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Garlic & Herb Smashed Red Potatoes – an easy, inexpensive and filling side dish with plenty of flavor from the garlic, green onions and fresh parsley – and butter too!
Crushed, smashed and mashed potatoes have been family favorites for generations. There’s no denying the simple universal appeal of the potato! Fried, smashed, boiled or grilled, potatoes are a pretty awesome vegetable. They will stay fresh for up to 12 months when stored in a commercial setting designed for potatoes. When storing at home, potatoes will last about 2 weeks in a cool, dark location, but refrigeration is not recommended. When stored below 39F, the potatoes’ starch turns into sugar and this can alter the taste in addition to health concerns when consumed. Check out this interesting article about the potato on Wikipedia.
Potatoes can be made into candy, casseroles, chips, french fries and are a wonderful addition to soups and stews.
Other than the carbs, we sure love the spud!! For this recipe we used about 1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes. Try to pick potatoes that are small and similar in size since they will be boiled whole. The potatoes cook pretty evenly and will all be done about the same time. When checking to see if they are cooked through, slide a small thin paring knife into the fattest potato. If the knife slides in and out easily, the potatoes are done! Salting the water helps build flavor into the potatoes, but you can leave it out if watching your salt intake. They will however, require seasoning before serving.
Why are the potatoes smashed in this recipe?
Potatoes have a nice earthy flavor but let’s face it, putting butter on the outside does nothing to amp up the fluffy, starchy middle. That’s where lightly crushing the potatoes comes in. Mashed potatoes are popular for that reason too. It’s easy to add creaminess and flavor in the form of milk, sour cream or even cheese to whipped potatoes. Potatoes are almost meant to be enhanced with our favorite add-ins. This recipe adds plenty of herby flavor without the fuss of whipping with milk or cream. Don’t get me wrong, I adore mashed potatoes but then I want gravy too – and it’s all downhill from there – haha. This recipe is great for a quick and easy side dish, and good enough to serve to company. Enjoy!
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Garlic & Herb Smashed Red Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds small red potatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 large cloves garlic minced
- 2 green onions (scallions) sliced thin, whites and greens parts separated
- 3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the potatoes and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to medium-high. Continue cooking until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. To test if the potatoes are done, slip a small paring knife into one of the larger potatoes. If it slips in and out easily, the potatoes are done. Drain the potatoes in a colander.
- Return the empty pot to the stove-top and add the butter. Once melted, add the garlic and the sliced white portions of the green onions. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant, about 30-45 seconds. Remove from the heat and add the remaining green portions of the onions and the chopped parsley. Carefully add the cooked potatoes to the butter mixture. Using the back of a fork or a large spoon, gently press down on each potato until the skin breaks and the potato smashes just a little. Continue until all potatoes are lightly crushed. Gently stir the potatoes and the butter mixture together until combined. Some of the potatoes will break down but this is okay. Season with salt and pepper to taste then serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
- The potatoes will need seasoned with salt and pepper. Be sure to check the seasoning before serving.
Nutrition
Here are a few more of our favorite potato recipes you might enjoy:
Duchess Potatoes ~ pillowy soft mashed potatoes piped into swirls, drizzled with butter and baked to golden, puffy perfection. Â So easy and pretty too! Click HERE to get the easy recipe!
Melting Butter Potatoes – Easy roasted potatoes that are crispy on the outside with a fluffy and creamy middle. The fresh thyme and garlic really come through. You gotta love a good spud! Click HERE to get the recipe!
Homemade Potato Gnocchi ~ pillowy soft, delicious potato dough dumplings ~ if that description doesn’t grab you right away, maybe you’ll be enticed by how simple they are to make!  Cooked like pasta and combined with your favorite sauce, this Italian staple is a must make right in your own kitchen. Click HERE to get the recipe and watch the how-to video!
