Smashed Potatoes with Garlic and Vegan Parmesan
June 16, 2021
Smashed potatoes, where have you been all my life? Fluffy inside and crispy outside, filling but also snackable, these have become a go-to in my kitchen. They're a great side dish or appetizer to accompany a full meal. I tried a few recipes that were on the bland side, so I upped the flavor level with garlic, rosemary, vegan parmesan, and vegan butter. And they are sooo good!
While smashed potatoes and mashed potatoes sound alike, they're not the same thing. Mashed potatoes are typically cooked without the skin and mashed into a fluffy puree with milk and butter. Smashed potatoes, on the other hand, are boiled with the skin on, then flattened and baked until they're crispy. I think of them as part french fries, part mashed potatoes.
For this recipe, you will want to use small (about 1.5-in./5-cm. diameter) or baby-sized (about 1-in./2.5-cm. diameter) potatoes. Red or yellow (Yukon gold) potatoes taste best in my opinion. The smaller the potatoes that you use, the less time it will take to cook them, and the crispier they will be. So if you want fluffier potatoes, go for small potatoes instead of baby potatoes, and leave them a little thicker when you're flattening them.
When baking the potatoes, you can either bake them directly on the baking sheet (sprayed with oil), or use parchment paper to line the baking sheet. I found that the potatoes baked directly on the baking sheet came out with crispier bottoms, but the parchment-lined tray was much easier to clean.
This recipe uses my vegan parmesan cheese, which only takes 5 minutes to make. The flavor of the vegan parmesan really makes this whole recipe, so don't skip it!
I recommend using high-fat vegan butter sticks for this recipe, such as Earth Balance or Miyoko's. If vegan butter is unavailable in your area, or unreasonably priced, try my homemade vegan butter recipe.
Although these vegan smashed potatoes taste amazing right off the tray, feel free to top them off with vegan sour cream and chopped green onions for even more flavor. I personally like Kite Hill sour cream with all my vegan potato recipes.
This recipe was inspired by the (non-vegan) garlic smashed potatoes recipe by Lauren Miyashiro at Delish.
Smashed Potatoes with Garlic and Vegan Parmesan
Yield4 servings
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour, 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 lbs. small or baby potatoes (I recommend Yukon gold or red)
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/4 cup vegan butter, melted
- 1 tbsp. garlic, minced (about 3 cloves)
- 1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1-2 tbsp. vegan parmesan
- vegan sour cream and green onions for topping (optional)
Instructions
Place your potatoes in a medium pot or saucepan and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil and boil until the potatoes are fork-tender. This could take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of your potatoes.
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Drain your potatoes in a colander and let them stand until they’re cool enough to handle.
Spray a large baking tray with olive oil (or line with parchment paper, see notes), then place your potatoes on the tray. Make sure there is enough space between the potatoes that they won’t touch after they’ve been smashed. If you have a small tray, you may need to use two trays.
You can use the bottom of a glass or small plate, or a potato masher or large fork to smash your potatoes. I prefer a flat surface like a glass because the potatoes get smashed evenly. Gently press your glass or other surface on the top of each potato until it’s flattened to around 1/2” thick. (You can flatten them more if you want crispier potatoes, or less for fluffier potatoes).
![smashing potato with glass]()
Mix your vegan butter, minced garlic, and rosemary together, then use a spoon to spread some of the mix on each potato. Top with salt, pepper, and vegan parmesan, to taste.
![pouring butter, garlic, and rosemary on potato]()
Bake your potatoes in your preheated oven until they’re crispy and golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Add vegan sour cream and green onions to the top of the potatoes (if using), and serve!
Notes & Hints
Feel free to use dill or parsley instead of rosemary, if you prefer!
You can either bake the potatoes directly on an oiled baking sheet, or use parchment paper to line the baking sheet. Potatoes baked directly on the baking sheet will come out crispier, but a parchment-lined tray is easier to clean.
These can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 15-20 minutes.
Nutrition Data
Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe; Calories: 206; Fat: 12 g.; Saturated Fat: 8 g.; Cholesterol: 0 mg.; Sodium: 312 mg.; Carbohydrates: 22 g.; Fiber: 2 g.; Sugar: 1 g.; Protein: 3 g.; Vitamin A: 0 mcg. RAE; Vitamin B12: 1 mcg.; Vitamin C: 22 mg.; Vitamin D: 0 mcg.; Calcium: 31 mg.; Iron: 1 mg.; Potassium: 520 mg.; Zinc: 0 mg.Note: This data should be used only as an estimate. Please see the nutrition section of my terms and conditions for more information on how this data is calculated.
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