Tender on the inside, golden and crispy on the outside! Serve these scrumptious garlic smashed potatoes with creamy dairy-free basil aioli for a show-stealing side dish that's also pretty darn easy to make.
For a long time, I thought smashed potatoes were just a quirky name people had for mashed potatoes. Because, you know, making mashed potatoes involves smashing potatoes. I already have a recipe for vegan mashed potatoes, so there's nothing new to do, right? Actually, no.
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Just in case anyone else out there is still in the dark, I'll explain! Smashed potatoes are smashed considerably less than mashed potatoes. They're boiled, lightly smashed with a potato masher, and then baked up to a crisp with a little bit of oil. In a way, they're like a delicious hybrid of mashed potatoes and roasted potatoes.
You can season and serve smashed potatoes all kinds of ways. They're good made with plain old salt and olive oil, but like most things, they're extra good if you throw some garlic in the mix, so I came up with a recipe for garlic smashed potatoes. And since everything is better with a little dip, we're serving our vegan smashed potatoes with a creamy dairy-free basil aioli that, no kidding, I'd eat for dinner all by itself. Put them together and you've got a side dish that'll have your dinner guests begging for the recipe.
Ingredients You'll Need
Below you'll find a list of ingredients in this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, including the amount of each ingredient.
- Potatoes. Use baby potatoes that are no more than two or three inches in diameter. Aside from that, you can use whatever variety you like. I like Yukon gold, but red potatoes are fine, and even purple potatoes would work!
- Olive oil. This recipe uses quite a bit of oil, so stick with good quality olive oil if you can.
- Garlic.
- Salt.
- Raw cashews. You'll be soaking these in water then blending them to create the base for your aioli. Make sure they're raw — roasted cashews will throw off the flavor.
- Fresh basil. Dried basil won't work in this recipe. Fresh is the way to go!
- Lemon juice. You'll also want to stick with freshly squeezed juice for the best flavor.
- Non-dairy milk. Use any unflavored and unsweetened variety you'd normally drink, such as oat, almond, or soy. Read my guide to dairy-free milk if you need guidance.
How They're Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Step 1: Prepare. Preheat your oven to 400°. Grab a couple baking sheets and either just oil them, or line them with parchment paper and oil that if you're concerned about sticking.
Steps 2 and 3: Boil and steam dry. Boil the potatoes in salted water until they're fork tender, then drain them. Leave them sitting in the colander to steam dry for 10 minutes.
Step 4: Combine garlic and olive oil. Just stir your olive oil and a minced garlic clove together in a small bowl.
Tip: The steam drying step is key! This reduces moisture, which can prevent browning in the oven. This means your vegan smashed potatoes will have maximum crispy edges!
Step 5: Smash it up. Arrange your potatoes on the baking sheets, then smash them. I like using a tumbler glass, but a spatula will also work.
Step 6: Brush. Brush the tops of your potatoes generously with the oil and garlic mixture.
Step 7: Bake. Pop the baking sheets into the oven and bake your smashed potatoes until the tops are golden and the edges are irresistibly crispy.
Steps 8 and 9: Make the aioli. Blend the cashews, basil, milk, lemon juice, garlic, and salt in a blender or food processor. Taste it and make adjustments if needed.
Tip: This recipe makes a generous batch of aioli. I don't recommend scaling down unless you have a very small blending device. Leftover aioli is fantastic for dipping veggies or slathering on a sandwich. It's also freezer-friendly, so you could save it for your next batch of smashed potatoes.
Step 10: Serve. Your smashed potatoes are ready to go! They're best served immediately, and with aioli for dipping.
Frequently Asked Questions
They sure are!
Nope! In fact, I don't recommend it. The skin adds a nice texture contrast and helps the potatoes hold together.
Leftover smashed potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days. I don't recommend freezing them, as this can alter the texture. The aioli will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Place them on a lightly oiled baking sheet and pop it into a 400°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until they start to crisp back up.
More Vegan Potato Side Dishes
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📖 Recipe
Garlic Smashed Potatoes with Basil Aioli
Ingredients
For the Smashed Potatoes
- 2 pounds baby red or yellow potatoes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus a bit more for the baking sheets
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Salt, to taste
For the Basil Aioli
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water 4-8 hours, drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- ½ cup unflavored and unsweetened non-dairy milk, plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Optionally, line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper (this helps prevent sticking). Lightly oil the parchment paper (or the baking sheets, if not using parchment paper).
- Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover them with salted water (Note 1). Place the pot over high heat and bring the water to a boil. Boil the potatoes until they're tender enough to be easily pierced with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain them into a colander when done.
- Let them sit for about 10 minutes to steam dry, which will help them crisp up in the oven.
- While the potatoes boil, stir 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the garlic together in a small bowl or container.
- Arrange the potatoes on the baking sheets, evenly spacing them apart. Using a flat tool (like a spatula or the bottom of a glass), smash the potatoes to about ½ inch thick.
- Brush the tops of the potatoes with the oil and garlic mixture, then sprinkle them with salt.
- Bake the potatoes until the tops are golden brown and the edges are crispy, 35 to 40 minutes.
- While the potatoes bake, place the cashews, basil, milk, lemon juice, garlic, and salt into a blender or the bowl of a food processor fitted with an S-blade. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Taste the mixture and add additional salt or lemon juice, if desired. You can also thin the mixture with additional milk, if desired.
- Serve the potatoes immediately after they come out of the oven, with the aioli on the side or drizzled on top.
Notes
- Use about 4 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon of salt.
- This recipe makes a big batch of aioli. If you have any leftover (you probably will), use it for another batch of potatoes or another purpose (such as a sandwich dressing), or seal it in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
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yummy!
This looks delicious. What can you eat with it to make a meal? Thanks
Thank you! They'd be great alongside some portobello or tofu steaks: https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/portobello-steaks/ https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/crispy-tofu-steaks-with-caramelized-onion-gravy/