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Once you slide the tray of Crispy Smashed Potatoes out of the oven, you can’t resist eating it straight from the pan. Baby red potatoes are so creamy on the inside and crispy on the outside. With a healthy douse of olive oil, garlic powder, cumin, coriander, and Aleppo pepper, they’ll be your favorite potato recipe to date. The spicy mayo, with just chili oil and mayo, is so simple, you’ll want to eat it with everything. They’re a perfect side dish with just about any protein or grilled meat. (I made these on Instagram Reels. To check it out go here.)
Ingredients
Baby Red Potatoes — Red potatoes are too waxy for a typical mash, but that same texture becomes nice and creamy after boiling and roasting, making them perfect for this recipe. If you prefer Yukon Gold, those work here, too. The most important quality is that they’re small.
Seasoning — Garlic powder, cumin, coriander, and Aleppo pepper is basically my favorite combination for just about everything. It’s earthy, bright, and super versatile. If you don’t have one of them on hand, just leave it out, or add in any of your other favorite spices.
Salt — I much prefer to use kosher salt in cooking since it dissolves much easier than table or sea salt, but any kind will do. You will salt the boiling water and also salt the potatoes before roasting.
Olive oil — Fat is necessary for crispiness, and I absolutely love the combo of fruity olive oil with potatoes.
Mayo — I love Japanese-style mayo like Kewpie for its custard-like texture, but any mayo would work really well.
Chili Oil — I used Curious Elephant, which is local to the UAE, but you can use any kind of sambal, Sriracha, other chili oil, or hot sauce.
Method
The method is quite simple. First, preheat the oven to 425° F/218° C, salt water in a large pot and allow it to come to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes, bring it back up to a boil, and cook until it’s easily pierced with a knife, about 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the olive oil and seasoning in a large bowl. Strain the potatoes and allow to completely dry for about 2-3 minutes. Add the potatoes to the bowl and toss. Transfer to a baking sheet, smash with the back of a 1/2 c measuring cup, trying to keep the skin intact. It’s totally fine if it rips apart. Pour any excess oil/seasoning mixture on top, and transfer to the oven. Roast for about 50 minutes, or until crispy, flipping the potatoes halfway through. Mix the mayo and chili oil, and serve immediately.
How to Serve
I absolutely love these next to grilled chicken or braised lamb, which you can see on my Instagram highlights. I also love to eat them on their own!
I hope you give this recipe a try! If you do, don’t forget to put it in the comments so everyone knows how it worked out. I also love to see your creations! You can tag me on social media at #omayahcooks, @omayah.atassi on Instagram, @omayahcooks on Pinterest, and @omayahatassiphoto on Facebook.
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Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Spicy Mayo
Ingredients
- 1 kg/2 lbs baby red potatoes
- 3 tbsp kosher salt + 1 tsp
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp coriander
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp Aleppo pepper
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 c mayo
- 2 tbsp chili oil, sambal, or hot sauce (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425° F/218° C.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil over medium-high heat and add 3 tbsp salt.
- Add the potatoes, bring them back up to a boil, and cook until easily pierced with a knife, about 10-15 minutes. You may need to cover the pot to help bring the water to a boil, but uncover once it is.
- Combine the olive oil, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, Aleppo pepper, black pepper, and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl.
- Drain the potatoes and allow to fully dry, about 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer them to the bowl and toss to combine.
- Transfer them to a sheet pan and smash with the back of a 1/2 c measuring cup, trying to keep the skin intact. It's totally fine if it breaks, but you want to be mindful so the potatoes don't smush everywhere.
- Transfer them to the oven and roast until crispy, about 50 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- While the potatoes roast, combine the mayo and chili oil in a small bowl.
- Serve immediately as an appetizer or as a side for your favorite protein.