These air fryer smashed potatoes are crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and absolutely delicious. Made with just a few simple ingredients, they’re the perfect side dish or snack. Cooking them in the air fryer ensures a golden, crunchy texture without excessive oil. Serve them with your favourite dips or seasonings.
Crispy Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes – The Perfect Crunchy Side
These air fryer smashed potatoes are deliciously crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. They make a versatile side dish for a wide range of main courses but can also be enjoyed as a snack or finger food.
I like to serve them with dips such as my vegan aioli, quick Muhammara dip, or watercress mayo. I also use them in my recipe for crispy smashed potatoes with herby lentils.
I am only using garlic and salt for this recipe. However, you can customise the seasonings by using onion powder, paprika, smoked paprika, or even a sprinkle of chilli flakes for some heat.
You do not need an air fryer to make this recipe (I am sharing the oven method in the section below “Common questions about this recipe“)
However, using an air fryer, the potatoes will cook faster without sacrificing taste or texture, and require less oil to get the perfect balance of fluffy insides and crunchy exteriors. Air fryers also require less energy than traditional ovens, especially when cooking smaller amounts of food.
You can read more about the benefits of cooking with an air fryer here.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crispy & Fluffy – Perfectly golden and crunchy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside.
- Easy to Make – Simple ingredients and minimal effort for a delicious result.
- Healthier Option – Air frying uses less oil than traditional frying for a lighter dish.
- Versatile – Enjoy as a side dish, snack, or appetiser with your favourite dips and seasonings.
- Perfect for Any Occasion – Great for weeknight dinners, parties, or a casual treat!
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In this post
How to make these air fryer smashed potatoes
Ingredients needed
To make this air fryer smashed potatoes you will need some small potatoes (baby or new potatoes), vegetable oil, salt, and garlic powder.
Step 1: Cook the potatoes
The first step is to cook the potatoes so they can be smashed and flattened later on. Clean and dry the potatoes to remove any dirt, then place them in the basket of the air fryer.
Cook at 200ºC (400ºF) until the potatoes are cooked and tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Shake the basket every 5 minutes or so to ensure the potatoes cook evenly.
Step 2: Smash the potatoes
Transfer the potatoes to a baking sheet. Using a potato masher (or the bottom of a glass or mug), flatten each potato to an even thickness of around 0.75cm (1/3 inch).
Carefully toss the potatoes in oil, then season with salt and garlic powder.
Step 3: Cook the air fryer smashed potatoes
Transfer the smashed potatoes back to the basket of the air fryer.
Cook at 200ºC (400ºF) until the potatoes are crispy and golden, about 20 minutes. Shake the basket every 5 minutes or so to ensure the potatoes cook evenly.
Serve with my vegan aioli or any other dips of your choice.
What to serve with these air fryer smashed potatoes
These air fryer smashed potatoes are a versatile side dish that you can serve with a variety of food such as:
- Vegetarian Dishes: Pair them with vegetarian mains like roasted vegetables, vegetable stir-fries, or tofu dishes.
- Salads: Serve them as part of a salad. They complement leafy green salads, potato salads, lentils, or grain salads, adding a tasty and crunchy element.
- Soups and Stews: Enjoy them alongside hearty soups or stews. They will soak up flavours while providing a satisfying crunch.
- Burgers and Sandwiches: Use them as an alternative to fries alongside burgers, sandwiches, or wraps.
- Brunch Dishes: Serve them alongside brunch favourites like omelettes, frittatas, quiches, or breakfast burritos.
- Dips and Sauces: Pair them with your favourite dips or sauces, such as sour cream, guacamole, salsa, or aioli. They’re perfect for dipping and enjoying as a snack or appetizer.
Common questions about this recipe
Yes, you can make these smashed potatoes without an air fryer. You will need to boil the potatoes first in salted water until they are fork-tender. Then smash and season the potatoes as per Step 2, adding 2 additional tablespoons of oil. Then bake them in the oven on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for around 30 minutes at 200ºC (400ºF), or until they are golden brown and crispy on the outside.
To prevent the smashed potatoes from sticking to the air fryer basket, make sure to lightly oil the basket or use parchment paper as a liner. This will help ensure that the potatoes crisp up without sticking.
Baby potatoes are commonly used for smashed potatoes due to their smaller size and tenderness. You can use larger potatoes if desired. However, keep in mind that larger potatoes may require longer cooking times, will not be as easily flattened and may not crisp up as uniformly.
Yes, you can reheat leftovers by placing them back in the air fryer for a few minutes until they are heated through and crispy again. Alternatively, you can reheat them in a conventional oven, microwave, or toaster oven.
I hope you enjoy this air fryer smashed potato recipe as much as we do. If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!
Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes
Equipment
Disclaimer: the equipment list above includes affiliate links to products I use and like.
Ingredients
- 1 kg small potatoes
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- salt to taste
- ½ tsp garlic powder
TO SERVE (OPTIONAL)
Instructions
- Clean and dry the potatoes before placing them in the basket of the air fryer.1 kg small potatoes
- Cook at 200ºC (400ºF) until the potatoes are cooked and tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Shake the basket every 5 minutes or so to ensure the potatoes cook evenly.
- Transfer the potatoes to a baking sheet.
- Using a potato masher (or the bottom of a glass or mug), flatten each potato to an even thickness of around 0.75cm (1/3 inch).
- Carefully toss the potatoes in oil, then season with salt and garlic powder.2 Tbsp vegetable oil, salt, ½ tsp garlic powder
- Transfer the smashed potatoes back to the basket of the air fryer.
- Cook at 200ºC (400ºF) until the potatoes are crispy and golden, about 20 minutes. Shake the basket every 5 minutes or so to ensure the potatoes cook evenly.
- Serve with my vegan aioli or any other dips of your choice.vegan aioli
Nutrition
Find this recipe online:
https://theflexitarian.co.uk/recipe-items/air-fryer-smashed-potatoes/
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