Smashed Fingerlings

Oven roasted to crispy perfection, these smashed fingerlings are one delicious side dish. Easy to make and hard to resist!

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Smashed fingerlings on a baking sheet with sprigs of fresh rosemary.

Last Updated on March 29, 2022 by Betty Davies

Perfectly crispy, these roasted smashed fingerling potatoes are one delicious side dish that’s perfect for any occasion. Soft and buttery in the middle, these smashed fingerlings are seasoned with garlic and rosemary and are a great alternative to your regular roast potatoes.

Smashed fingerlings on a lined baking sheet garnished with sprigs of rosemary.

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Let’s be honest, you can never have enough potato side dishes, and when they are this delicious they are extra hard to resist!

This roasted smashed fingerlings are seriously good. With perfectly crispy edges and smooth creamy and buttery flesh, every bite is so delicious. Lightly seasoned with garlic and rosemary, they are easy to prep (no peeling needed!) and work wonderfully as a side for special occasions like Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter, but they are so delicious, you’ll want them every day!

These fingerling potatoes are not messing around!

Be sure to try my Air Fryer Fingerling Potatoes and Red Skinned Mashed Potatoes too!

Why you will love this recipe!

Easy: Just parboil the potatoes, lightly crush them and then roast them to crispy perfection. The cooking time is all hands off.
Simple ingredients: You only need 5 main ingredients to make these fingerlings, plus a little salt and pepper. All of the ingredients are easy to grab from your local store.
Perfect for feasting: These smashed fingerlings are a great way to mix up your potatoes for those special occasions, they really are a showstopper!
Dietary info: These smashed fingerling potatoes are gluten-free and vegetarian.

Smashed fingerlings on a serving plate with two forks.

Ingredients

Fingerling potatoes: These waxy potatoes have a creamy texture and a rich nutty and buttery flavor.
Oil: Use a high heat neutral flavored oil for this recipe. Canola, vegetable or avocado all work well.
Salt and pepper
Garlic: The garlic adds a great flavor to the roasted potatoes. No need to peel it, just crush it and add to the sheet pan.
Butter: Salted butter is placed on top of the potatoes before roasting to get them extra delicious, crispy and golden brown.
Rosemary: Add some fresh rosemary sprigs for extra flavor while the roast. I also like to serve them with a few fresh sprigs for garnish.

How to make smashed fingerlings

Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe!

Parboil the potatoes and place on a parchment lined baking sheet (photo 1).
Crush the potatoes lightly with a potato masher (photo 2).
Drizzle over the oil, season and add the crushed garlic cloves, pats of butter and rosemary sprigs (photo 3).
Roast until golden brown and crispy (photo 4).

Four step by step photos to show how to make the recipe.

Recipe Variations

These smashed fingerlings are pretty tasty as they are, but feel free to use other herbs like thyme or sage for a different flavor. To make these vegan, simply omit the butter or use a plant-based alternative.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make these with other potatoes?

Smashed potatoes work best with smaller whole potatoes. I love to use fingerlings, but any baby potatoes will work well.

Do you need to peel them?

Fingerlings have thin skin so there is no need to peel them, just give them a good wash to remove and loose dirt. The skin helps the potatoes to hold their shape and contain the flesh when you crush them, so for sure leave the skins on. Plus, they get super nice and crispy.

Can you cook them in an air fryer instead?

I like to oven roast these so that I can make a big batch, but if you only want to make a few then an air fryer is a great option.

Cook the fingerlings whole in the air fryer at 400F for 15 to 20 minutes til tender. Remove them and crush them on a sheet pan. Return to the air fryer, drizzle over the oil and seasonings, top with herbs, garlic and butter and cook for an additional 15 to 20 minutes til crispy.

Close up of a smashed fingerling potato.

Servings Suggestions

These smashed fingerling potatoes are super versatile and can easily be served with so many main courses where you would usually have roasted or mashed. They are great for roast dinners and perfect for the holidays. Try them with these favorite recipes:

Make Ahead, Storage and Reheating

Whenever I make roasted potatoes, I always make extra because the leftovers are so good, these smashed fingerlings are no different!

You can get ahead of things by boiling the fingerlings and then keep them covered in the fridge overnight. When ready to cook them, you can crush and season them.

Leftovers will keep well covered in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. They can EASILY be enjoyed cold, or reheat them in the oven at 400F for 10 to 15 minutes til heated through.

Recipe Notes and Tips

Add the potatoes to cold water for boiling. If you add the straight to boiling water, they won’t cook through evenly.
The boiled potatoes should be tender, but don’t overcook them or they can become dry.
Don’t go too crazy with the potato masher when you crush them. Press down firmly once and flatten them evenly, you don’t want to end up with mashed potatoes!
For best results, roast the potatoes in a fully preheated oven.
For a stronger garlic flavor, you can mince the garlic and sprinkle over the tops of the potatoes before roasting rather than crushing and adding whole.

Close up of roasted fingerling potatoes and garlic on parchment.

These smashed fingerlings are the thing of potato side dish dreams! With perfectly crispy edges and soft and buttery flesh they are irresistible! I strongly recommend you make enough for leftovers!

More Potato Side Dishes

If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to leave a star rating and a comment below!