Crispy Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes: The Ultimate Easy 3-Ingredient Vegan Side Dish
Prepare to revolutionize your side dish game with these incredible air fryer smashed potatoes! This recipe delivers the perfect harmony of textures: wonderfully crispy and golden on the outside, yet delightfully tender and fluffy on the inside. What makes them even better is how quick and incredibly easy they are to prepare, requiring just three core ingredients and less than 45 minutes from start to finish. If you’re searching for a simple, satisfying, and utterly delicious addition to any meal, your quest ends here.
Potatoes hold a special place in my culinary heart as one of the most versatile and beloved side dishes. They possess a unique ability to complement a vast array of meals, adding a comforting, hearty, and often salty element to the dining experience. Among the countless potato preparations, this particular recipe for air fryer smashed potatoes stands out as an absolute favorite. Its unparalleled ease of preparation, relying on a minimal three ingredients, and its rapid cooking time of under 45 minutes make it a weeknight hero and a crowd-pleaser for special occasions alike.
While these crunchy, salty, and satisfying potatoes are absolutely fantastic on their own, a dipping sauce can elevate the experience even further. I highly recommend pairing them with a creamy vegan ranch dressing or a sweet and savory roasted strawberry barbecue sauce. The contrast in flavors adds another layer of deliciousness that you won’t want to miss. Plus, for those following a plant-based diet, you’ll be thrilled to know that this entire recipe is completely vegan! So, if your meal rotation is in need of a fresh, exciting, and effortlessly impressive side dish, look no further – these air fryer smashed potatoes are a game-changer.
Essential Ingredients for Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Crafting these perfectly crispy air fryer smashed potatoes requires just a handful of simple, wholesome ingredients. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of what you need, along with some insights into why each component is key. For precise measurements, please refer to the detailed recipe card located at the bottom of this article.
- Baby Potatoes – The star of our show! Opt for small, uniformly sized baby potatoes for the best results. If your potatoes are on the larger side, simply cut them in half to ensure even cooking and easier smashing. Thoroughly washing and drying them is crucial, as excess moisture can hinder crisping. Using firm potatoes is also key, as softer potatoes won’t achieve that ideal crunchy exterior.
- Flaky Sea Salt – This isn’t just any salt; flaky sea salt adds an incredible textural element and bursts of concentrated flavor that regular table salt can’t replicate. It adheres beautifully to the rough surface of the smashed potatoes, providing a satisfying crunch with every bite.
- Olive Oil – A generous drizzle of good quality olive oil is essential for achieving that coveted golden-brown crispiness. It helps conduct heat, preventing the potatoes from drying out while ensuring a fantastic crust. Make sure to coat every nook and cranny for maximum crisp.
- Pesto – (Optional Garnish) For an extra layer of herbaceous flavor, a dollop of fresh pesto, whether homemade or store-bought, makes a wonderful addition. Its vibrant green hue also adds a beautiful visual appeal.
- Shredded Vegan Cheese – (Optional Garnish) If you’re a cheese lover, a sprinkle of your favorite shredded vegan cheese over the hot potatoes creates a melty, savory topping that takes these smashed potatoes to the next level.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes
Follow these straightforward steps to create your own batch of irresistible crunchy potatoes in your air fryer. The process is surprisingly simple and yields impressive results every time.
- Initial Cook: Prepare the Potatoes
Begin by placing your thoroughly washed and dried baby potatoes directly into the air fryer basket. Ensure they are arranged in a single layer to allow for optimal air circulation. Cook the potatoes at 400°F (200°C) for approximately 20 minutes, or until they are completely cooked through and fork-tender. This initial cooking step ensures the potatoes are soft enough to smash easily and develop that fluffy interior.
- Smash ‘Em Up: Flattening the Potatoes
Once the potatoes are cooked, carefully remove them from the air fryer and transfer them to a sturdy baking sheet. Now for the fun part: smashing! Using the bottom of a drinking glass, a potato masher, or even the back of a sturdy mug, gently but firmly press down on each potato. Your goal is to break the skin and flatten the potato into a disc-like shape, creating plenty of irregular surfaces and edges. These broken surfaces are what will become wonderfully crispy.
- Oil Up: Adding the Olive Oil
Now, generously drizzle olive oil over both sides of the smashed potatoes. Don’t be shy here; you want to ensure every surface, especially those freshly exposed, jagged edges, is thoroughly coated. This oil layer is crucial for achieving maximum crispiness and a beautiful golden-brown color in the air fryer. You can use a pastry brush to ensure even distribution if preferred.
- Season and Crisp: Final Air Frying
Carefully transfer the oiled, smashed potatoes back into the air fryer basket. It’s vital not to overcrowd the basket; arrange them in a single layer with enough space between each potato to allow hot air to circulate freely. If necessary, cook in batches to ensure optimal crisping. Once arranged, generously sprinkle the potatoes with flaky sea salt. Return them to the air fryer and cook at 400°F (200°C) for an additional 8 minutes, or until they are beautifully golden brown and irresistibly crispy. The precise cooking time may vary slightly depending on your air fryer model and potato size, so keep an eye on them during this final stage.
- Serve Hot: Garnish and Enjoy!
Once perfectly crispy, remove the air fryer smashed potatoes immediately. This is the best time to add any optional garnishes you desire, such as a dollop of pesto, a sprinkle of shredded vegan cheese (allowing it to melt slightly from the residual heat), or a garnish of fresh parsley. Serve them hot and relish every salty, crunchy, and fluffy bite!
