Crispy smashed fingerling potatoes only need four ingredients and one simple trick to come out perfectly golden every single time. No fancy equipment, no complicated techniques. Just potatoes, hot oil, and a little patience while the oven does its thing. This is the easiest way to make a side dish that looks and tastes like you really know what you're doing in the kitchen.
Quick Look: Crispy Smashed Fingerling Potatoes
- ⏱ Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 🔥 Cook Time: 50 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 55 minutes
- 🥔 Serving: 4 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 298 per serving
- 🍟 Flavor Profile: Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside. Eats like elevated french fries.
- 👌 Difficulty: Easy. Go-to side dish for any occasion.
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Is there anything better than crispy fried potatoes? YES! Potatoes that taste like they’ve been deep fried but are actually oven roasted. These smashed fingerlings eat like a seriously upgraded french fry. Trust me, these taters are truly a thing of magic.
If you love a crispy potato situation, definitely try these skillet fried potatoes and onions or go ahead make it a whole meal with this Butterflied Roast Chicken and Potatoes or Sausage, Green Beans and Potatoes all on one sheet pan!
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Why you will love this recipe
- Only four ingredients and you probably already have them.
- The hot oil trick gives you maximum crispiness with zero effort.
- Fingerling potatoes are naturally buttery and creamy on the inside, so every bite is the perfect combo of crispy outside and soft middle.
- They look gorgeous on a platter - total crowd pleaser at dinner parties or holiday meals.
- Perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
- Easy to scale up for a big group. Just use two sheet pans!
Ingredient Notes
- Fingerling potatoes - These are the star of the show. Their small, elongated shape and naturally waxy, creamy texture make them ideal for smashing. They hold together well and get incredibly crispy on the outside while staying tender inside. You can find them at most grocery stores and at the farmers market during peak season. If you can't find fingerlings, baby Yukon gold potatoes are a great substitute.
- Oil - Use avocado oil or another high heat oil. This is important. You're heating the oil in a very hot oven, so you need an oil with a high smoke point. Olive oil is not the move here. Avocado oil is my favorite for this because it's neutral in flavor and handles high heat really well.
- Flaky salt - Don't skip the flaky salt for finishing. It makes all the difference. Kosher salt for boiling, flaky salt for serving.
- Herbs - A sprinkling of fresh chives or parsley really make these sing.
How to make crispy smashed fingerling potatoes
This is a really simple recipe to make. It’s all in the timing and the technique! It’s a two step cooking process but fingerling potatoes require no peeling or chopping so it’s very little work.
Step 1: Boil the potatoes. Place your scrubbed and dried potatoes in a dutch oven or large stock pot. Fill with water until the potatoes are covered by about an inch and sprinkle in a tablespoon of salt. Bring the pot to a boil and continue cooking until the potatoes are just fork tender, about 15-20 minutes. You want them cooked through but not falling apart.
Spread out a large piece of parchment paper on the counter. Using another piece of parchment or the flat bottom of a glass, gently press down on each potato until it's about ⅓ to ½ inch thick. The goal is smashed and flat, not completely crushed. You want them to stay mostly in one piece. Let the smashed potatoes sit for about 5 minutes so any remaining steam can escape. This helps them get crispier in the oven.
Carefully use a spatula to place the smashed potatoes onto the hot oil.
Finish with flaky salt and chives or fresh herbs.
Recipe Tips
- Boil the potatoes just until slightly fork tender but not completely soft. This way they will stay together when transferred to the baking sheet for roasting.
- For the crispiest potatoes, let them dry out for 5-10 minutes after you smash them. This allows the steam and excess moisture to evaporate.
- For best results, use a thin metal or fish spatula to flip the potatoes halfway through roasting and for transferring to a serving platter to minimize falling apart.
- Don't skip preheating the oil! It's the whole reason this recipe works.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Baby Yukon golds are the best substitute. They have a similar creamy texture and waxy flesh that holds up well to boiling and smashing. Russets don't really work as they are too starchy and tend to fall apart when you try to smash them.
I don't recommend fully roasting them ahead of time, they really are best fresh out of the oven. Once they cool and sit, they lose their crispiness. You can boil and smash the potatoes a few hours ahead and keep them at room temperature until you're ready to roast.
They may have been boiled a little too long. You want just fork tender but not completely soft. They should give when you press down on them without completely disintegrating. Try reducing your boil time by a few minutes next time.
Absolutely. Go wild! Garlic powder, smoked paprika, dried herbs, or even a sprinkle of parmesan after they come out of the oven are all amazing additions. I also love some plain greek yogurt for a dipping sauce moment.
Not sure how it's possible to have leftovers but if you do, storein an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, skip the microwave and use the air fryer or a hot oven to bring back some of the crispiness.
What to serve with crispy smashed potatoes
These are a fantastic side dish for so many things. Here are a few of my favorites:
- A simple roast chicken or my white wine roasted chicken thighs and leeks - the rich, savory chicken with these crispy potatoes is such a good combo.
- Marinated Bavette Steak or Garlic Herb Crusted Eye of Round Roast Beef
- Serve them with a fresh green salad for a simple but satisfying dinner.
- Hot tip - these are amazing for brunch or holiday breakfast with a Vegetarian Frittata or my family favorite Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Dip. Also, these potatoes topped with a dollop of plain greek yogurt or sour cream and a little chopped up perfect bacon is a match made in heaven.
Oven Roasted Crispy Smashed Fingerling Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fingerling potatoes
- 4 tablespoons avocado oil or other high heat oil
- 1 tablespoon salt
- Flaky salt for seasoning to taste and fresh chives or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Place scrubbed and dried potatoes in a dutch oven or large stock pot and fill with water until covered by about 1 inch. Sprinkle in 1 tbsp of salt and bring pot to a boil.
- Continue cooking until potatoes are just fork tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes in a colander and let sit until they are cool enough to handle.
- Spread out a large piece of parchment paper on the counter and use another piece of parchment or a flat bottom glass to gently smash the potatoes until they are about ⅓ to ½ inch thick, being careful not to crush them to the point of falling apart.
- Let any remaining steam escape from the smashed potatoes for about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees and pour avocado oil directly onto the sheet pan. Place the pan inside the oven and let the oil heat up until it's shimmering.
- Carefully remove the pan with the hot oil from the oven and place on a heat safe surface. Using a spatula, carefully transfer the cooled, smashed potatoes from the parchment to the baking sheet. You may need to use two sheets depending on how many potatoes you have. Do not overcrowd or they will not reach maximum crispiness!
- Return the baking sheet back to the oven and roast the potatoes for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy.
- Sprinkle them with flaky salt and plenty of fresh chives and serve hot.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Danea Allen
Made these for Christmas dinner with a roast and they were a HIT! Delicious and so crunchy!
Jessica
I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe. It's my favorite way to cook potatoes!
Rachel
I use fingerling potatoes in my meal rotation frequently, but I have never prepared them like this. This was so simple and so easy to prep. The potatoes were perfectly crispy and so full of flavor even with simple ingredients. Highly recommend pairing these with a nice steak. I was a very very happy : )
Sydney Kronfle
My husband loves potatoes, but I always make them the same boring way until I tried this recipe. He loves them. They are crispy but not unhealthy. The avocado oil and chives make it a much healthier alternative to French fries.