Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes (Crispy Edges, Garlic Parmesan, 35 Minutes)

Air fryer smashed potatoes are the side dish I make more than any other — baby potatoes boiled until tender, smashed flat with the bottom of a glass, brushed with garlic and rosemary oil, then air fried until the ragged edges shatter and the middles stay creamy. Thirty-five minutes, one basket, and they disappear faster than anything else on the table.

I have made these the oven way for years and the air fryer is better: crispier edges, no sheet pan to preheat, and they are done in 15 minutes once they go in. I tested them a dozen ways to figure out why some batches come out leathery instead of crisp — it comes down to boiling them fully, letting them steam dry, and not crowding the basket. They are my go-to next to garlic butter steak bites or a simple air fryer chicken breast.

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Why these air fryer smashed potatoes come out crispy every time.

• They are boiled until completely tender first. A fork should slide in with zero resistance. Fully cooked potatoes smash into jagged, craggy edges, and it is those edges that turn crisp in the air fryer. Undercooked potatoes crack into chunks instead of flattening, and you lose the crispy bits.
• A few minutes of steam-drying makes the difference. Drained potatoes left on a sheet pan for 5 minutes let the surface moisture evaporate. Wet potatoes steam in the basket; dry ones fry. It is the same reason my air fryer Brussels sprouts get patted dry before they go in.
• Garlic and rosemary oil brushed on, parmesan at the end. Brushing the oil on (rather than tossing) gets it into every crack. The parmesan goes on for the last few minutes so it melts and crisps into a lacy crust instead of burning.

Here's what you'll need.

Baby yellow potatoes (Yukon Gold babies are best), kosher salt for the water, olive oil, fresh garlic, fresh rosemary, black pepper, finely grated parmesan and flaky salt to finish. For the dip, Greek yogurt, lemon, garlic and fresh herbs.

Here's how it all comes together.

STEP 1 — BOIL THE POTATOES

Put the baby potatoes in a pot, cover them with cold water by an inch, and add a tablespoon of kosher salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until a fork slides all the way through the biggest potato with no resistance. Starting in cold water cooks them evenly from edge to center.

STEP 2 — DRAIN AND STEAM DRY

Drain the potatoes and spread them out on a sheet pan or clean kitchen towel. Let them sit for 5 minutes so the steam rises off and the skins dry. This short rest is what turns soggy smashed potatoes into crispy ones, so do not rush it.

STEP 3 — SMASH THEM FLAT

Press each potato with the bottom of a sturdy glass or measuring cup until it is about ½ inch thick and the edges split and crack. A gentle, steady press keeps them in one piece. Thinner means crispier, but too thin and they fall apart when you move them.

STEP 4 — BRUSH WITH GARLIC ROSEMARY OIL

Stir the olive oil, minced garlic, chopped rosemary, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Brush it generously over the tops of the smashed potatoes, pushing it into the cracks. Carefully flip them with a spatula and brush the other side too.

STEP 5 — AIR FRY IN A SINGLE LAYER

Heat the air fryer to 400°F. Use a thin spatula to move the potatoes into the basket in a single layer with a little space between them — work in two batches if needed. Air fry for 12 minutes, until the edges are golden and crisp.

STEP 6 — ADD PARMESAN AND FINISH

Sprinkle the parmesan over the potatoes and air fry for 3 to 4 more minutes, until the cheese has melted and turned golden and lacy. Lift them out with a spatula, finish with flaky salt and a little more rosemary, and serve right away with the yogurt dip.

If you want more air fryer sides and dinners that come out this crispy with this little effort — potatoes, vegetables, chicken and fish, all tested in the basket — this is the book I cook from, the Super Easy Ninja Crispi Air Fryer Cookbook.

Things I learned while testing this recipe.

• Use baby yellow potatoes, not russets. Small Yukon Golds (about 1½ inches) have thin skins that crisp beautifully and creamy flesh that holds together when you smash it. Russets are too starchy and crumble; red potatoes work but are a little waxier and less fluffy inside.
• Salt the boiling water properly. A full tablespoon of kosher salt in the pot seasons the potatoes all the way through. If you only salt the outside at the end, the edges taste great and the middles taste like nothing.
• Do not crowd the basket. The first time I made these I packed 20 potatoes into a 5-quart basket and got pale, steamy potatoes. Leave space between them so hot air can reach the edges. Two batches is faster than one soggy batch.
• Make them ahead up to the smash. Boil, smash and refrigerate the potatoes uncovered on a tray for up to a day. They actually crisp even better from cold, because the surface has dried out. Brush with oil and air fry 2 to 3 minutes longer.

Why smashed potatoes are my default side dish now.

• They are crispier than roasted potatoes with less work. No peeling, no dicing, no flipping a sheet pan three times. Boil, smash, brush, air fry — and the edges get crunchier than oven-roasted potatoes ever do.
• They go with everything. Steak, chicken, salmon, pork tenderloin, a fried egg on top for breakfast. They are as at home next to a weeknight chicken breast as they are on a holiday table.
• They use a tablespoon of oil, not a pot of it. You get the crunch of a fried potato with a fraction of the fat, and about 5 grams of protein a serving with the parmesan and yogurt dip.

Here's what I'd serve with this.

• Garlic butter steak bites — steak and crispy potatoes, done in about the same time.
• Crispy air fryer chicken thighs — cook the chicken first, then the potatoes while it rests.
• Classic meatloaf — a crispy potato is a nice change from the usual mashed.
• Hot honey salmon — sweet, spicy salmon next to salty, crunchy potatoes.
• Crockpot pot roast — spoon the pot roast juices right over the smashed potatoes.

Just in case you have leftovers.

Storing: Let leftover smashed potatoes cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Keep the yogurt dip in a separate container for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing cooked smashed potatoes; the texture turns mealy.

Reheating: The air fryer is the only way to bring back the crunch: 375°F for 4 to 5 minutes in a single layer. The oven at 400°F for 10 minutes works too. The microwave makes them soft — fine for eating, but they will not be crispy.

More easy air fryer recipes...

Air fryer Brussels sprouts Air fryer steak bites and potatoes Air fryer salmon Air fryer chicken breast

For a full air fryer dinner, pair these with my crispy air fryer chicken thighs. And one of today's other new recipes is my air fryer pork tenderloin — a brown sugar spice crust, juicy inside, 42g protein, and made for a side of these potatoes.

Crispy air fryer sides and dinners, all in one basket.

The Super Easy Ninja Crispi Air Fryer Cookbook is full of recipes like this one — crispy potatoes, vegetables, chicken and fish with minimal oil and minimal cleanup, all tested so they come out right the first time.

Get the cookbook on Amazon

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