Smashed Potatoes with Garlic Aioli
These Smashed Potatoes with Garlic Aioli are everything you have ever wanted from a Whole30 potato recipe! Crispy on the outside, smooth and creamy in the middle and loaded with flavor. Air fryer instructions included.
Are you stuck in a potato rut? It happens. However, these seasoned smashed potatoes are the perfect Whole30 potato recipe to help fight potato boredom!
Whole baby potatoes are boiled until tender and then smashed flat like a pancake. They are then seasoned and baked until the potato skins are crispy and the insides are soft and buttery. The potatoes are garnished with chopped chives and served with homemade garlic aioli. Smashed potatoes are great served warm as a snack, appetizer or satisfying side dish.
💗 Why You’ll Love Smashed Potatoes with Garlic Aioli
- Minimal ingredients. You’ll only need 4 ingredients to make the potatoes and 4 ingredients to make the aioli.
- Easy. Smashed potatoes may look like a fancy h’ordeorve but they are super simple to make.
- They go with everything. These tasty potatoes can be served as an appetizer as well as a breakfast, brunch and dinner side dish.
- The crisp! These potatoes get super crispy in the oven and in the air fryer.
🧄 Ingredients You’ll Need
For the potatoes, you’ll need:
- Baby Potatoes: Small, baby potatoes are the perfect size for smashed potatoes. You can use red, golden or purple potatoes. You can also use fingerling potatoes. They will have a more oblong shape when you smash them.
- Ghee (melted): adds rich, buttery flavor and helps the potatoes become golden brown and crispy. You can also use unsalted melted butter.
- Steak Seasoning: Steak seasoning doubles as a great all-purpose seasoning that pairs well with potatoes. It adds the perfect amount of salt, pepper, garlic and onion flavor.
- Chives (freshly chopped): to garnish the smashed potatoes with bright, fresh flavor.
For the garlic aioli, you’ll need:
- Mayo: For Whole30, make sure your mayo is compliant or make it from scratch.
- Garlic (minced): Fresh garlic enhances basic mayo with bold and delicious garlic flavor. Feel free to add more.
- Salt & Pepper (to taste): Salt enhances the flavor of the mayo and garlic and pepper adds earthy-spicy flavor.
📖 How To Make Oven Baked Smashed Potatoes
1️⃣ Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet.
Begin by preheating your oven to 425F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2️⃣ Boil potatoes.
Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil. While the water reaches a boil, wash the potatoes and then add to the boiling water. Boil for about 15 minutes or until fork-tender (this will vary depending on size).
3️⃣ Drain potatoes.
Remove the potatoes from the water and then drain them in a colander and cool slightly.
4️⃣ Smash potatoes.
Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet leaving a few inches in between each. Then, with the bottom of a jar, heavy glass or mug, flatten each potato until they are 1/2″ thick.
5️⃣ Season potatoes.
Brush the potatoes with melted ghee and sprinkle with steak seasoning.
6️⃣ Bake potatoes.
Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the potatoes are crispy and golden brown.
7️⃣ Make garlic aioli:
While the potatoes are in the oven, make the garlic aioli. Stir the garlic into the mayo in a small bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.
8️⃣ Garnish and serve:
Garnish freshly baked smashed potatoes with a small dollop of aioli and a sprinkle of chives. Serve warm.
♨️ Air Fryer Garlic Smashed Potatoes
You can also make crispy garlic smashed potatoes in the air fryer. Boil the potatoes until tender, let them cool and then smash them flat before air frying:
1️⃣ Preheat air fryer to 425 degrees F. Spray with cooking spray.
2️⃣ While the air fryer is preheating, smash the potatoes flat.
3️⃣ Place the smashed potatoes in a single layer in the bottom of the air fryer basket. Depending on the size of your basket, you may need to work in batches.
4️⃣ Cook for 8 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway through and serve hot.
👩🏻🍳 Tips for the Best Smashed Potatoes
- The best potatoes for smashed potatoes are about the size of a golf ball. It doesn’t matter too much what kind you use -they just need to be small.
- Be sure to drain the boiled potatoes well before smashing. If there is excess moisture, the potatoes will not crisp up as nicely.
- To ensure the potatoes crisp evenly on all sides, bake them on a wire rack placed on top of a baking sheet, so the hot air can circulate the entire potato.
🔀 Variations
Loaded Smashed Potatoes: Load each crispy potato up with shredded cheddar cheese and return to the oven until the cheese is melted. Top with crumbled bacon, chives and a dollop of sour cream.
Parmesan & Herb: Before serving, toss the potatoes in freshly grated parmesan and chopped herbs like parsley, oregano and dill.
Dry Seasonings: Feel free to use a different seasoning blend instead of steak seasoning. You could use Italian, Cajun, Old Bay, everything bagel or my homemade ranch seasoning mix.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
As an appetizer: Serve smashed potatoes on a bed of mixed greens with a dollop of aioli and a sprinkle of chives.
As a snack: These are great to enjoy as a healthy, salty snack dipped in ketchup.
As a side: Smashed potatoes are the perfect side dish for any meal! In particular, they pair well with:
♻️ Storing & Freezing
Storing: Smashed potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
Freezing: Smashed potatoes can be frozen for up to a month. First, freeze them solid on a baking sheet and then transfer the frozen potatoes to a freezer-safe bag and store them in the freezer.
❓FAQ
In both cases, potatoes are boiled until soft and tender. Mashed potatoes are then mashed with milk and butter, while smashed potatoes are flattened and roasted until crispy.
You can. Prick the potatoes a few times and then place 5 potatoes on a microwave safe plate, covered with a damp paper towel and microwave for 7 to 10 minutes or until fork-tender and steamed all the way.
They may be too thick and need to be smashed a bit more. You can switch your oven over to the broiler setting 2 to 3 minutes at the end to crisp them up.
More Potato Recipes
Everything Bagel Potato Salad
Grilled Potato Salad
Buffalo Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Buffalo Sweet Potato Queso
Smashed Potatoes with Garlic Aioli
Ingredients
- 1 pound baby potatoes red or golden
- 3 tablespoons ghee melted
- 2 tablespoons steak seasoning
- 2 teaspoons chive freshly chopped
For the garlic aioli:
- ½ cup mayonaiise whole30 compliant
- 3 cloves garlic minced finely
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare for baking by preheating your oven to 425F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil. Add washed baby potatoes and boil until fork tender. This will take about 15 minutes depending on their size.
- Remove the potatoes from the water and let them drain in a colander and cool slightly.
- Place the potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet and use the bottom of a jar to smash each potato down until it's about 1/2 inch thick.
- Brush each potato with ghee, then evenly sprinkle the steak seasoning on top.
- Add the potatoes to the oven for 10-15 minutes or until they become crispy and golden brown.
- While the potatoes are baking, make the garlic aioli by stirring the finely minced garlic into the mayo and adding any salt and pepper as needed.
- Once the potatoes are out of the oven, garnish with a small dollop of aioli and a sprinkle of fresh chives. Serve warm.
Notes
2️⃣ While the air fryer is preheating, smash the potatoes flat.
3️⃣ Place the smashed potatoes in a single-layer in the bottom of the air fryer basket. Depending on the size of your basket, you may need to work in batches.
4️⃣ Cook for 8 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway through and serve hot.
