This easy Air Fryer Cheesy Smashed Potato recipe is ready in 30 minutes, and made entirely in the air fryer! Made with seasoned and smashed baby Yukon gold potatoes, and a layer of crispy cheese!
JUMP TO RECIPEThese crispy, cheesy potatoes with a creamy and delicious center are the perfect easy side dish to whip up on a weeknight!
Why you'll love this Smashed Potato recipe
No pots or pans required. That's right, you won't need to boil or bake anything to make these crispy, cheesy potatoes! Everything is done start to finish right in your air fryer basket! No sheet pan, no pots! Who doesn't love less work, and less dishes?!
Keeps your kitchen cool. If you're like me, and you're obsessed with your air fryer- you'll love the ease of making these potatoes without using the oven. Making crispy smashed potatoes in the air fryer is my new favorite way to make this classic side dish, mainly because it doesn't heat up my kitchen.
It's easy and versatile. This dish is super low maintenance and full of flavor, making it a great candidate for a busy weeknight side dish. Topped with either grated parmesan or asiago cheese, these potatoes are a real treat.
Ingredients
To make these crispy smashed potatoes, you will need:
- Small/baby Yukon gold potatoes, red bliss potatoes, purple potatoes or fingerlings. Use your preferred potato- just make sure it's small.
- A bit of extra virgin olive oil.
- Some melted butter.
- Seasoning: Garlic powder, smoked paprika, coarse sea salt, and fresh ground black pepper.
- Grated parmesan cheese or asiago cheese. Warning- asiago is delicious, but also stinky. If you're not down with the funk, I'd go with the parmesan.
- Fresh or dry chives, for garnish (optional)
How to make the potatoes
Pre-cook the potatoes
To make the crispy smashed potatoes in the air fryer, you'll start by cooking the washed and dried potatoes in the air fryer for 20 minutes, until they are fork tender.
Smash and season
Once the potatoes are cooked through, you'll transfer them to a sturdy surface on parchment paper or foil and "smash" them gently, with either a drinking glass or the back of a measuring cup (if you like, you could also use a potato masher). Coat them well in seasoned melted butter with a silicone brush, give them a generous sprinkle of coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper, and put them back into the air fryer.
Cook the potatoes, again (this time, with cheese)
Cover the potatoes evenly with grated cheese, and cook for 10-15 minutes more, until the cheese and potatoes are crisp and golden brown!
Note: For the first cook, you can just throw the potatoes right into the air fryer, and they'll cook evenly. When doing the second cook/crisping the potatoes, be sure to space your potatoes evenly, so that each potato is in contact with the air fryer basket. This will ensure all the potatoes crisp evenly.
Serving suggestions
These yummy potatoes are perfect as is, or with a little dollop of sour cream! They are my favorite side dish to just about any protein. I love to serve them alongside some juicy grilled steak, chicken, or fish. If you've got leftovers, they are make great breakfast potatoes!
What kind of potatoes are best for this recipe?
You want to use small potatoes for this recipe. Make sure the potatoes are relatively uniform in size. I love the creaminess of a baby Yukon golds, but you can use small red potatoes, purple potatoes, or fingerling potatoes for this recipe as well.
Note: If you're using the super tiny "petite" potatoes, give them a check at around the 15 minute mark to make sure they don't overcook.
Looking for more great side dishes?
If you love this crispy smashed potatoes recipe, you'll love these tasty potato recipes, too!
- Air Fryer Rosemary Crispy Potatoes
- Microwave Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Browned Butter Boursin Mashed Potatoes
Air Fryer Cheesy Smashed Potatoes Recipe
Equipment
- air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs Small/baby Yukon gold potatoes
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon melted butter
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ cup grated parmesan or asiago cheese
- coarse salt
- fresh ground black pepper
- Fresh or dry chives, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Clean, dry and cook potatoes at 400 for 20 minutes (no need to preheat!) until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. 2. Transfer potatoes to large sturdy surface such as a sheet pan, counter or cutting board lined with parchment paper or foil, and smash gently with the back of measuring cup or glass. 3. Whisk together olive oil, melted butter, garlic powder, smoked paprika. 4. Brush potatoes generously with butter mixture, and season with coarse sea salt and black pepper. 5. Add back to air fryer (seasoned side up) and top evenly with grated cheese. 6. Cook at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes more, until crispy.
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