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Air fryer smashed potatoes are delicious crispy flavorful potatoes cooked in an air fryer. These make an excellent appetizer too. It takes less than 30 minutes to make these air fryer smashed potatoes.
I love smashed potatoes. The pan-fried ones, the baked ones. But the air-fried smashed potatoes are too good. It takes 10 – 12 minutes to air fry and 10 minutes for preparation. So if you have any party planned, you can make ahead and complete the preparation and place them in your air fryer just when required.
These air fryer potatoes are really simple and need few ingredients like spices and oil. I love to make these smashed potatoes with baby potatoes. I recommend using baby potatoes for your smashed potatoes.
However, if you don’t get them you can also take regular potatoes. Just cut them into quarters and boil for further process. You can take russet potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes or white potatoes.
Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes
You can make smashed potatoes in 2 ways.
Method 1 – Cook the potatoes directly in an air fryer (just like roasted potatoes) and then smash them. Again cook to make the smashed potatoes crispy.
Method 2 – Boil them first on the stovetop, in the microwave, or in an instant pot. I use my instant pot to boil my potatoes.
Boil the potatoes (Instant pot)
So my first step is to boil the potatoes in my instant pot. Place potatoes on the trivet inside the inner pot of the instant pot. Add 1 cup water. Now set the timer for 5 minutes on manual pressure cook mode.
I also place baby potatoes in a steamer basket. And water in the inner pot and set time to 5 min on manual high pressure. Then npr for 2 min and after that quick release the pressure and remove the potatoes.
Allow it to cool down a little so that you can handle them for next steps. Or use a tong to hold them when required.
Prepare the seasoning mix
In a small bowl, add olive oil. To the bowl, add garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper and give it a nice stir. You can substitute with a spicy chilli powder or chilli flakes to the mix. Give it a nice stir.
Smash & Coat
Now smash the potatoes nicely so that it will smash but the potatoes will not break open completely. Use a spoon, fork, a potato masher or any bottom of a bowl or glass and press it lightly till it’s smashed (not mashed completely). Otherwise, it will break into smaller chunks.
Now brush and coat the potatoes with the oil and seasoning mix.
Air fry the smashed potatoes
In the meanwhile preheat the air fryer at 400 F (200 C) for 5 minutes. Now place the potatoes in the basket in a single layer. Set the timer to 12 minutes at 400F. Now after 8 minutes of cooking, pause, flip the potatoes using a tong. Brush it with the seasoning mix if required.
Don’t overcrowd the basket. If you are cooking in larger quantity, better is to make them in batches (incase of smaller air fryers).
Baked smashed potatoes
Another option is to bake the smashed potatoes. Place them on a baking tray lines with parchment paper. Place the smashed potatoes and brush with oil with seasonings.
Preheat the oven at 425 F. Place the tray with smashed potatoes and bake for 30 minutes flipping the midways.
Serving Idea for air fryer smashed potatoes
Once done remove the potatoes and place them on a plate. Now drizzle some fresh herbs like chives or parsley or cilantro greens. Grate some cheese (or vegan cheese) over them and serve hot.
Serve them as appetizer or as sides with your burgers or sandwiches.
I love them with spicy vegan chipotle ranch dip. Even cilantro ranch is a great option to serve these air fryer smashed potatoes. Or sprinkle some rock salt on top and these are delicious on their own.
How to reheat the smashed potatoes?
Preheat the air fryer for 2 – 3 minutes at 400 F. Now place the leftover potatoes in the basket. Spray little oil on top. Place the basket inside and set the timer for 2 – 3 minutes at 350 F. or in an oven at 400 F for 3 – 5 minutes.
Other Air Fryer Recipes
Recipe card for air fryer smashed potatoes
Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes
Equipment
- Instant Pot
- Dutch oven/ pot
- Air-fryer
- Brush
- Mixing bowl (small)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb baby potatoes
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cup water
For seasoning mix
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper or chilli powder/ chilli flakes
- 1 tsp any dried herbs of choice (optional)
Garnish & Serving
- 1/2 tsp rock salt (optional)
- 2 tsp parsley leaves finely chopped
- 1 tsp garlic butter / vegan (optional)
- grated parmesan cheese (vegan cheese)
Instructions
Boil the potatoes
- Wash and clean the potatoes nicely.
- Don't take off the skin. We need skin on.
- Place the potatoes in the innerpot of the instant pot.
- Add 2 cups of water and 1 tsp salt to the water.
- Close the lid and seal vent.
- Start the instant pot on pressure cook mode for 6 minutes.
- Once done 6 minutes, quick release the pressure and take out potatoes.
Prepare the seasoning mix
- In a small mixing bowl add olive oil (substitute with butter or vegan butter).
- Add all spices meantioned above in ingredients list.
- Stir well mixing all ingredients.
Preheat Air Fryer
- Preheat the air fryer at 400 F (200C) for 5 minutes.
Smash and season potatoes
- Now take the potatoes on a clean plate.
- With help of a spoon, or bottom of drinking glass, or bowl smash potatoes lightly.
- Now brush the smashed potatoes with the seasoning mix.
- Carefully place the potatoes inside the basket.
- Start the air fryer at 400 F for 12 minutes.
- In the midway at around 7 – 8 minutes flip the potatoes carefully with help of a tong.
- Optional – brush it lightly with seasoned oil or just spray a little.
- Cook till the set time.
- If you need this to be little more crispy, increase timer for 3 more minutes.
Garnish & Serve
- When done air frying, remove from the inner basket.
- Sprinkle some grated parmesan (or vegan cheese/ spread) and fresh parsley leaves on top.
- If you like spicy, sprinkle some red chilli flakes.
- Serve hot with any dip of choice.
Nutrition
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