What is the difference between mashed potatoes and smashed potatoes?

Mashed potatoes are the fluffy, whipped potatoes that have been boiled and then mashed into a smooth consistency. They are usually flavored with milk, butter, salt, and pepper. Smashed potatoes, on the other hand, are small potatoes, in this case fingerlings. The small potatoes are boiled until soft, then tossed in oil and flattened. After smashing, they're roasted until crispy.

Are fingerling potatoes just baby potatoes?

No, fingerling and baby potatoes are rather different. Baby potatoes (also called new potatoes) are typically just standard gold or russet potatoes that have been harvested early, while still small.

What is different about fingerling potatoes?

Fingerling potatoes are their own variety of potato and are typically oblong, rather than round like new potatoes. They are fully mature when harvested, in spite of their small size. They can be red, purple, yellow, or white, sometimes with streaks of color running through the flesh.

Do you have to clean fingerling potatoes?

Yes, all produce should be washed before cooking and eating. While the dirt has typically been cleaned from potatoes before selling, they have been processed and handled by many people.

Smashed Fingerling Potatoes with Garlic and Parmesan

Name: Smashed Fingerling Potatoes with Garlic and Parmesan
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 pound fingerling potatoes; 3-4 Tablespoons olive oil; Sea Salt; Ground Pepper; 2 Tablespoon salted butter; 1 large clove of garlic, or 2 small; 2-3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Ingredients

Scale

1 pound fingerling potatoes
3–4 Tablespoons olive oil
Sea Salt
Ground Pepper
2 Tablespoon salted butter
1 large clove of garlic, or 2 small
2–3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Boiling the Potatoes

Wash your fingerling potatoes, then place them in a large pot. Cover them with cold water, adding enough for at least 2 inches over the potates.

Note: Bringing the potatoes to a boil in the cold water helps them cook more evenly from the inside out.

Boil the potatoes just until they are soft through. This should take about 15-20 minutes, though that can vary if you have more potaoes in the pot.

Pierce one with a fork to test them for doneness. You want the fork to go through the potatoes easily. When they’re ready, drain the potatoes.

Smashing the Fingerlings

After draining the potatoes, let them cool for 5-10 minutes. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.

Place the boiled potatoes on the baking sheet and drizzle the with olive oil. Toss them around in the oil to coat completely.

Using a large fork or the bottom of a glass, smash each potato until it’s about 3/4″ to 1/2″ thick. You don’t want them too flat, or there won’t be any fluffy center left.

Make sure to leave enough space between the potatoes on the sheet to allow them to get roast quickly and evenly. You can use more than one baking sheet if needed.

Roasting the Potatoes to Make them Crisp

Roast the fingerling potatoes in an oven preheated to 425° for 30-40 minutes, depending on how crispy you want them to be.

Finishing and Serving the Potatoes

While the potatoes are in the oven, melt down the butter in a small pan. Add the minced garlic and saute it just until it’s fragrant, about 30-60 seconds. Remove it from the heat and add in the chopped rosemary.

Once the potatoes are removed from the oven, drizzle or brush the garlic butter over them. Salt them generously (I like to use coarse ground salt at this point) and add ground pepper. Next, sprinkle the parmesan cheese over the potatoes.

Serve while still hot. You can also serve with sour cream for dipping if you’d like.

Notes

For the sea salt, I like to use a mixture of textures. Sprinkle the potatoes with fine sea salt after smashing and before roasting, then finish them with some large or coarse ground sea salt to finish.
Unsalted butter will also work, but salted butter has an added depth of flavor that is delicious in savory recipes.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Boiling Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Category: Sides
Method: Roasting
Cuisine: American