Pro Tips for Achieving Perfectly Crispy Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes
While this recipe is incredibly simple, a few expert tips can help you achieve truly outstanding results. Follow these tricks to ensure your air fryer smashed potatoes are the crispiest, fluffiest, and most flavorful every single time.
- Start with Quality, Firm Potatoes: The foundation of perfectly crispy smashed potatoes is the potato itself. While potatoes have a decent shelf life, soft or sprouting potatoes are best reserved for mashed potatoes or stews. For smashed potatoes, you absolutely want firm, fresh potatoes. Their structural integrity allows them to smash beautifully without turning mushy, and it contributes significantly to developing that desirable crunchy exterior. Look for baby potatoes that feel dense and show no signs of softness or wrinkling.
- Never Overcrowd the Air Fryer Basket: This is perhaps the most crucial rule for achieving crispiness in an air fryer. When you return the smashed potatoes to the air fryer for their final crisping stage, ensure they are placed in a single layer with ample space between each piece. Overcrowding inhibits proper air circulation, causing the potatoes to steam rather than crisp. If your air fryer basket is small, it’s far better to cook the potatoes in two or even three batches. While it might add a few minutes to the total time, the difference in texture—from soggy to gloriously crunchy—is absolutely worth the extra effort.
- Don’t Be Shy with the Salt: Potatoes are famously forgiving when it comes to seasoning, especially salt. Think about the last time you had french fries that were “too salty” – probably not often! More common is the experience of bland, under-seasoned fries. The same principle applies to smashed potatoes. A generous sprinkle of flaky sea salt not only enhances their natural potato flavor but also contributes to their overall crispness and irresistible appeal. Add salt to your taste, but lean towards a bolder seasoning for maximum impact. You can always add more after cooking if needed, but aim for a good initial coating.
- Ensure Potatoes are Thoroughly Dry Before Oil: After washing your potatoes, pat them completely dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Any residual moisture on the potato surface will create steam in the air fryer, which directly opposes our goal of achieving a super crispy exterior. A dry surface allows the olive oil to adhere better and promotes more efficient browning and crisping.
- Preheat Your Air Fryer: Just as you would preheat an oven, preheating your air fryer for 3-5 minutes before adding the potatoes can make a noticeable difference. A preheated air fryer ensures that the potatoes hit immediate high heat, jumpstarting the crisping process and leading to a more consistent, golden-brown finish.
Perfect Pairings: Serving Suggestions
These crispy air fryer smashed potatoes are incredibly versatile and can elevate almost any meal, from a casual weeknight dinner to a festive holiday spread. Their hearty texture and savory flavor make them an ideal companion to a variety of main dishes. Here are a few of my favorite dishes that truly shine when served alongside these delightful potatoes:
- Hearty Vegan Meatloaf
- Elegant Vegan Wellington
- Flavorful Vegan Turkey Roast
- Comforting Vegan Pumpkin Chili
- Easy Grillable Veggie Burgers
Storage Solutions: How to Keep Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes Fresh
While these potatoes are undeniably best enjoyed fresh and hot right out of the air fryer, you can certainly store any leftovers. To do so, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. It’s important to note that the signature crispiness will diminish significantly once the potatoes cool and are refrigerated. Therefore, I generally don’t recommend making a particularly large batch with the sole intention of having abundant leftovers, as the texture won’t be quite the same as when freshly made. When reheating, your best bet for regaining some crispness is to return them to an air fryer set at 400°F (200°C) for about 3 minutes, or until heated through and lightly re-crisped.
Freezing Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes: A Make-Ahead Option
Yes, you can absolutely freeze air fryer smashed potatoes, offering a convenient make-ahead option for busy days. Place the cooled potatoes in an airtight, freezer-safe container or freezer bag, and they will keep well for up to 3 months. Similar to refrigeration, they will lose some of their initial crispiness once frozen and thawed. To reheat from frozen, simply place them directly into a preheated air fryer at 400°F (200°C) for approximately 5 minutes. This method helps to restore some of their texture while ensuring they are thoroughly heated, providing a quick and easy side dish whenever you need it.
Discover More Air Fryer Delights
The air fryer is a fantastic kitchen appliance for creating wonderfully crispy textures with less oil and effort. If you’ve fallen in love with these smashed potatoes and are eager to explore more ways to utilize your air fryer, you’re in luck! Here are some of my other favorite air fryer recipes that are just as easy and delicious, perfect for expanding your repertoire of quick and healthy meals and sides.
- Crispy Air Fryer Tofu
- Quick & Easy Air Fryer Asparagus
- Perfect Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes
- Flavorful Air Fryer Orange Tofu
Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes
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Ingredients
- 1 lbs baby potatoes, small, or cut in half if bigger, washed and patted dry
- ½ – 1 tsp flaky sea salt, for topping
- 1 ½ – 2 tbsp olive oil
- pesto, optional
- shredded vegan cheese, optional
Instructions
- Add your potatoes into the base of your air fryer.
- Air fry at 400°F for 20 minutes until cooked through.
- Remove potatoes and place on a large baking sheet. Using the bottom of a class, smash the potatoes slightly.
- Drizzle with the olive oil all over both sides of the potatoes. You want to really coat them in oil!
- Add the potatoes back into the air fryer, leaving enough space so they don’t touch (you may have to do multiple rounds but it’s worth it!). Sprinkle with sea salt all over.
- Air fry again at 400°F for 8 minutes. Remove and serve with any dip, or top with pesto, shredded vegan cheese, or more sea salt, and enjoy!
Notes
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.