About This Recipe
Of all the things I cook in the air fryer, I think that smashed potatoes are best. This fabulous recipe for Crispy Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes is to easy and so fun to make! There are a few rules to follow, but once you learn them this recipe will be on your rotation, permanently.
The first rule is to use little potatoes. Since most air fryer capacity for cooking things in a single layer is limited, and this recipe should cook in a single layer (a double layer will work but the potatoes won’t be as crisp), little potatoes work best. I prefer baby Yukon gold potatoes, but you can use baby red or russet potatoes or creamer potatoes too.
Second, use a combination of butter and olive oil. The butter provides the best flavor, in my opinion, and the olive oil adds richness.
You can season these potatoes any way you’d like. I like to use dried thyme. Crush the dried herbs between your fingers to release the most flavor before using. You can use dried basil, oregano, or tarragon or a dried Italian herb blend. And I like to add some honey mustard to the butter mixture for even more flavor. Of you could add some crushed garlic, or some cooked crisp crumbled bacon, or any kind of cheese, from Parm to feta!
Serve these little potatoes as a side dish to roasted chicken, to grilled steak, or some slow cooked pork chops.
Tips for making the best Crispy Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes:
- When you “smash” the potatoes, use the bottom of a drinking glass. Try to smash each potato evenly so they get crisp at the same time.
- Some recipes call for boiling the potatoes before they are fried, but I like to roast them in the air fryer to simplify things.
- Watch the potatoes and check them at the earliest time the first time you make them so they don’t overcook or burn.
Why this recipe works:
- Cooked potatoes are smashed for lots of surface area and they get shatteringly crisp as they air fry in butter and olive oil. The combination is sublime.
Steps
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1
Done
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Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Wash and dry the potatoes. |
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2
Done
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Add the potatoes to the air fryer. Air fry for 15 to 20 minutes, rearranging the potatoes or shaking the basket halfway through cooking time, until the potatoes are just tender. |
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3
Done
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Remove the potatoes from the air fryer. Add the butter, olive oil, and honey mustard to a sheet pan that fits into your oven-type air fryer, or a 6" or 7" round metal pan that fits into a traditional air fryer. Air fry for 1 minute to melt the butter; stir to combine. |
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4
Done
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Add the potatoes to the butter mixture in the pan and stir gently to coat (you may need to do this in two batches). Using a drinking glass, carefully smash each potato. Don't smash them hard enough to break them apart; they should just be flattened. Sprinkle with the thyme, salt, and pepper, |
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5
Done
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Air fry for another 12 to 17 minutes, flipping the potatoes gently with a spatula halfway through cooking time, until the potatoes are browned and crisp. Serve. |
