until they’re between 1/4-1/3-inch thick. Just don’t go too crazy or they will fall apart! If they do break apart, I recommend sprinkling them with parmesan before the last 3-5 minutes of baking. The cheese will help keep the potatoes together!
Why aren’t my potatoes crisping up?
There are a few reasons that your potatoes aren’t getting crispy:
- The potatoes didn’t dry out enough. Make sure they’re completely dry before you smash them.
- You need more oil. Feel free to brush the potatoes with more oil if needed.
- The potatoes are too close together. Make sure they’re 1/2-1 inch apart so they crisp instead of steam.
Storing leftover potatoes
To store the leftover potatoes, wait until they’re fully cooled. Then, place them in an airtight container, cover, and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
The best way to reheat leftovers
You have a few options when it comes to reheating these potatoes!
- Bake – place the potatoes on an oiled sheet pan and cover with tin foil. Bake at 400°F (204°C) for about 10-12 minutes. Then, uncover and bake for another 3-5 minutes until the skin is crispy.
- Air fry – place the fingerling potatoes in a single layer on an air fryer tray. Fry at 360°F (182°C) for 3 minutes. Then, flip the potatoes and air fry for another 2-4 minutes until they’re hot and crispy.
- Microwave – honestly, this isn’t my favorite method because the potatoes don’t get crispy. But it’ll still work in a pinch! Microwave the potatoes on a plate for 1-2 minutes until they’re hot.
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Super Crispy Smashed Fingerling Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes or baby potatoes (680 grams)
- Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed (42 milliliters)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (or to taste)
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter (42 grams)
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic (4 large cloves)
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
- Flaky salt, for serving (optional)
Equipment
- Large pot
- Colander
- Garlic press
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- sheet pan
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a large pot and fill the pot with water until the potatoes are covered by at least 1 inch. Season the water with a generous amount of salt. Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring the water to a rolling boil. Boil the potatoes until they're fork tender, about 15-18 minutes.
- Once the potatoes are fork tender, drain them in a colander. Let the potatoes sit for 5-10 minutes, giving the colander a shake halfway through, until the potatoes are completely dry.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Grease a sheet pan with olive oil.
- Spread the dried potatoes on the prepared sheet pan. Drizzle the potatoes with the olive oil. Then, sprinkle the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne over the top. Using a wood spoon or clean hands, toss the potatoes until they're well-coated in the oil and seasonings.
- Using a flat-bottomed drinking glass or ramekin, gently smash the potatoes until they're about 1/2-inch thick. If they're sticking, coat the bottom of the glass or ramekin with some cooking spray or olive oil. Then, spread the potatoes out on the sheet pan until they're about 1/2-1 inch apart.
- Place the sheet pan in the oven. Bake the potatoes for 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until they're crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
- Meanwhile, add the butter, garlic, and rosemary to a microwave-safe small bowl. Microwave the mixture for about 30 seconds, until the butter is completely melted. Alternatively, you can melt the garlic butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
- After the potatoes have crisped up, remove the sheet pan from the oven. Spoon the garlic butter evenly over the top of each potato. Bake the potatoes for another 5-10 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and the bottoms of the potatoes are very crispy.
- Transfer the potatoes to a plate or serving platter. Sprinkle flaky salt over the potatoes, if desired. Enjoy!
