Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes are one of life’s simple pleasures. They are crispy and flavorful on the outside, and tender and fluffy on the inside! Make these as a delicious and easy side dish for your next weeknight meal.
Ingredients
UNITS SCALE
- 1 pound new or mini white, red, or gold potatoes, about 12-15 (ideally, they should be less than 2-inches in diameter)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Wash the potatoes and pat them dry.
- Place the potatoes in your air fryer basket to cook them whole. Set the temperature to 400°F for 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can cook your potatoes in an Instant Pot on the trivet with a cup of water for 10 minutes at high pressure with a 5 minute natural release. Or, you can boil the potatoes in water for 15 minutes until they are fork-tender.
- After the potatoes are cooked, use tongs to transfer them to a clean sheet pan or large serving plate.
- Use the bottom of clean glass or a potato masher to firmly smash the potatoes until they are flattened by about half their original size. I usual give each potato about 2 gentle whacks. Don’t flatten them completely or else they will fall apart.
- Pour the olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper over the potatoes and gently toss to combine.
- Place the smashed potatoes back inside your air fryer basket and cook for an additional 15-17 minutes at 375°F. The potatoes should be golden brown and crispy on the outside when they are done cooking. Be careful to not let them burn.
- Serve hot, with an optional sprinkling of fresh chives.
Notes
- Store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Smashed potatoes can be re-heated in the air fryer or the microwave, although they won’t be as crispy as when they are first made.
- This recipe can be doubled, but you may need to cook the potatoes in two batches to prevent over-crowding in the air fryer.
- Feel free to get creative with your seasonings! Dried rosemary would be great. You can also use onion powder or smoked paprika, or whatever seasonings you like on your potatoes.
