Mashed potatoes are wonderful, but smashed is better! These Smashed Fingerling Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary are a show-stopper, but also completely delicious with crispy edges combined with buttery and herby flavors!

Looking for a few other potato ideas? Try these Garlic Potato Wedges, Garlic Rosemary Fries, or Green Beans and Potatoes with Lemon and Dill.
If you're looking to round these out to make meal, try serving them with Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Soup, or alongside a Spinach and Arugula Salad with Strawberries.
Jump to:
As always, I do include a few affiliate links in this post for products I truly use and love. This just means that if you make a purchase after clicking one of those links, I'll earn a little money (at no cost to you) to keep the kitchen up and running, which I promise to use to create more fun content like this! One of those affiliates is with Amazon, which requires a very clear disclosure: as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you have any questions about affiliates, please reach out!
Ingredients
There are only a few things you'll need to make these Smashed Fingerling Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary.

- Fingerling potatoes: you can use either multi-colored potatoes or only golden Fingerling potatoes. Before boiling, make sure to wash them and remove any soft spots (or spots you wouldn't want to eat), as they will not be peeled.
- Garlic: you'll need fresh garlic cloves. You could also use garlic powder (1 ½ teaspoons) if you don't have fresh garlic on hand.
- Fresh rosemary: fresh rosemary is the best here!
See below recipe for detailed directions.
Instructions
This recipe has a few more steps than just making boiled mashed potatoes, but the crispy bits you get in the oven are worth it!

Thoroughly wash your potatoes and remove any bad spots you wouldn't want to eat.

Boil the potatoes for about 20 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain and let cool briefly.

Transfer the potatoes to an oiled baking sheet, giving some space between each potato.

Use the flat bottom of a sturdy glass to press the potatoes until they're about 1/1 inch thick.

Melt the butter and add the garlic and rosemary. Generously brush the potatoes with the butter mixture.

Sprinkle with salt and black pepper, then bake 25-30 minutes until crispy.
Remove the potatoes from the tray and serve immediately.
Remember that the potatoes are technically fully cooked once you remove them from the boiling water. Baking the potatoes is to get the crispy edges, and to cook the garlic and rosemary mixture, and help that soak in!
Hint: If the glass is sticking to your potatoes when you press them, spray the glass with cooking spray or brush with olive oil.

Spacing the potatoes
Spacing the potatoes on the baking sheet is important. You want them to have enough room that once they're smashed, there is still a bit of room between each. This helps to make more crispy edges. You will likely need to use two baking sheets to have enough space.
Remember, you can always move the potatoes around once they're smashed!
Variations
This is a very flexible recipe, and there are some easy variations you can make:
- Make it spicy - add a kick of spice with a little cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
- Omit the butter - if the butter doesn't make sense for you, use olive oil! This will help coat the potatoes and help them get crispy.
- Use different potatoes - I used multi-colored fingerling potatoes, but you could also use all golden fingerlings, or another variety.
Equipment
The beauty of this recipe is there isn't a lot you need to bring it together! You'll need a large pot for boiling the potatoes (I like to use a Staub 5.5 Quart Cocotte), two baking sheets, and a brush for the butter mix. I prefer using a silicone brush, as they don't melt or leave stringy hairs behind (like some of the bristle brushes do).
Storage
These potatoes store very well and make for great leftovers! Once the potatoes have cooled fully, transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat the potatoes in the microwave for 30-60 seconds.
Top tip
Go for the smash! The good news: there is no wrong way. If you smash your potatoes to be thinner than ½ inch, they'll take up quite a bit of space on your baking sheet, and you may need to bake for a shorter time so they don't burn. Other than that, thicker or thinner, they'll still be delicious!

Recipe FAQ
Yes! The potatoes are first boiled, then smashed and baked in the oven to bring the flavors together and make crispy edges.
I used multi-color fingerling potatoes for this recipe, but you could also use golden fingerling potatoes. If you use a different type of potato, the cooking times may need adjustment.
Nope! For this recipe, you'll leave the peel on.

Smashed Fingerling Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary
Ingredients
- 3 pounds fingerling potatoes
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 ½ Tablespoons fresh rosemary chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash the potatoes and remove any bad spots. Boil potatoes in a large pot of water for 20 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain and let cool slightly.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Brush two large baking sheets with olive oil. Spread the potatoes on the baking sheets, allowing space between each potaot.
- Using the flat bottom of a sturdy glass, smash the potatoes until they're ½ inch thick. If the glass is sticking to your potatoes, spray it with cooking spray or brush with olive oil.
- Melt the butter, then stir in the minced garlic and chopped rosemary. Generously brush the potatoes with the butter mixture, then sprinkel with salt and pepper.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the edges are crispy (you do not need to flip the potatoes). Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Leave a Reply