Crispy garlic air fryer smashed potatoes are delicious and so easy! You only need 6 ingredients and 45 minutes! Oven instructions included! Vegan and gluten-free as made.
PREPARATION TIME
Ingredients
1 lb potatoes, See notes for potato types.
1 teaspoon turmeric
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt, adjust to taste!
1 teaspoon garlic powder, prefer using powder vs. fresh garlic (latter burns)
1 teaspoon red chili powder
Instructions
PRECOOK POTATOES
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Preheat air fryer to 400°F (or oven to 425°F, and use a roast setting if available)
Parboil: Cover the potatoes with salted water with a teaspoon of turmeric in a large pot, and cook on medium-high heat for about 20 minutes to boil the potatoes. Check after 15 minutes.
Air Fry: Add the potatoes to the air fryer and cook for 15-20 minutes at 400ºF or until the potatoes are fully cooked!
If a fork passes easily through the potatoes, they are done. If not, cook until they’re done! Once the potatoes are cooked, drain the water if parboiling, cool them completely, and transfer them to a mixing bowl.
PREPARE SEASONING
Alternative: If you don’t want to make an oil mixture, start by pouring half the olive oil on the potatoes and coat them well. Then add the spices and make sure the potatoes are fully coated.
AIR FRYER SMASHED POTATOES
OVEN BAKED SMASHED POTATOES
Using a fork or a masher (or even a glass) – smash the potatoes softly. You want to make sure the skin loosens and breaks, and the end potato is about ½ an inch thick. See pictures in post for details! Drizzle the remaining oil on top to your liking.
SERVING INSTRUCTIONS
Notes
Choice of Potatoes: I prefer using baby gold potatoes in this recipe, however red potatoes also work quite well. Ideally, you want potatoes the size of golf balls.
If you’re not able to find baby potatoes, simply halve or quarter the larger potatoes so you can still get the right thickness.
Roasting Times: Roast times really depend on the air fryer (or oven) you’re using, I suggest checking in 5 minute increments to make sure the crispiness is to your desired levels! Typically, I’ve found that basket-style air fryers tend to cook slightly faster than tray-style or oven-style air fryers. This recipe has been tested using a Breville Smart Oven, a Cosori 6 Qt, and Nuwave!
Season with fresh ingredients after roasting: I tend to use dry spices before roasting, but I wouldn’t suggest using fresh herbs or fresh garlic before you air fry or bake the potatoes – they burn in the oven and the taste is really bitter! Instead, top the smashed potatoes with fresh herbs or cheese after they’re out of the oven or air fryer.
