Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes are one of life’s simple pleasures. They are crispy and flavorful on the outside, and tender and fluffy on the inside! Make these as a delicious and easy side dish for your next weeknight meal. This recipe is vegan, plant-based, and gluten-free.

platter with air fryer smashed potatoes.

Everyone loves potatoes, even picky eaters! These have the fun dippability of fries but without excess oil.

A light brush of oil and your favorite seasonings help these crispy smashed potatoes brown nicely. They are a perfect side dish for most basic meals.

Next time you need a potato recipe, this these crispy air fryer potatoes!

Air Fryer Smashed Potato Benefits

  • Fun for the whole family, smashed potatoes hold together enough to be dipped. They’re a healthy alternative to potato chips and make a great side dish with basic ingredients.
  • These pair nicely with any of your favorite proteins, and cook mostly hands off while you prepare the rest of the meal.
  • You can cook the potatoes ahead of time and just do the crisping up at meal time to get golden brown.
Ingredients to make air fryer smashed potatoes on a baking sheet.
  • Potatoes contain potassium and are a nice plain backdrop for your favorite seasoning. You can use any type of small potato including red potatoes, white potatoes, gold potatoes, fingerlings, or Yukon golds. I like using small potatoes, also known as baby potatoes.
  • Olive oil adds flavor and helps these crisp nicely without deep frying. If you aren’t on a dairy-free or vegan diet, you can also use melted butter instead of oil. You can also use vegan butter or olive oil spray.
  • Salt & black pepper are the basics to enhance the natural flavor, and then you can add whatever else you’d like. I also like using garlic powder.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.

Recipe Steps

Process collage on how to make air fryer smashed potatoes.

Step One

Cook the whole potatoes until they are fork tender.

I used the air fryer but you can also use the stovetop using a large pot or Instant Pot (see my guide on how to boil potatoes in the Instant Pot). I included instruction for how to cook potatoes in the air fryer in the recipe card below.

Step Two

Smash the top of the potatoes to flatten, but don’t let them break apart. You can use the bottom of a cup, the back of a fork, or a potato masher to smash your cooked potatoes. Don’t smash them too hard!

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.

Step Three

Toss with olive oil and your desired seasoning until fully coated.

Step Four

Air fry in a single layer until they reach your desired texture. They’ll need about 15 more minutes of cooking time at 375 degrees F.

You may need to do this in batches depending on how large your air fryer basket is.

Serve the potatoes hot, with your choice of dipping sauce including sour cream, vegan sour cream, spicy mayo, ketchup, or whatever you like. Anything that you would serve with French fries will probably taste great with your crispy potatoes.

I hope your family agrees that this is their new favorite potato recipe!

air fryer smashed potatoes close up.

Recipe Tips

  • Store any leftovers in a covered airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Smashed potatoes can be re-heated in the air fryer or the microwave, although they won’t be as crispy as when they are first made.
  • This recipe can be doubled, but you may need to cook the potatoes in two batches to prevent over-crowding in the air fryer.
  • Feel free to get creative with your seasonings! Dried rosemary would be great. You can also use onion powder or smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, parmesan cheese, or whatever seasonings you like on your potatoes.

Smashed Potato Recipe FAQs

What types of potatoes can I use?

Select any that are considered mini or even fingerlings. You want them to be uniform in size for even cooking. Red and Yukon usually come in mini/new size. Just be aware red potatoes often have thinner skin and might not hold together as nicely.

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

You can do the first step of cooking the potatoes through ahead of time and then refrigerate. Let come to room temp for about 30 minutes before smashing and proceeding with the recipe.

Do I need to use parchment paper or an air fryer liner to make this recipe?

No, you can just place the potatoes right instead the air fryer basket to cook them.

Can I make smashed potatoes in a regular oven?

Yes! Instead of crisping them in the air fryer, leave them on the baking sheet and cook at 400 degrees F for 18-22 minutes.

A hand holding a smashed potato with a bite taken out of it.

More Air Fryer Recipes You Might Like

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air fryer smashed potatoes served on platter.

Vegan Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes

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5 from 1 review

Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes are one of life’s simple pleasures. They are crispy and flavorful on the outside, and tender and fluffy on the inside! Make these as a delicious and easy vegan side dish for your next weeknight meal.

  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 pound new or mini white, red, or gold potatoes, about 12-15 (ideally, they should be less than 2-inches in diameter)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives (optional, for topping)

Instructions

  1. Wash the potatoes and pat them dry.
  2. Place the potatoes in your air fryer basket to cook them whole. Set the temperature to 400°F for 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can cook your potatoes in an Instant Pot on the trivet with a cup of water for 10 minutes at high pressure with a 5 minute natural release. Or, you can boil the potatoes in water for 15 minutes until they are fork-tender.
  3. After the potatoes are cooked, use tongs to transfer them to a clean sheet pan or large serving plate.
  4. Use the bottom of clean glass or a potato masher to firmly smash the potatoes until they are flattened by about half their original size. I usual give each potato about 2 gentle whacks. Don’t flatten them completely or else they will fall apart.
  5. Pour the olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper over the potatoes and gently toss to combine.
  6. Place the smashed potatoes back inside your air fryer basket and cook for an additional 15-17 minutes at 375°F. The potatoes should be golden brown and crispy on the outside when they are done cooking. Be careful to not let them burn.
  7. Serve hot, with an optional sprinkling of fresh chives.

Notes

  1. Store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Smashed potatoes can be re-heated in the air fryer or the microwave, although they won’t be as crispy as when they are first made.
  2. This recipe can be doubled, but you may need to cook the potatoes in two batches to prevent over-crowding in the air fryer.
  3. Feel free to get creative with your seasonings! Dried rosemary would be great. You can also use onion powder or smoked paprika, or whatever seasonings you like on your potatoes.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
  • Calories: 140
  • Sugar: 1.3 g
  • Sodium: 163.7 mg
  • Fat: 7.1 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 18.2 g
  • Fiber: 2.8 g
  • Protein: 2 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

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About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition. She is a top wellness and food blogger with nearly 10 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send Carrie a message through her contact form.