Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes
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Crispy and flavorful, these easy Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes are crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and air fried to perfection with garlic and olive oil.
A must-try smash potatoes recipe that’s quicker than baked and perfect as a side or snack! Serve them with my simple tarragon sauce for the ultimate side dish.
They’re super easy to cook in the air fryer and they come out perfectly crispy every time.
These are perfect for a wholesome side dish or a fun appetizer. Pair them with my Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers or these homemade Air Fried Pigs in a Blanket for a fantastic appetizer combo!
Why they’re the best
- Quick and easy: You only need about 30 minutes for this one!
- Simple but elegant: Thanks to the herby tarragon sauce, these potatoes will be the most memorable thing on your table without being overly complicated.
- Great to pair with anything: Serve them with just about anything! Give steak and potatoes a new meaning or serve them alongside some oven baked chicken tenders.
Ingredients You Will Need
You only need a small handful of ingredients!
- Baby potatoes: You’ll want to make sure you get potatoes that are nice and small so they cook quickly and are easy to flatten out.
- Olive oil: Melted butter also works here if you want that rich buttery flavor, but I usually just go with some olive oil.
The tarragon sauce is optional, but also not optional because it’s what makes these smashed potatoes so addicting!
- Mayonnaise: Acts as the creamy base.
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, combine regular milk with some lemon juice to get a similar result.
- Champagne vinegar: Adds a mild, slightly tangy acidity to a sauce, enhancing the overall flavor without overpowering it.
*For a detailed list of instructions, ingredients and measurements, please reference the recipe card down below.
Substitutions/Additions
- You can serve these with any kind of sauce! A simple garlic butter sauce will be great, or you could even pair them with something as simple as ketchup.
- Feel free to switch up the seasonings for the potatoes. You can add enough flavor that a sauce may not even be necessary!
Recipe FAQs
I like to use golden potatoes because their thin, delicate skin crisps up nicely when roasted while the creamy, buttery inside becomes soft and flavorful, making them the perfect texture for smashing and air frying.
Try to avoid overcrowding them in the air fryer basket. A lot of overlap will prevent them from crisping up properly. You also want to make sure you flatten them enough (without completely mashing them).
Keep leftover smashed potatoes in an airtight container or plastic bag. They’ll keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. I don’t recommend freezing them because the texture won’t keep. Keep the sauce in a separate container in the fridge.
Pop them back in the air fryer at 350 and cook until they’re crisp again. You might want to give the basket a shake after a couple of minutes.
If you tried this Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes Recipe or any other recipe on my blog please leave a 🌟 star rating and tell me how it went in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb Baby Gold Potatoes
- 1 tbsp olive oil or melted butter
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- Flaky salt to taste
Tarragon Dipping Sauce
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 tbsp champagne vinegar
- 2 tbsp fresh tarragon
- 2 tbsp fresh chives
- 2 small garlic cloves
- 1/2 of a large shallot chopped
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F.
- Wash and dry the potatoes then add them to the air fryer basket and cook for 15-20 minutes or until they are fork tender. They should be easy to poke with the fork. It's ok if there potatoes overlap a little.1 1/2 lb Baby Gold Potatoes
- Transfer the potatoes to a sheet pan and use the bottom of a flat cup to smash the potatoes, about 1/4" each. The thinner the potatoes, the crispier they will be, but don't overdo it or you'll end up with mashed potatoes.
- Drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes, then sprinkle the garlic powder, black pepper, and flaky salt.1 tbsp olive oil or melted butter, 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder, 1/4 tsp Black Pepper, Flaky salt to taste
- Add the smashed potatoes back to the air fryer in a single layer with a little space in between each one and cook an additional 15-20 minutes at 400ºF, or until the potatoes are crispy golden brown.
Tarragon DIpping Sauce
- While the potatoes are cooking, add the mayonnaise, buttermilk, champagne vinegar, tarragon, chives, garlic, shallot, dijon mustard, and salt to the bowl of a food processor or blender. Mix on high until fully blended, taste and adjust as necessary (I usually end up adding more herbs because I love them!).1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup buttermilk, 1 tbsp champagne vinegar, 2 tbsp fresh tarragon, 2 tbsp fresh chives, 2 small garlic cloves, 1/2 of a large shallot chopped, 1 tsp dijon mustard, 1/4 tsp salt
- When the potatoes are finished cooking, arrange them on a serving platter with the tarragon dipping sauce in a small bowl and enjoy!
- If you made this recipe, please leave a comment letting me know your thoughts!
Notes
- If you have leftover tarragon sauce, you can add a little water to it and turn it into a salad dressing for the next day! I love it on a simple gem salad or a lobster salad.
- If you want to make them ahead of time, I recommend refrigerating the potatoes on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet after you smash them, and waiting to cook until you’re ready to serve them.
- Spraying the bottom of your glass before smashing the potatoes will help keep them from sticking.
