Heavenly Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic are all you need for an epic dinner! Please your guests with this easy to make side dish and top it with elegant balsamic shallots and fresh parmesan.

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Originally posted November 2016, updated August 2020.

Bowl full of smashed potatoes with balsamic shallots and green onions on top

This recipe for Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic is so amazing, you’ll be making it every weekend. Luxurious roasted garlic, acidic balsamic shallots, and melted fresh parmesan are a welcome contrast to the crispy potato skins and their creamy insides.

You’ll be overwhelmed by the golden-brown and crispy potatoes when you pull the tray from the oven. Finish them off with fresh lemon zest and green onions for a colorful and flavorful side dish! Pair this easy and delicious dish with my Creamy Cheesy Polenta for holidays and parties to come.

What are smashed potatoes?

If you’ve ever made baked potatoes, you can easily handle this recipe. This golden landscape of roasted potatoes are first par-boiled and then smashed with a cup on a baking tray. The semi-flattened is then baked until golden-brown and crispy.
Smashed potatoes can be topped with anything you like, whether it’s cheese, romesco sauce, chimichurri, fresh herbs, yogurt sauce, mixed greens, or pickled onions.

Cooked smashed potatoes on a plate with parchment paper and green onions on the side

Ingredients Needed

These will be the most elegant roasted potatoes you ever eat. Top them with elegant toppings, like roasted garlic, balsamic shallots, and parmesan cheese.

Here’s what you need:

Baby Yukon gold potatoes
Olive oil
Sea salt
Parmesan cheese
Fresh green onions
Lemon zest
Garlic
Shallots
Balsamic vinegar

How to Make Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic

Start by making the balsamic shallots:

Peel the shallots, cut each of them in half, then chop each half into thin half circles.
Heat the olive oil in a large pan and add the shallots. Sauté on medium heat until slightly brown and caramelized. Add in the balsamic vinegar and sauté until it dissolves.
Cool and store the shallots in the refrigerator in a closed jar until the potatoes are ready.

Sliced shallots and onions on a round cutting board

Next, roast the garlic:

Chop the garlic heads in half and lightly drizzle them with olive oil. Wrap each half tightly in foil.
Bake at 400ºF for 25-30 minutes or until fragrant, soft, and golden brown.
Remove the garlic from the oven and leave them to cool before handling. Once they’ve cooled down, squeeze out the individual cloves into a bowl.

Garlic head cut in half and wrapped in foil

Finally, make the smashed potatoes:

Place the unpeeled potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Salt the water, then bring to a boil on the stove.
Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, about 20-30 minutes. Next, drain the potatoes and leave them to cool.
Preheat your oven to 450ºF and prepare a large baking sheet.
Place the cooked potatoes onto the baking sheet and use the bottom of a mason jar or a glass to gently smash each potato. Once they’re smashed, drizzle each with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
Bake the potatoes for 15 minutes before flipping each of them. Again, drizzle with olive oil and add another sprinkle of salt. Bake for an additional 15 minutes until brown and crispy.
Remove from the oven and add the roasted garlic, balsamic shallots, and parmesan cheese on top. Bake for another 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
Finally, remove the tray from the oven, add the zest of a lemon and sprinkle with green onions. Place on a platter, serve, and enjoy!

Boiling white potatoes in a pot and then roasting them

Helpful Recipe Tips

Try to use small potatoes rather than large. They’ll be way more crispy and delicious.
Use the largest baking tray you have. This way you can make more potatoes!
Both yellow or red potatoes will work in this recipe. Use what you have on hand.
Make it a meal! Drizzle your potatoes with a lemony yogurt sauce for a satisfying and flavorful main dish.

Making ahead of time

Par-boil the potatoes ahead of time and keep them in the fridge until you are ready to smash and roast them.

Roast a few heads of garlic ahead of time and caramelize the shallots in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Both can be stored in the fridge up to 1 week ahead of time.

Leftover potatoes can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat on a baking tray in the oven until warmed through.

More Recipes With Potatoes

If you try these Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic, please leave me a comment below or tag me on Instagram @lenaskitchenblog! I would love to know what you think.