The marriage between Baked Potatoes and Mashed Potatoes: SMASHED Potatoes! These baby potatoes are petite and cook up easily, then combine with olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and jalapeno t bake to a crispy finish. Deliciously different and the perfect side dish for any meal!

Original recipe posted: March 2014 | Recipe update: October 2019

I wonder how many Minnesotans were prescribed antidepressants this winter. Not one typically prone to depression, I feel myself sinking into the bowels of seasonal sadness. This winter has been rough! Snow, COLD, grey days, being cooped up indoors, repeat, repeat, repeat. There are, however, good sides to this time of year. I get to spend all kinds of time with my lovies. I get to focus more on my website and other projects. I have ample opportunity to make food, eat and eat some more. And then some more. My thighs are slowly growing, despite my diligence at the gym. Come on, spring! My soul needs some warm weather. So do my thighs.

If you enjoy potato in the many delicious forms it can be prepared, you are going to enjoy these. When it’s time to serve something other than the french fries we’re all familiar with, you can quickly put together this recip. We ate these scrumptious little potatoes and I LOVED THEM. I really really loved them. I can’t believe I’ve lived my life without them thus far. I sneaked in a jalapeño pepper, but feel free to omit that. Enjoy! And if you live somewhere warm, would you please invite me to your house?

HOW TO PREPARE CRISPY SMASHED POTATOES WITH A SPICY SAUCE

You’ll love this recipe that’s a little bit boiled, a little bit roasted potatoes.

STEP 1

You’ll need to start with boiling the potatoes. About 20 minutes will do, or until a fork can be easily inserted into the centers. Place the cute little potatoes on a rimmed parchment-lined, olive oil-drizzled baking sheet.

STEP 2

Using a fork, go ahead and smash those little reds. Be gentle. But be firm. Kind of like the way I have to be with my boys. Gentle but not too gentle. Firm but not too firm.

STEP 3

Combine the following in a medium bowl:

Drizzle some olive oil into the bowl.

It should look something like this after stirring.

Spoon that delicious mixture over the tops of the gently-yet-firmly-smashed potatoes.

STEP 4

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes and serve!

RECIPE TIPS

• This recipe is appealing and works best when you choose small potatoes – think golf ball size. They are available in red, my preferred potato choice. But you can go with gold, baby yukon or russets too.

• Use a large sheet pan to give the potatoes room to bake and crispen up. You want to avoid over-crowding so each potato has room to bake well.

• We use garlic salt in this recipe, but if you love garlicy potatoes, sprinkle an extra teaspoon of garlic powder into the mix.

• Use your potato masher to help smash the potatoes

• For extra crispy potatoes, turn on the broiler to HI for the last 5 extra minutes

HOW TO SERVE SMASHED POTATOES

Top with some sour cream!

Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese over the finished potatoes

WHAT TO SERVE WITH POTATOES

• Serve with meatloaf and a veggie!

• A delicious super tender instant pot ribs recipe will compliment these potatoes deliciously!

• Fried walleye is great served with a potato recipe!

HOW TO REHEAT LEFTOVERS

This recipe is amazing right out of the oven. Even though these will reheat in the oven easily, you should plan on serving them immediately. But if you do have leftovers, put them in an airtight container for 4-5 days and they can be safely reheated until warmed through.

THE BEST COMFORTING SIDE DISH RECIPES

Here are a few more potatoes to satisfy that craving and a couple of my other favorite comforting side dish recipes that you need to add to your rotation ASAP!

• Roasted Sweet Potatoes – Roasted Sweet Potatoes are an easy and delicious side for any meal! They taste better than regular French fries and are a great healthy lunch, snack or side dish. Whole30 compliant, too.

• Green Bean Casserole– Throw just a few ingredients into your slow cooker to make your next Green Bean Casserole. Let your crock pot do the heavy lifting so you can focus on other favorite holiday recipes. This is a great Thanksgiving or any-time side dish!

• Baked Potato Casserole – This Savory Baked Potato Casserole is packed with Artichokes and Sun-Dried Tomatoes and it’s so easy and versatile to prepare. Cheesiness and vegetables mixed in with large chunks of red potatoes equal so much flavor! Don’t forget – you can swap out the tomatoes and artichokes with bacon and chives. Or olives and ham! This casserole is great as a main or side dish.

• Cauliflower Fried Rice – Cauliflower Fried Rice is a healthy version of the classic Chinese take-out favorite. Serve as a side with any meal and no one will know cauliflower is involved! This tasty little side dish is done in less than 30 minutes and is packed with flavor. Tastes great solo with a splash of soy sauce or as a side dish to any meal.

• Creamy Hashbrown Potatoes – Just four ingredients, one dish, one hour in the oven and you end up with a rich dish to serve. This gets you to potato heaven! Enjoy a creamy, buttery casserole as the perfect comforting side dish for any meal!

• Oven-Baked French Fries – These French Fries are healthier than the fried version and also super ADDICTING! Be warned!

• Slow Cooker Baked Beans – Baked Beans in the slow cooker is the way to go! Once you try these, you’ll never eat them straight from the can again. Great for summer BBQs and game-day parties!

If you make this recipe, be sure to snap a photo and tag it @pipandebby + hashtag it #PIPANDEBBY I’d love to see what you create!