No one can resist these air fryer smashed potatoes. They have a seriously satisfying crunch while being super fluffy in the middle. With just a few minutes of prep work, you can enjoy them as an elegant and tasty side dish.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“I love smashed potatoes but don’t like how long they take in the oven. This air fryer version is a game changer. It’s just as crispy but cooks in half the time.” – Jaycee
Table of Contents
I love cooking potatoes in the air fryer, whether they be a baked potato, French fries, or baby potatoes. I don’t discriminate. One of my family’s favorite ways to enjoy the humble spud is air fryer smashed potatoes!
Using just four ingredients and the magic of the air fryer, the potatoes are transformed into a crispy, fluffy batch of smashed buds in no time. The hot air circulates each potato, ensuring maximum crispiness without the need for excess butter or oil. I like keeping the seasonings simple, but you can jazz them up with parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, or smoky taco seasoning.
Key Ingredients
- Potatoes. I used creamer potatoes, which, with their thin and tender skins, creamy texture, and small size, are perfect for smashing. New potatoes (AKA baby potatoes), fingerling potatoes, red potatoes, and Yukon gold potatoes will all work, too.
- Salt. I find that boiling potatoes in salted water seasons them from the inside out without relying solely on herbs and spices. Don’t skip it!
- Butter and olive oil. Yes, you need both! Coating the potatoes in a butter AND olive oil mixture not only makes them tastier but also creates a crispy, golden crust. Use vegan butter here to keep this dish dairy-free.
How to make air fryer smashed potatoes
Step 1- Boil the potatoes in a large pot with salted water. Cook until fork tender.
Step 2- Gently flatten the boiled potatoes on a cutting board until they crack but stay mostly intact.
Step 3 – Stir the melted butter and olive oil in a bowl and drizzle over each potato. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 4– Place the potatoes in a single layer in the air fryer basket and air fry until they’re crispy.
In a large pot, add the potatoes and cover with water. Add one tablespoon of salt and place over high heat. Boil for 15 minutes or until tender.
Preheat the air fryer to 200C/400F.
Place the cooked potatoes on a cutting board. Use a flat-bottomed cup or potato masher to gently press down on each potato until it’s slightly flattened and cracks open.
In a bowl, mix together the melted butter and olive oil. Dip each smashed potato into the butter-oil mixture, ensuring they are well-coated on all sides. Season with salt.
Air fry potatoes in a single layer for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Serving: 1servingCalories: 199kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 2gFat: 13gSodium: 1962mgPotassium: 480mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 177IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 17mgIron: 1mgNET CARBS: 18g
If you tried this Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes recipe or any other recipe on The Big Man’s World, please rate the recipe and let me know how it went in the comments below. It really helps others thinking of making the recipe.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Don’t over-boil the potatoes. I found that boiling waxy creamer potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes was the sweet spot for fork-tender, never mushy results.
- Dry potatoes = Maximum crispiness. After boiling and draining the water, pat the potatoes completely dry with a paper towel. Dry potatoes will become crispier in the air fryer.
- Smash with care. I used the bottom of a heavy flat-bottomed cup to flatten the potatoes, but a potato masher will also do the trick. Try to flatten each potato to about ½-inch thick, but don’t worry if they’re not perfect.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. In testing, I found that touching or overlapping potatoes cooked unevenly and didn’t become crispy. If your air fryer is too small to fit all of the potatoes, cook them in batches instead.
- Play with the seasonings. After brushing them with oil and butter, change the seasonings to whatever flavor or taste you like. Sprinkle some garlic powder, rosemary, black pepper, or other fresh herbs, or add some lemon juice.
Frequently asked questions
To make mashed potatoes, potatoes are boiled until very soft, then mashed with butter and cream until smooth and creamy. With smashed potatoes, the whole potatoes are still boiled, but afterward, they’re pressed flat, then baked or fried. This way, the potatoes are still intact but have an incredibly crispy crust and a fluffy, tender interior.
Par-boiling the potatoes makes them tender enough to flatten, but it’s not the only way. You can also steam or microwave them until they’re soft enough to smash.
This can happen if you boil the potatoes for too long. Remember to cook them only until they’re just fork tender (about 15 minutes).
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Originally published November 2023, updated and republished May 2025
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