I love to season my recipes with fresh ground black pepper. Peppercorns are widely available in many grocery stores now. If you don’t have one, grab an inexpensive pepper mill or pepper grinder and see what a difference fresh ground makes! Click on the photo for more information:
If you decide to purchase something at Amazon after following my affiliate link, I receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you, which I use to pay for web hosting and services for this blog. Thanks for supporting SRFD! Â
Another great potato recipe is the Twice Baked Potato. Check out this easy version from Ree at The Pioneer Woman. For a gorgeous presentation, don’t miss this recipe for Rosemary Roasted Rainbow Potatoes from Sue at The View from Great Island. And finally, pop-over and take a look at these Crispy Parmesan Potato Stacks from Simply Recipes. They look so good and super crispy, yum.
Thanks so much for stopping by! Â Have a wonderful day. Tricia
CYNTHIA BLAIR
In step 2, you say “add the cooked potatoes to the butter mixture.” What butter mixture? There has been no discussion/mention of a butter mixture. 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of butter is listed as an ingredient but no mixture.
Tricia Buice
Hi Cynthia. You must have missed the first part of Step 2. It reads: “Return the empty pot to the stove-top and add the butter.Once melted add the garlic and the sliced white portions of the green onions.Sauté, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant, about 30-45 seconds.Remove from the heat and add the remaining green portions of the onions and the chopped parsley. Carefully add the cooked potatoes to the butter mixture.”
Mary Bowling
It was good! The family enjoyed it.
Tricia Buice
Thanks Mary! We love these potatoes too 😉
Nancy
I made these potatoes tonight with crock pot baby back ribs and a can of corn. They were a big hit and my family asked when will I be making them again! Thank you for posting this recipe.
Tricia Buice
That sounds wonderful Nancy – I’m so glad your family enjoyed these potatoes. We LOVE them too and bet they were perfect with ribs. I’m working on a slow-cooker rib recipe – hope they turn out good too!
Janet Paula
Do you cover the pot while the potatoes are boiling? Thank you.
Tricia Buice
Hi Janet – no I don’t cover the pot but if you want to use a lid, just keep it tilted to vent. Great question! Hope you love them too – soooo good!
Karen (Back Road Journal)
This is one of my favorite kind of potatoes…I especially like them with a piece of pan sautéed fish.
Tricia Buice
The perfect meal Karen – thanks!
Susan
Your potato shots have my mouth watering! There is nothing like garlic, parsley and BUTTER to turn the lowly spud into something wonderful 🙂
Tricia Buice
Thank you Susan – I agree 😉
Gerlinde
I have a sack of little potatoes in my pantry and your recipe is perfect for them . Thanks and happy Birthday.
Tricia Buice
Aww thanks Gerlinde. We had a lovely time at the beach and it was a real treat to have my whole family with me on my birthday. Have a great week and thanks again 😉
Chris Scheuer
Yummy! I have such a weakness for potatoes and this way of preparing them looks wonderful. I love how versatile potatoes are. You’ve given them brand new clothes!
Tricia Buice
Weakness is a good way to describe it Chris – thank you!!
Abbe@This is How I Cook
You know I’m a potato lover and these I would surely love. I do love smashed potatoes ad I’m so with you on the gravy!
Tricia Buice
Thanks Abbe!
Larry
I’ve never met a potato I didn’t like and you have two of my favorites here with the herbed garlic and fried in butter versions. They all look delicious.
Tricia Buice
I’m with you Larry – thanks so much!
Pam
Great, Tricia! Your potatoes look really delicious! I love roasted potatoes and am going to make this when it’s cooler, right now I’m trying to get my fill of fresh local sweet corn. And those green onions are perfect for the potatoes, just a few simple ingredients works for me. Thanks for posting! Take care
Tricia Buice
Thanks Pam – I just love the fresh corn too and can’t get enough 😉 Simple is best!
sue | theviewfromgreatisland
I just tried smashing potatoes for the first time ever the other day and boy have I been missing out! These look pretty darned delicious, pinning and sharing 🙂
Tricia Buice
Thank you Sue – we love them too!
angiesrecipes
wow this looks so good with red potatoes! Garlic and herb..awesome flavour!
Tricia Buice
Thanks Angie – garlic and potatoes go great together 🙂
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
Nothing nicer than a big plate of fabulous potatoes! Such a simple, but delicious way to enjoy them 🙂
Tricia Buice
Thanks Jennifer.