Smashed Potatoes (Air Fryer Recipe!)
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Smashed Potatoes Air Fryer style are soft and buttery on the inside with a deliciously crispy exterior. Flavored with pickle juice and fresh dill, this savory snack has a big dose of tang in the best way possible! Serve with an equally tangy, creamy dipping sauce for snacking, game day, or a unique side dish.
Smashed Potatoes Air Fryer
Move over, french fries — there’s a new side dish in town! I combined my love of tangy air fryer pickles and crispy air fried herb potatoes into one scrumptious dish!
Air fryer smashed potatoes are fluffy on the inside and perfectly crispy on the outside, with plenty of tangy herb flavor from pickle juice and fresh dill.
With a smooth and creamy dipping sauce to tie it all together, your mouth will delight in the combination of flavors and textures!!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Baby Potatoes – These typically have yellow skin but they can come in a variety of colors.
Any will work for this smashed potatoes recipe for the air fryer, as long as they are the tiny, baby size! - Dill Pickles – Have a whole jar handy — you’ll need quite a bit of pickle juice to soak the potatoes, then more juice plus diced pickles for the dipping sauce.
And once all the pickles are gone, keep the leftover juice! It makes an excellent brine for chicken. - Olive Oil – Brush this over smashed potatoes in the air fryer to help them get nice and crispy!
- Fresh Dill – This feathery herb adds another layer of dill flavor to this dish. Tarragon is the closest substitute, but you could also use flat-leaf parsley instead.
- Greek Yogurt – Adds a tart tanginess that I love and gives the dipping sauce a boost of protein. Easily swap it for sour cream or even mayonnaise if you prefer.
Tips and Tricks to Make Perfect Smashed Potatoes in Air Fryer
- You must boil the potatoes first.
Boiling potatoes gets them nice and soft so you can smash them!
Sure, you could toss them in the microwave instead — but you’d lose out on the flavor from the pickle juice soak.
Once they are fork-tender, drain well. If you’re in a hurry, you can pat them dry, but I usually just let them sit in the colander for a few minutes.
- Smash them just until the skins break apart.
The goal is to flatten each potato enough to get crispy without it completely falling apart.
I like the look of a fork, but you can use a potato masher or even the flat bottom of a drinking glass.
Press down with slight pressure until you feel the skin burst open, then go just a smidge more.
Air fryer smashed potatoes should be an even thickness but still entirely intact.
- Air fry in batches and adjust cooking time.
As with any air fryer recipe, you don’t want to crowd the basket.
I was able to cook my smashed potatoes in air fryer in two batches, and I grouped the potatoes together by similar size so they cooked evenly.
Cooking time can also vary by several minutes! If your potatoes are itty bitty, set an 8-minute timer but check them at the 5-minute mark.
For larger air fryer smashed potatoes, set a 10-minute timer and start checking them around 7 minutes.
Flavor Variations
Not everyone is a fan of pickles or dill, so this pickle-flavored smashed potatoes recipe for the air fryer might have you saying yuck instead of yum.
Lucky for you, the flavors are easy to customize!!
For a similar tang, swap the pickle juice soak with lemon juice or apple cider vinegar — though you’ll want to dilute it with water first.
Always salt your potatoes before cooking, but you can add other seasonings too: garlic powder, dried rosemary or parsley, and even Cajun seasoning.
Instead of olive oil, try garlic butter… or garlic-infused olive oil! You can even sprinkle a little freshly grated parmesan cheese on top.
You’ll probably want to swap the dipping sauce too, and I’ve got plenty to choose from. Try cilantro lime yogurt or chipotle lime mayo dips, or go ultra-savory with my beer cheese queso!
Prep Ahead
- Wash potatoes
- Make dipping sauce
- Preheat air fryer to 380°F
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Air Fryer – Different brands and sizes may require different cooking times, so be familiar with your model and make adjustments as needed.
- 4 Quart Stock Pot – Great for soups, roasts, frying, and more! This is a staple in my kitchen.
- Basting Brush – I like this one over the silicone ones.
- Mixing Bowl – I like to have a variety of sizes on hand, and this set has them all.
Serving Suggestions
Whip up a tangy dipping sauce while your smashed potatoes are in the air fryer! All you need is Greek yogurt and some diced pickles, plus a little pickle juice and fresh dill.
Air fryer smashed potatoes make a great snack or appetizer. You can also serve them as a side dish with chicken, pork chops, or even steak — and everything can be made right in your air fryer!
Storing and Reheating Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store the dip separately and use any extra for pretzels, chips, and veggies!
To reheat, return smashed potatoes to the air fryer and cook for 5-8 minutes at 350°F. If you like them extra crispy, increase the temperature and reduce the time by a few minutes.
Smashed Potatoes Recipe Air Fryer FAQ
Yes! Preheating the air fryer guarantees your food starts cooking right away. And since we aren’t flipping the smashed potatoes, a hot pan helps to crisp up the underside.
Some models come with a preheat option, but you can still do so if yours doesn’t. Simply set the correct temperature and a timer for 5 minutes, then let it run without any food inside.
Typically, one of two things can cause smashed potatoes to fall apart: either you boiled the spuds for too long, or you pressed too hard when smashing.
Boil just until fork-tender, meaning you can easily pierce through to the center with a fork with a little effort. If the fork gets stuck, they need a little longer. If it goes all the way through to the other side, they’re overdone.
When smashing, apply gentle pressure and steadily increase until the skins burst open. Then, press evenly until each potato is about ¼-inch thick.
Of course! Preheat your oven to 425°F. Soak and boil the spuds as directed, then grease your baking sheet (or line it with parchment) before you start smashing.
Place the pan right in the hot oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden and crispy.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Smashed Potatoes (Air Fryer Recipe!)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds baby potatoes
- 1 1/2 cups dill pickle juice
- water as needed
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Dip:
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons diced pickles
- 1 tablespoon pickle juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced
Instructions
- Wash your potatoes. Place them in a pot and pour the pickle juice over them. Allow them to sit for 10 minutes.
- Pour water over the potatoes just till they are covered. Over medium-high heat, bring the potatoes to a boil. Boil the potatoes until tender, about 10-15 minutes. Once the potatoes are fork-tender, drain them in a colander.
- Place them on a baking sheet and using a fork or potato masher gently smash the potatoes.
- Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees.
- Brush the potatoes with olive oil. Put them in the preheated air fryer basket. You may need to make two batches as you do not want them to be crowded. Cook them for 8-10 minutes or until they reach the desired crispiness.
- While they are cooking, prepare your dip. In a small bowl combine: the yogurt, diced pickles, pickle juice, and fresh dill.
- Serve and enjoy.
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published May 2024
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This recipe was so easy and absolutely delicious! The crispy edges and tangy dip were a hit!
Hi Addison!
We’re so glad you enjoyed!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn