This Drying Technique Is Your Key To Unbelievably Crispy Smashed Potatoes

Out of the countless ways out there to cook and eat potatoes, smashing and crisping has to be among our favorites. While they involve an extra step or two and may take a bit longer, the payoff is well worth the effort for lightly charred, crispy edges and soft, tender insides. Boiling potatoes inevitably infuses the spuds with some extra moisture, so it's important to let them dry out before smashing, since water-logged potatoes will never reach their fullest, crispiest potential no matter how hot your oven can get. Before you make your next batch of potatoes, you need to know about our foolproof drying hack to achieve extra crispy smashed potatoes. 

Once the potatoes are cooked to tender and able to be easily pierced with a paring knife, drain the boiled potatoes into a colander. After draining, return the colander with the potatoes back into the same empty pot you used to boil them, but do not turn the heat back on. The residual heat from the pot will help to evaporate and dry out the potatoes without continuing to cook them. This method of steam drying after boiling potatoes works for peeled and cut large potatoes or for smaller, whole potatoes like fingerlings. Whether you're making British-style roast potatoes or using smaller spuds to flatten into crispy-edged smashed potatoes, this steam drying hack lets the excess moisture evaporate off the potatoes, leaving them drier than when you first remove them from boiling water and therefore more able to crisp up in a hot oven.

After boiling and steam drying, take a cue from Martha Stewart and smash your potatoes on the countertop, using a flat-bottomed object to press down only enough to break through the skin after the potatoes have been steam dried. Just make sure your countertop is perfectly clean before using this smashing method. For easier cleanup, use this parchment paper hack to easily smash potatoes. You can also steam dry the fully cooked, crispy smashed potatoes a second time after you pull them from the oven by leaving the potatoes on the hot sheet tray for a few minutes to crisp them up even further.

If you're looking for ways to jazz up your smashed potatoes, a drizzle of chili oil is the spicy kick your potatoes have been looking for, or make cacio e pepe-inspired crispy potatoes by topping them with freshly ground black pepper and a generous amount of grated parmesan cheese as soon as they come out of the oven. We also recommend topping smashed potatoes with charred lemon juice for a zesty upgrade, which would be especially great served alongside a herbed roast chicken. Or if you just want to dip them in ketchup as a snack, we won't judge!