These Crispy Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes are easy to make, infused with garlic oil, and brushed with per-peri sauce. You cannot go wrong with this combination of spices & herbs.
It is made by smashing the boiled baby red potatoes with a cup. And brushing the garlic oil on one side and peri-peri sauce on another side. Then, air-frying them until crispy from outside but still softer from inside.
It is one of the easiest potato recipes that you can make in the air fryer or in the oven (if you prefer). I mean, who doesn't like potatoes, right? And these air fryer smashed fingerpicking potatoes are filled with all the flavors. They go perfectly well with some dipping sauce, or you can also serve it as a side.
The post contains Helpful Tips & Tricks to make crispy Smashed Potatoes in the Air Fryer. But if you're in a hurry, you can also click "Jump to Recipe' under the Heading to go directly to the Recipe Card.
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🍽This Recipe is:
- Easy: It is easy and can be made with basic ingredients that are easily available in pantry.
- Crispy: The potatoes turn out crispy and tastes so incredible. They have a crispy outer texture but still soft from inside.
- Vegan: They are vegan if you do not use butter, cheese, etc. Though you can use vegan butter to make these smashed potatoes creamier or buttery.
- Ready in no time: They can be made in 30-40 minutes in an air fryer.
🥘 INGREDIENT NOTES
- POTATOES: You can use any potatoes for the recipe. Yukon gold, red potatoes or golden brown potatoes. I prefer using baby red potatoes as it provides nice color to the smashed potatoes. Red and golden are soft potatoes and have a cramy flavor, so both potatoes workds perfecty well for the recipe.
- OIL/BUTTER: You can use butter to make garlic butter but oil also works great. If you want really creamy & rich flavor then I do recommend to mix butter with minced garlic. And spray some oil on the potatoes just before air frying for a crispier texture.
- SPICES: You can use any sort of spices. I usually add store-bought spice blend. But garlic powder, salt & pepper gives a nice flavor.
- HERBS: You can use fresh or dried herbs like thyme, rosemary, or parsley in the air fryer baby potatoes.
- PERI-PERI SAUCE: I have used Trader Joe's Peri-Peri Sauce for the recipe. But you can use any store-bought sauce. Or you can also make per-peri sauce at home.
- CHEESE: Cheese can be added to make the air fryer smashed potatoes extra flavorful, you can add some shredded cheese.
- DIPPING SAUCE: I like serving the smashed potato with Greek Yogurt dressing. All you need is greek yogurt, garlic powder, and jalpeno & herbs spice-mix.
🔪 INSTRUCTIONS (with Step-by-Step Pictures)
🔪 Cook the Potatoes
The first step is to boil the potatoes. You can cook the potatoes in the Instant Pot/ Ninja Foodi or in the big pot. For Ninja Foodi: Add 1-2 cups of water in the main pot of Ninja Foodi. Add salt in the water and place baby red potatoes in the air fryer basket. Or you can place potatoes directly in the salted water and boil them until tender.
Close the Ninja Foodi with a pressure cooker lid. With vent in the sealing position, pressure cook for 5 minutes. Once the timer beeps, then let the pressure release naturally.
🔪 Smash the Potatoes
Once all the pressure is released, carefully remove the pressure cooker lid. Using a fork or a spoon, remove the potatoes. Transfer the boiled potatoes to a baking sheet or a cutting board.
Smash the potatoes with the bottom of the cup or glass. Smash the potatoes until they are ½ inch thick.
🧂 Make Garlic Butter
In a small bowl, add melted butter/ extra virgin olive oil. Add minced garlic and whisk until well combined. Brush this garlic oil on one side of the smashed potatoes.
⏲️ Air Fryer Recipe
Preheat the air fryer at 400 degrees F for 3-4 minutes. Place potatoes in the air fryer basket in a single layer (leaving a slight gap between two potatoes). Air fry at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes until crispy from one side. Keep rotating the potatoes in 5 minutes.
5 minutes before the cooking time ends, brush peri-peri sauce on the other side of the potatoes. Cook for the last 5 minutes.
Once the smash potatoes are crispy, remove them from the air fryer basket and place them on the serving plate.
🧂 Dipping Sauce
Add 2-3 tablespoons of Greek Yogurt to a bowl. Add Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning and Weber Garlic Jalapeno Seasoning along with green onion and parsley. Whisk until well combined. Serve these crispy smashed red potatoes with this Greek Yogurt dipping sauce.
💭HELPFUL TIPS & TRICKS
- Boil the potatoes in the salted water. Boiling potatoes in the salted water will provide a nice overall flavor to the potatoes.
- Season one side of potato with garlic butter and other side of peri-peri sauce. Season the potatoes with per-peri suace when cooking time is about to end.
- Please note to gently turn the potatoes as they will be soft. So when you turn the potatoes then they might break.
