Highlight
If you're craving a side that's super satisfying, give these Parmesan Smashed Potatoes a shot. You get golden, crisp outsides, and the insides? Ridiculously soft and buttery. Dab a bit of the cool yogurt dill sauce on the side and it's instantly dinner-party worthy, but still a breeze to whip up any day.
I can't count how many times my family has stood by the oven, pinching these right off the tray. They never last long. Everyone dives in before I can even grab plates.
Fantastic Ingredients
- Fresh dill or dry dill: use this for a fresh, zingy punch in the sauce—go fresh if it's around
- Olive oil: makes the sauce extra silky and gives a hit of flavor—pick a fruity one if you can
- Plain yogurt: this is your creamy sauce starter—whole milk style is best for richness
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese: the key to that lovely crust—grate it yourself for meltiness
- Salt: ties everything together—real, mineral-packed salt is where it's at
- Italian seasoning or oregano: classic herby flavors—the potatoes love it
- Garlic powder: adds punchy savory goodness—evens out the cheese
- Unsalted butter: melts into the edges so every bite is rich—get the good stuff
- Baby yellow potatoes: small and creamy—grab ones without any weird spots
Simple Step-by-Step
- Cool and Sauce:
- Take the potatoes out of the oven and let them sit on the sheet for just a bit so they hold their shape for easy grabbing. Stir together yogurt, olive oil, some salt, and a hefty handful of dill in a bowl to make that dipping sauce everyone will love. Serve potatoes all warm with the sauce close by.
- Bake to Crispiness:
- Pile the pan into your oven that’s already hot. Let the potatoes bake until you see a crispy, browned edge. Should take about half an hour, but peek after 25 minutes and let them go longer if you want extra crunch.
- Coat and Top Potatoes:
- Any of the leftover butter-Parmesan mix sitting on your tray? Scoop it up and spread it on the tops of your smashed potatoes so you get even more of that crunchy, cheesy goodness.
- Smash the Potatoes:
- Move those drained, cooked potatoes to your lined tray. Take a glass and gently flatten each one—just until you see cracks at the edges. If one sticks, just slide a knife under to loosen it. Don’t mash too hard or they’ll fall apart.
- Prepare the Baking Sheet:
- Heat your oven to 400 F (200 C). Line a tray with parchment paper. Grab a bowl and mix up the melted butter, Parmesan, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and salt. Dribble it all over the parchment so the bottoms of your potatoes get coated.
- Boil the Potatoes:
- Drop baby potatoes into plenty of water in a big pot. Boil them until a fork goes through super easily (could take 15–20 minutes). Drain and let steam off in the colander for a couple of minutes.
Highlight
Seriously, the crispy Parmesan bit on top is what makes these shine. The edges are so good. My kids get a kick out of pressing them down and vote on the biggest crunch.
How to Store
Let potatoes cool off completely before sealing them in a container so they keep in the fridge for three days. To get them crunchy again, use your air fryer or pop in a hot oven. For the yogurt dill sauce, stash it covered and use up within two days so it stays nice and fresh.
Swap Suggestions
If baby yellows aren't at the store, little red or purple potatoes look fun and work the same. To make it totally dairy free, grab vegan butter and your favorite non-dairy Parmesan. The sauce works with Greek yogurt or sour cream if you want it extra tangy.
Great Pairings
I love putting these crispy potatoes next to grilled chicken or on a brunch table as the showpiece. They also disappear at BBQs or potlucks since everyone can just grab one. For new flavors, dip them in ranch or tzatziki instead of dill sauce.
The Backstory
This style comes from old-school European ways of cooking potatoes twice—boiled first, then crisped by roasting or frying. The buttery, Parmesan topping borrows from Italian comfort food, but has totally blended right into American family meals too.
Recipe FAQs
- → What’s the trick for crispy outsides?
Coating with butter and Parmesan, then roasting at 400F, gives those smashed potatoes awesome crunch.
- → Could I use other kinds of potatoes?
Totally—baby yellow, red, or even purple potatoes all work. Using a mix looks cool and adds extra flavor.
- → What dips go great here?
A yogurt dill dip is classic, but ranch, tzatziki, labneh, or any creamy dip matches up perfectly.
- → How do you stop them from falling apart?
Letting the potatoes cool down after baking lets them hold their shape and keeps the outsides crisp.
- → Any vegan swaps?
Just switch in vegan butter and plant-based Parmesan—still tastes awesome and keeps things dairy free.