We love these crispy parmesan garlic Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes! They are a quick and easy recipe and have the best texture. This smashed method will have you cooking up a delicious side or snack.
As seen on TikTok, this side dish is perfect for any summer get together bbq or cook out, or the perfect side for your next Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter dinner. This smashed potatoes recipe is so versatile and is without breadcrumbs. Using baby Yukon Gold potatoes makes the best little potato cakes.
Be sure to check out our other great and easy Air Fryer recipes like our Air fryer Butternut Squash, Zucchini Fritters, Crispy Gnocchi, or Brussel Sprouts. We also love this Air Fryer Texas Toast.
Try these with Air Fryer Keto Chicken Tenders. Or try our Corn Ribs (Corn riblets), or Air Fryer Potato Wedges for another easy side dish.
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Ingredients
We love how simple this recipe is. You need staple ingredients found in the pantry and some butter.
- Yukon Gold Potatoes- For this recipe we used the small potato rounds. They are super cute and work great. You can also use large Yukon golds. Just be sure to cut them into smaller pieces for easy smashing.
- Spice Blend-We love this simple mixture of Garlic Salt, Dried Oregano, and Black Pepper. It's simple and flavorful.
- Butter- Unsalted and salted butter works with this recipe. We prefer the extra flavor the salted butter adds.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese- This adds to the crispy outside texture.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes
Follow these step-by-step process photos for the best results. This recipe makes a really fun side dish, even the kids will love.
- Boil a pot of water and add the whole potatoes. Boil for 10-12 minutes or until a fork goes into the potato easily. Drain the potatoes from the boiling water.
2. While the potatoes are boiling, make the butter mixture. Melt the butter and add the parmesan cheese, garlic salt, and dried oregano. Add a dash of black pepper is desired. Mix altogether.
3. Take each boiled whole potato and with the bottom of a measuring cup gently press down to smash the potato. Smash all of the boiled potatoes.
4. Place the potatoes at the bottom of your air fryer basket. With a cooking brush or spoon, brush each potato with the parmesan garlic butter mixture. Cook the potatoes in a preheated air fryer for 8-10 minutes at 400* F.
5. Enjoy these crispy and tender air fryer smashed potatoes on their own or dipped in your favorite dipping sauce.
Hint: Make sure not to overcook the potatoes. If the potatoes are too soft, they will fall apart when you smash them. If they do fall apart, use your hands to press the potatoes back together. They may not be as pretty but they will stay taste delicious and you will be able to save the recipe.
Variations
- Sweet Potatoes- You can use all sorts of potatoes with this recipe including sweet potatoes! Try them with red potatoes, or even leftover baked potatoes.
- Spicy - add chili pepper flakes to the butter mixture to make this a spicy side dish.
- Loaded -once cooked, make this loaded by having sour cream, chives, and bacon bites to top each potato.
How to Serve
Instead of the garlic parmesan blend, we tried these roasted potatoes with hello fresh fry seasoning. It was so tasty and added a fun new flavor variation. Don't forget to add a dipping sauce like bbq sauce!
This potato recipe makes a fabulous appetizer. Complete the spread by pairing them with Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls and dill pickles.
For more air fryer recipes and tips be sure to check out our How To Use an Air Fryer guide.
Storing Garlic Parmesan Potatoes
Store leftover food in an air tight container in the refrigerator of 3-4 days.
Reheat in the air fryer or microwave until heated all the way through. If you use the microwave, it won't have that same crisp texture that they originally had. They will still taste great though.
Top tip
It's key to boil these potatoes just right. If you under boil them they won't smash down properly. If you over boil them, they will fall apart when you smash them down. A good test is to be able to stick a fork in the middle easily but not so easily that the sides of the potato crack.
Recipe
Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound Small Yukon Gold Potatoes
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400* F.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil on high heat. Add the potatoes and boil until soft, about 10-12 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes. Drain when done. Make sure not to over boil or they will break apart when smashed.
- While the potatoes boil, melt the butter in a small microwave safe dish. Add parmesan cheese, garlic salt, dried oregano, and black pepper. Mix.
- Place the boiled potatoes on a cutting board or smooth surface. With the bottom of a plastic cup or measuring cup gently smash the potatoes.
- Place the smashed potatoes at the bottom of the air fryer basket and with a cooking brush or spoon, evenly spread the parmesan garlic butter on each potatoes.
- Air Fry the potatoes for 7-10 minutes or until golden brown on the edges. Cook longer if you want them crispier.
Notes
- We found that smashing the potatoes with a glass or metal cup or measuring cup does not work as well as the potato gets stuck to the cup.
- Adjust cook time depending on the type of air fryer you have as not all air fryers are created equal.
- Olive Oil- Use olive oil instead of butter at a 1:1 ratio.
- Russet - use russet potatoes instead of Yukon gold. Make sure they are small or cut each potato into 4ths before Boiling. Make sure not to over-boil so they keep their form.
- Red Potatoes - substitute for small red potatoes for a delicious result.
- Vegan Butter: Use vegan butter instead of dairy butter at a 1:1 ratio.
Andrea says
We loved making these smashed potatoes in the air fryer. They turned out so crispy and the parmesan and garlic flavor was spot on. I love using my air fryer in the summer so I don't heat the whole house up with my oven!
Kathleen says
I can't believe how easy these crispy parmesan garlic Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes are to make. They are a perfect side dish.
Janessa says
Smashed potatoes turned out great using the air fryer!