Loaded smashed potatoes make an amazing appetizer or side dish. Crispy flavorful smashed potatoes are topped with sharp cheddar, crispy bacon, sour cream, and chives. They are packed with flavor and crazy good! They are easy to serve for a crowd and will be gone in seconds!
You may also like our smashed brussel sprouts!
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this easy recipe:
- Potatoes – choose a waxy potato variety (salad potatoes) such as Yukon Gold, baby potatoes, new potatoes, baby red potatoes. For this recipe, better are small and medium potatoes, not large.
- Chicken broth or water to cook the potatoes – they will obviously taste better if cooked in chicken broth, but water with crushed bouillon will also work. You can also use just water to cook the potatoes.
- Bacon – you can use thin (my preference) or thick-cut bacon, depending on what you prefer.
- Seasonings for potatoes – Old Bay seasoning is known to work well with seafood or chicken but I really love it with potatoes (just like in this recipe for potato egg scramble). I also used fresh rosemary which is also perfect with potatoes. If you can’t find Old Bay seasoning where you live, you can season the potatoes with paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder.
- Olive oil is best to get potatoes crispy, don’t skimp on the olive oil!
- Sharp cheddar (preferably red) and parmesan cheese for a cheesy topping (parmesan can be omitted but it adds more flavor).
- Sour cream and chives as a topping to cut through the richness of cheese and potatoes. Instead of chives, you can use thinly sliced green onions.
How to make loaded smashed potatoes step by step
STEP 1: Start with cooking bacon in the oven – lay bacon slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (can be side by side but can’t overlap) and cook at 400°F (200°C) for 12-20 minutes (it will depend on the thickness of bacon) or until browned. Transfer to a plate, it will be soft at first but will crisp up while cooling (a detailed post about baking bacon can be found here: how to cook bacon in the oven). Discard (or reserve for later) almost all the bacon grease, leave some of it on the baking sheet to flavor the potatoes. Discard the parchment paper.
STEP 2: While the bacon is baking, cook the potatoes. Wash the potatoes well because we’re leaving the skin on the potatoes so make sure they’re really clean. Add the potatoes to a medium pot and cover with chicken broth or water + crushed bouillon cube (using just water is also fine). Salt the water. Bring to a boil then cook until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes for smaller potatoes to 20 minutes for medium/larger potatoes.
Increase the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C). Place the rack one shelf above the center of the oven.
STEP 3: Take the potatoes out of the water and place on a clean kitchen cloth to dry. Transfer to the baking sheet (don’t line it with parchment paper).
In a small bowl, combine olive oil, Old Bay seasoning, and chopped rosemary. Toss the potatoes with half of this mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
STEP 4: Smash the potatoes using a flat glass to a thickness of about 1/2 inch (1.5 cm). The edges of the smashed potatoes should be uneven and a little bit thinner than the center (will be more crispy thanks to that). (If the smashed potatoes seem to not hold their shape, don’t worry, after baking the potatoes they will be less crumbly, and the cheese will also ‘glue’ them together.)
STEP 5: Spoon the remaining olive oil on top of the potatoes. Season the potatoes again lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with grated parmesan.
STEP 6: Bake for about 25 minutes or until browned and crispy (every oven bakes differently so check on them after 20 minutes to make sure they don’t get too dark).
STEP 7: Take out of the oven and top with shredded cheddar and chopped bacon.
STEP 8: Bake for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Take out of the oven and top with sour cream and sprinkle with chives.
Enjoy!
Storage
I had trouble testing how to store these smashed potatoes because they disappear really fast in our house! But I think they would reheat really well. Reheat them in a 425°F (220°C) oven or in an air fryer to get these crispy edges crispy again. Top with sour cream and chives just before serving (they will not reheat well).
How to make them ahead: Boil and smash the potatoes. Store them in the fridge for up to a day. Bake and garnish before serving.
Top tips for perfect smashed potatoes
- Cook the potatoes until fork-tender. They should still hold their shape and not fall apart. Don’t overcook them but also don’t undercook them or it will be hard to smash them.
- The potatoes should be evenly sized so they cook evenly.
- Don’t overlap the potatoes on the baking sheet and don’t overcrowd them – this will help getting them crispy and browned. Use two baking sheets if needed.
- The edges of smashed potatoes should be thin and uneven – they will be extra crispy.
What to serve with smashed potatoes
- BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwich
- Mayo Parmesan Chicken
- Chicken Fritters (3 flavors – cheesy, Italian, and curried)
- Lemon Thyme Chicken Breast – baked in the oven
Did you make this recipe? RATE THE RECIPE or tell me in the COMMENTS how you liked it! You can also add a photo of your dish. It would make me very happy and will help other readers. Thank you!!
Loaded Smashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 ounces (85g) bacon
- 2 pounds (900g) potatoes waxy type such as Yukon Gold, baby potatoes, preferably small/medium and not large
- chicken broth of water for cooking the potatoes crushed bouillon cube+water will also work
- 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning or paprika+onion powder+garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
- 1 cup (100g) sharp cheddar cheese
- sour cream to serve
- chives to serve
- salt and pepper to taste
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Instructions
- Start with cooking bacon in the oven – lay bacon slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (can be side by side but can't overlap) and cook at 400°F (200°C) for 12-20 minutes (it will depend on the thickness of bacon) or until browned. Transfer to a plate, it will be soft at first but will crisp up while cooling (a detailed post about baking bacon can be found here: how to cook bacon in the oven). Discard (or reserve for later) almost all the bacon grease, leave some of it on the baking sheet to flavor the potatoes. Discard the parchment paper.
- While the bacon is baking, cook the potatoes. Wash the potatoes well because we're leaving the skin on the potatoes so make sure they're really clean. Add the potatoes to a medium pot and cover with chicken broth or water + crushed bouillon cube (using just water is also fine). Salt the water. Bring to a boil then cook until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes for smaller potatoes to 20 minutes for medium/larger potatoes.
- Increase the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C). Place the rack one shelf above the center of the oven.
- Take the potatoes out of the water and place on a clean kitchen cloth to dry. Transfer to the baking sheet (don’t line it with parchment paper).
- In a small bowl, combine olive oil, Old Bay seasoning, and chopped rosemary. Toss the potatoes with half of this mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
- Smash the potatoes using a flat glass to a thickness of about 1/2 inch (1.5 cm). The edges of the smashed potatoes should be uneven and a little bit thinner than the center (will be more crispy thanks to that). (If the smashed potatoes seem to not hold their shape, don’t worry, after baking the potatoes they will be less crumbly, and the cheese will also ‘glue’ them together.)
- Spoon the remaining olive oil on top of the potatoes. Season the potatoes again lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with grated parmesan.
- Bake for about 25 minutes or until browned and crispy (every oven bakes differently so check on them after 20 minutes to make sure they don't get too dark).
- Take out of the oven and top with shredded cheddar and chopped bacon.
- Bake for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Take out of the oven and top with sour cream and sprinkle with chives.
- Enjoy!
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