Ingredients

1 lb. baby Yukon Gold potatoes

Kosher salt

4 tbsp. melted butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan

Preparation

Step 1Preheat oven to 425°. In a large pot, cover potatoes with water and add a generous pinch of salt. Bring water to a boil and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and let sit until cool enough to handle. Step 2On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss potatoes with melted butter, garlic, and thyme. Using bottom of a small glass or mason jar, press down on potatoes to smash them into flat patties. Step 3Season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with Parmesan. Step 4Bake until bottoms of potatoes are beginning to crisp and Parmesan is golden, about 25 minutes.

So what’s the difference between mashed and smashed potatoes? While there’s only one letter missing between these two recipes, there’s a world of difference. Mashed and smashed potatoes both start out by getting boiled until nice and tender. It’s what you do after boiling that differentiates the two. Mashed potatoes would get mashed with milk, butter, and usually sour cream into a creamy consistency. Smashed potatoes on the other hand get tossed with some olive oil and herbs before being smashed into thin patties and roasted until crispy.  How do you smash them? All you really need to smash your potatoes is the bottom of a round glass or mason jar. Simply press down on them with your chosen glass and voila! Your garlicky potatoes have now been smashed. 😎 What are the best potatoes for smashed potatoes? The two main things we want to focus is on here is that we want smaller potatoes, and spuds that are waxy, not starchy. Starchier potatoes work great for things like fries but will not hold up well in this preparation. Yukon golds are perfect — not only do they crisp up really nice, but they also have a buttery tenderness that gives you the ultimate texture contrast.  If you only have larger potatoes on hand, cut them in half before boiling to help keep the cook times the same. Just place potatoes skin side down on your baking sheet.   How do I store leftovers? Store any leftover taters in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Tried this recipe? Let us know how they came out in the comments below!