Incredible Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Sage Butter

5 from 3 votes

This recipe for easy smashed potatoes is some of my best work. It's crispy, salty, buttery goodness will be your new favorite side dish. The perfectly smashed and roasted potatoes are topped with a nutty brown sage butter and toasted pine nuts. An amazing side dish or starter for any dinner. Make immediately!

A white platter with golden brown smashed roasted potatoes with a foamy brown butter on top. Crispy sage leaves and pine nuts scattered.

Hi! If you are new here, this is a 99% pasta website. It's what I love, it's what I do BUT I really want to branch out into some other carb goodness this year. This dish is inspired by a starter I had at Embla in Melbourne. They used squares of fried polenta instead of potato but I wanted to make it a bit more achievable so have used this delicious crispy potato base.

A brown butter with crispy sage is my most favorite thing and while I usually use it on top of pasta, it's brilliant here. Perfect smashed potatoes are really easy to achieve AND so fun as it doesn't matter if they are a bit messy. Fluffy insides, crispy outsides and the nutty buttery topping takes it to another level.

The best potato for crispy smashed potatoes

I have tested this with a few different potatoes and to be honest they are all great. I recommend yukon gold (agria) as I think they dry out and crisp up the best in the oven. It's what I always use for roast potatoes. However what I used in the photos and maaaaybe my preference is a baby or new potato. I think small potatoes make perfect bite size chunks.

Ingredients

Potatoes - As mentioned above baby or yukon gold potatoes will work really well. This method will work with anything though, just try and find ones all the same size.

Extra virgin olive oil - This does need a very generous drizzle to get them super crispy in the oven.

Butter - I like to use salted butter for the topping to give it a good hit of seasoning. Use unsalted if you prefer.

Fresh sage - If you haven't made a crispy sage butter before, you're in for a treat. There is no substitute.

Pine nuts - Toasted pine nuts add an extra nutty and crunchy note to the dish.

Optional extras

Lemon zest - As with most buttery dishes I make, adding lemon zest cuts through the richness and adds a lovely fresh zing.

Red pepper flakes - If you want to add a touch of heat then a little sprinkle off chilli flakes is perfect.

Parmesan cheese - A sprinkling of grated parmesan or pecorino would be pretty damn tasty on top!

Sour cream - You could put a layer of sour cream at the base of your serving dish to take this dish to the next level!

How to make smashed potatoes

The full ingredient list, step by step instructions and a short tutorial video are in the recipe card below.

For the potatoes

Potato being lifted out of boiling water with a fork piercing in.

ONE: Place potatoes in cold water in a large pot, add the salt and boil until fork tender. About 25 minutes. Drain and let them sit for 5 minutes.

Hand pressing a glass down to smash the cooked potato on a baking sheet.

TWO: On a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, press each potato down with the bottom of a glass or plate. You could use a potato masher but I think a flat surface works best.

Rows of smashed potatoes on a baking sheet drizzled with oil.

FOUR: Drizzle with olive oil and a good hit of salt and black pepper.

Rows of golden brown crispy smashed potatoes.

FIVE: Roast in the oven for 30 - 40 mins until golden brown and crisp.

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For the brown butter sauce

Cubes of butter melting in a stainless steel fry pan.

ONE: When the potatoes are almost done, melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.

Fresh sage leaves added into the melted butter.

TWO: When sizzling, add the fresh sage leaves.

FOUR: Swirl the pan to keep it cooking evenly.

Foamy brown butter in a fry pan with crisp sage leaves.

FIVE: After 4-5 minutes it should be foamy on top with the milk solids brown on the bottom of the pan. Take it off the heat and spoon over the potatoes.

Expert tips

Choose potatoes that are all the same size. You can choose big or small but uniform is key! The skin needs to stay on so give them a really good wash if they need.
Use really well salted water when boiling. This is a great tip to get some flavor into the potatoes. I use ¾ cup of table salt for about 4 litres of water.
Let the potatoes drain thoroughly so all the moisture can evaporate, it helps them crisp up!
Use a large baking sheet so there is room between for maximum crispiness.
Smash them really flat for a much crisper result or leave them thicker if you still want them a little fluffy in the middle with crispy edges. Arrange them in a nice single layer.

