Smashed Potatoes
Smashed potatoes always look so delicious, but before making them I worried that the potatoes would dry out and end up tasting chalky. This recipe solves that problem by boiling them in broth prior to pan frying. As a result it imparts a spectacular flavor on the potatoes, ensuring that they stay moist on the inside and crispy on the outside.
This dish was made vegetarian but you could easily make it either vegan or meaty with a few swapped ingredients.
Herby Smashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 lb baby butter potatoes
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 springs fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs fresh sage
- 2 sprigs fresh oregano
- 2 cups veggie broth
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- salt and pepper to taste
Optional
- chopped rosemary
- grated Parmesan
Instructions
Prepare broth.
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Heat veggie broth in a large, covered pan.
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Add fresh herbs and two tablespoons of butter.
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Bring to a boil and let stew for five minutes.
Cook potatoes.
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Add potatoes into the broth, ensuring that they have enough room to spread when smashed, and ensuring that the broth is at least partially covering them.
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Cook, covered, for 15-20 minutes, or until tender.
Smash potatoes, and first searing.
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Uncover, and gently press down on each potato with the back of a spoon. Press just until you feel the pop of the skin breaking.
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Continue cooking smashed potatoes until the liquid has completely evaporated.
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Cook for an extra 3-5 minutes to get a nice, crisp edge.
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Remove potatoes from the pan and scrape out the pan.
Final searing.
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Add two more tablespoons of butter to the pan and melt over medium heat.
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Flip the potatoes back into the pan, with the crispy side facing up.
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Cook for a final 3-5 minutes or until browned.
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Remove from the pan and serve. We top with rosemary, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
Recipe Notes
Choosing the right pan for this dish is perhaps the most difficult aspect of the recipe. We ended up using a large sauté pan with a vented lid.
