These crispy air fryer smashed potatoes are coated in parmesan and served with a simple creamy mustard sauce. They are made in an air fryer, so the exterior gets super crispy while the centers stay light and fluffy, all with just a touch of oil!

Smashing vegetables is all the rage these days. Whether it's smashed broccoli, Brussels sprouts or even beets, the trend of cooking flattened vegetables is here to stay. And that's with good reason: smashing vegetables increases the surface area, allowing for the exterior to get browned and crispy. And potatoes are still one of our favorite vegetables to give the smash treatment to, thanks to their consistency and versatility.

The Ingredients that Matter

Baby Gold Potatoes. These small yellow potatoes are waxy (meaning they have a good amount of moisture). As such, the interiors will stay light and fluffy through the relatively long cook time. They are also the perfect size for an air fryer. We tested with purple and red baby potatoes, and while they worked, we preferred the flavor and texture of the yellows for this smashed potato recipe.
Olive Oil. The olive oil is used twice in this recipe, for the initial air fry that cooks the potatoes enough to actually smash, and the final cook that makes the potatoes crispy. And since the recipe is made in the air fryer, you only need a couple tablespoons of oil. Plus, a brush of oil on the par-cooked and smashed potatoes helps the grated parmesan cheese stick to the potatoes.
Grated Parmesan Cheese. Parmesan adds an additional crispy layer on these smashed potatoes, but it's important to reach for a fine grated cheese. Buying pre-grated cheese will work fine, but we always recommend grating from a block as it's guaranteed to be fresh (some packaged grated parm may be old and taste stale). If grating your own, use the small holes on a box grater instead of shredding on the large holes. Or use a microplane grater.

About the Technique

Pre-Cook the Potatoes. In order to smash the potatoes and get that nice crispy skin and pillowy interior, you need to be able to actually smash the potatoes. So par-cooking the potatoes in the air fryer is required. Sure, you could steam or microwave them, but since the final step is to air fry the smashed potatoes until crispy, you may as well par-cook in the same air fryer!
Get Smashing. Once the potatoes are tender and soft, let them cool slightly then get smashing. Place a potato on a clean cutting board, plate or sheet tray and use the bottom of a flat surface, like a glass, mug or measuring cup to flatten to about ¼"- to ⅛"-inch thick. Start slowly to get a feel for how much pressure you'll need (you want to avoid flattening so much they fall apart). Bonus tip: Making a big batch? Place all the potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet then place another sheet on top and press down to flatten them all at once.
Coat in Parmesan. Perhaps the biggest challenge to this recipe is getting the parmesan to stick to the potatoes. That's where the oil and brush come in handy. Brush the potatoes in 1 tablespoon of oil, add to cheese and gently press. Then, to be sure the cheese will stick, sprinkle with more cheese and press again. Carefully transfer to the basket of the air fryer, and cook another 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.

What about other toppings?

Not a parmesan cheese fan? Try these other topping suggestions:

Southwest. Add 1 teaspoon each chili powder and garlic powder. Serve with lime wedges, sour cream, cilantro and salsa.
Vegan. Swap in ¼ cup of nutritional yeast for the parmesan cheese along with 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary.
Ranch. Toss par-cooked potatoes in a couple teaspoons of ranch seasoning. Or, make your own with onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper and dried dill. Serve topped with chopped fresh chives and ranch dressing on the side.
Sweet and Spicy. Sprinkle par-cooked potatoes with a big pinch each of togarashi and granulated sugar. Serve with a sauce made of equal parts mayonnaise, sour cream and hot sauce to your taste.
Salt Potatoes. Inspired by the Central New York famous salt potatoes, finish the smashed potatoes with a healthy brush of melted butter and a big pinch of salt.

Looking for more sides? See our complete round-up of healthy and easy side dishes.

We tested this recipe on the Instant Vortex Plus 6-quart Stainless Steel Air Fryer. While this post is NOT sponsored by Instant Pot, we do recommend this air fryer for its odor erase technology that helps reduce odors. Plus, we love the window and internal light so we can see our food as it cooks.

Recipe

Air Fryer Smashed Parmesan Potatoes

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Author: Adam Dolge
Total Time: 45
Yield: About 3 cups 1x

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Description

These air fryer smashed potatoes are coated in crispy parmesan cheese. The insides are light and fluffy while the exterior is crispy and delicious.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 ½ lbs. baby yellow potatoes
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. table salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
½ cup (about 1 ½ oz.) grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. sour cream
2 Tbsp. whole grain mustard
1 Tbsp. prepared horseradish (optional)
chopped fresh parsley for serving

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Instructions

Preheat an air fryer to 400°F. Toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the oil and sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Toss well to coat. Transfer potatoes to the basket of the air fryer and cook until tender and soft, 20 minutes.
Remove potatoes to a clean work surface and cool for 5 minutes. Smash potatoes to about ¼"- to ⅛"-inch thick with the back of a glass or measuring cup. Brush with remaining oil the sprinkle and press cheese onto potatoes. Return potatoes to the air fryer basket (depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to do this in 2 batches) in a single layer and cook until crispy and golden brown, another 10 to 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining potatoes, if needed.
While potatoes cook, stir together mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard and horseradish (if using). Spread on a platter and top with potatoes. Sprinkle with parsley and more cheese. Serve immediately.

Notes

These potatoes are best served immediately. Leftovers may be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in an air fryer.
Baby gold potatoes work best, baby red or purple will also work.

Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 35
Category: Sides
Method: Air Fryer
Cuisine: American