- Always add potatoes to the preheated air fryer. that way the potatoes will cooked quickly & evenly.
📖FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
To make garlicky smashed potatoes in the air fryer, first, you need to boil the potatoes. Add water to the large pot at medium-high heat. Once the water comes to a boil, add salt. Then add all the potatoes to the pot and close the lid. Let it boil for 10-15 minutes until fork tender. Remove the potatoes from the pot and place them on the cutting board or a baking sheet.
You can store these air fryer smashed potatoes in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Though they do not stay that good when stored in the freezer. When reheating, place the smashed potatoes in the air fryer basket and air fry for 3-5 minutes or until crispy & properly heated.
You can serve these crispy & garlicky smashed potatoes with ketchup, ranch, mayonnaise, garlic sauce, green chutney, aioli, pesto, or hummus. It tastes great with every dipping sauce.
Yes, you can make smashed potatoes without even boiling them. If you're in a hurry or don't have time to cook the potatoes, you can air fry the baby potatoes for 15 minutes. Then transfer these potatoes to the baking sheet or on a cutting board. Then using a cup or a glass, smash these potatoes. Season the potatoes, then air fry them again for 10-15 minutes at 400 degrees F until crispy & golden brown. Make sure to keep rotating the potatoes.
Potatoes are so universal that you can add any spice or herb, and they will still taste great. My favorite variety is garlicky smashed potatoes. I have added peri-peri sauce with my garlicky smashed potatoes to make it spicy & flavorful. You can add mustard, parsley, thyme, rosemary, sriracha, extra cheese, etc.
You can easily smash the potatoes using a cup or glass. Make sure to use thick glass or a cup. You can also smash using a measuring cup, fork, spoon, panini press, or spatula.
🥔OTHER POTATO RECIPES
If you like you can also check this video of easy Mashed Potatoes in Instant Pot. It is buttery, smooth, fluffy, and creamy.
Rate it by clicking the stars below if you liked the recipe. However, if you want to check what is new in my kitchen, check out my Instagram & Facebook.
CRISPY AIR FRYER SMASHED POTATOES WITH PERI-PERI
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Potatoes
- 2 lbs Red Baby Potatoes
- 2-3 cups Water
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2-3 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Melted Butter
- 5-6 cloves Garlic minced
- 2-3 tablespoon Peri-Peri Sauce
For Greek Yogurt Dipping Sauce
- 2-3 cup Greek Yogurt
- 1 small Green Onion sliced or chopped
- 1 handful Parsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Weber Garlic Jalapeno Seasoning
Instructions
BOIL THE POTATOES
- The first step is to boil the potatoes. You can cook the potatoes in the Instant Pot/ Ninja Foodi or in the big pot. Add 1-2 cups of water to the main pot of Ninja Foodi. Add salt in the water and place baby red potatoes in the air fryer basket. Or you can place potatoes directly in the salted water and boil them until tender.
- Close the Ninja Foodi with a pressure cooker lid. With vent in the sealing position, pressure cook for 5 minutes. Once the timer beeps, then let the pressure release naturally.
SMASH THE POTATOES
- Once all the pressure is released, carefully remove the pressure cooker lid. Using a fork or a spoon, remove the potatoes. Transfer the boiled potatoes to a baking sheet or a cutting board.
- Smash the potatoes with the bottom of the cup or glass. Smash the potatoes until they are ½ inch thick.
MAKE GARLIC BUTTER
- In a small bowl, add melted butter/ extra virgin olive oil. Add minced garlic and whisk until well combined. Brush this garlic oil on one side of the smashed potatoes.
AIR FRYER RECIPE
- Preheat the air fryer at 400 degrees F for 3-4 minutes. Place potatoes in the air fryer basket in a single layer (leaving a slight gap between two potatoes). Air fry at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes until crispy from one side. Keep rotating the potatoes in every 5 minutes.
- 5 minutes before the cooking time ends, brush peri-peri sauce on the other side of the potatoes. Cook for the last 5 minutes.
- Once the smash potatoes are crispy, remove them from the air fryer basket and place them on the serving plate.
GREEK YOGURT DIPPING SAUCE
- Add 2-3 tablespoons of Greek Yogurt to a bowl. Add Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning and Weber Garlic Jalapeno Seasoning along with green onion and parsley. Whisk until well combined. Serve these crispy smashed red potatoes with this Greek Yogurt dipping sauce.
Video
Notes
- Boil the potatoes in the salted water. Boiling potatoes in salted water will provide a nice overall flavor to the potatoes.
- Season one side of potato with garlic butter and another side of peri-peri sauce. Season the potatoes with per-peri sauce when cooking time is about to end.
- Please note to gently turn the potatoes as they will be soft. So when you turn the potatoes then they might break.
- Always add potatoes to the preheated air fryer. that way the potatoes will cook quickly & evenly.
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