Another great side dish

Check out my easy orzo pasta salad. It's packed with delicious flavors and topped with roasted cherry tomatoes.

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Recipe FAQs

What type of potatoes are best?

Honestly anything will work! I like smaller potatoes around golf ball size as they flatten out into a nice size. Agria, yukon gold or baby potatoes will be great.

Can I make ahead of time?

You could pre boil the potatoes ahead of time, keep in an airtight container in the fridge and then smash and roast them at the time.

Can you make smashed potatoes in an air fryer?

You definitely can but because this makes quite a few, the oven is best. If you want to do a smaller batch, an air fryer will work. 400f for 15 minutes.

What is best to serve these with?

This is such an easy side dish for any kind of roast dinner. Or alongside any steak, chicken or fish dish. No rules, crispy potatoes work with anything on a dinner table in my opinion. Check out my Iceberg Wedge Salad for another side to add.

Some other recipes to try

If you loved these delicious crispy smashed potatoes check out my recipe section for lots of other buttery goodness.

Did you make this recipe?

I would LOVE it if you could leave a review and star rating down below. Also please tag me on Instagram if you share a photo of the dish!

Recipe

Incredible Smashed Potatoes with Sage Butter

5 from 3 votes

Prep time:10

Cook Time:1

Servings: 4 - 6 people

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Your new favorite side dish! Perfectly golden brown and crispy smashed potatoes with a brown butter topping and toasted pine nuts.

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Ingredients

900 grams small potatoes (2 pounds, please see notes!)
¼ cup olive oil
salt and pepper

For the topping

2 - 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
120 grams butter
10 - 12 sage leaves

Instructions

Pre-heat your oven to 400f (about 200c).
Put your potatoes in a large pot and cover with 3 - 4 litres of cold water. I also add ¾ cup of table salt to the water. I know this seems like a lot but it really helps to season the potatoes. Optional!
Bring to a boil then reduce heat slightly and cook until a fork slides in pretty easily. It will depend on the size of your potatoes, mine took 25 minutes.
Drain and let them sit for a good five minutes to release steam.
Place on a baking tray and press each potato down with the bottom of a glass or plate.
Drizzle with the olive oil (it might seem like a lot but we want these babies CRISP!). Make sure you get it thoroughly into all the broken up pieces.
Finish with a very generous sprinkling of salt and pepper.
Roast in the oven until golden and crisp 30 - 40 minutes. Take them as far as you personally like. I like them to still have some fluffiness on the inside but be super crisp on the outside.
When they are almost done melt the butter in a skillet over a medium heat (I like a stainless steel one so that I can see the color of the butter changing).
When the butter is sizzling, throw in the sage leaves and swirl the pan. Keep swirling every so often.
The butter will get really loud and crackly then quieten down and a foam will appear on top.
It's done after 3 - 4 minutes when it smells gloriously nutty and the solids that have dropped to the bottom have turned brown, NOT black.
Transfer the potatoes to a serving plate, sprinkle over the pine nuts and spoon the butter and crisp sage leaves on top. You won't need all the butter, spoon as much or as little as you like.
Finish with a good sprinkle of flaky sea salt and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Potatoes - Use something like an agria or yukon gold as they roast so well. I used baby roasting potatoes as I like them quite small. You could use new potatoes too, anything will work! Try and find uniformly sized ones so they cook at the same time.

Pine nuts - To toast them, heat a skillet over a medium high heat and toast the nuts in it until lightly golden brown. Keep an eye on them and toss them around the pan every so often.

Butter - I use salted butter as potatoes love and need a lot of seasoning.

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 1

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: French inspired

Keyword: roast potatoes, smashed potatoes

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