Crispy edges make this smashed potato salad stand apart from a traditional boiled potato salad. Instead of folding soft potatoes straight into dressing, baby new potatoes are boiled until tender, flattened, seasoned, and roasted until deeply golden and crisp. Only then are they carefully coated in a cool, creamy herb dressing.
The contrast is what makes the recipe work. You get crunchy roasted potatoes alongside a dressing made with mayonnaise, Greek-style yoghurt, lemon, garlic, pickled gherkins, cucumber, red onion, chives, and dill. Piri piri and chicken seasoning add plenty of savoury flavour to the potatoes, while the fresh herbs and lemon keep the finished salad from feeling too rich.
This is a potato salad where a few simple techniques make a noticeable difference.
- Boiling the baby potatoes first gives you soft centres before they go into the oven.
- Flattening each potato creates extra surface area that can turn crisp and golden.
- Steam-drying the potatoes before roasting helps prevent excess moisture from getting in the way of crisping.
- Mayonnaise and Greek-style yoghurt make the dressing creamy without relying on mayonnaise alone.
- Pickled gherkins, lemon, red onion, cucumber, chives, and dill bring acidity, freshness, and crunch.
- The cooked potatoes are cooled before dressing, helping preserve more of their crisp roasted texture.
Why Smashed Potatoes Change The Texture
The defining step in this smashed potato salad is what happens after the potatoes are boiled.
Baby new potatoes are naturally well suited to this method because they can be cooked whole until fork tender, then gently pressed flat without needing to be chopped first. Pressing them with the bottom of a glass breaks the surface and creates thin, uneven edges.
Those edges matter. A whole boiled potato has relatively little exposed surface area. Once flattened, much more of the potato touches the hot baking tray and oven air. The rough edges also collect seasoning and olive oil.
That is what gives you the crisp exterior that makes this recipe different from a conventional creamy potato salad.
The goal isn’t to completely crush the potatoes. You want them flattened enough to create plenty of edges while remaining in individual pieces that can later be folded into the dressing.
Steam-Dry The Potatoes Before Roasting
One of the easiest ways to lose crispness is to move wet potatoes straight from the saucepan to the oven.
After the potatoes have simmered for 25-30 minutes and become fork tender, the recipe calls for letting them steam dry completely. This isn’t an unnecessary pause. Moisture sitting on the outside of the potatoes has to evaporate before browning can really get going.
Give the potatoes enough opportunity to release that surface moisture before placing them on the lined baking tray.
Once dry, arrange them with enough room around each potato before flattening. Overcrowding traps more moisture around the potatoes and gives the exposed surfaces less opportunity to become crisp.
The Ingredients Behind The Creamy, Tangy Dressing
The dressing works because it brings together several different types of flavour and texture. Mayonnaise provides richness, while Greek-style yoghurt lightens the base with extra tang.
Lemon and pickled gherkins bring more acidity, which is especially useful against crispy potatoes coated in olive oil and savoury seasoning.
Fresh cucumber and red onion contribute crunch. Chives and dill bring a fresh herbal flavour that runs through the creamy mixture rather than simply sitting on top as garnish.
Before making the dressing, these are the ingredients that have the biggest impact on the final salad.
- Baby new potatoes: Their small size lets you boil them whole and flatten them into individual crispy pieces.
- Chicken and piri piri seasoning: These coat the smashed potatoes before roasting and build the savoury, lightly spicy layer of the salad.
- Mayonnaise: This provides the richer part of the creamy dressing and helps it cling to the roasted potatoes.
- Greek-style yoghurt: Used in the same amount as the mayonnaise, it adds creaminess with a tangier finish.
- Lemon and garlic: Lemon juice brightens the dressing while garlic adds a sharper savoury note.
- Pickled gherkins: These contribute acidity, saltiness, and small crunchy pieces throughout the dressing.
- Chives and dill: The fresh herbs balance the rich dressing and are also useful for finishing the salad before serving.
Make The Dressing While The Potatoes Cook
Because the potatoes need 25-30 minutes to become fork tender, that cooking time is a convenient opportunity to prepare the dressing.
Combine the mayonnaise, Greek-style yoghurt, lemon juice, and garlic first. This creates an even creamy base before the chopped ingredients go in.
Next, finely dice the pickled gherkins, cucumber, red onion, chives, and dill. Cutting these ingredients finely helps them distribute through the dressing, so you get a little acidity, crunch, onion, and herbs in each portion rather than large pieces dominating individual bites.
Once everything is combined, season the dressing to taste with salt and pepper.
The dressing then goes into the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble the salad. This also means the dressing is cool by the time it meets the roasted potatoes.
Roast Until Completely Crisp And Golden
The oven stage is where the texture of this salad is decided.
Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius while the potatoes are boiling. Once the potatoes are fork tender and completely steam dried, transfer them to a large lined baking tray.
Use the bottom of a glass to flatten each potato. Give them enough space rather than squeezing as many as possible onto one area of the tray.
Sprinkle the smashed potatoes with the seasoning mix. The recipe uses 1 tbsp each chicken + piri piri seasoning. Smoked paprika + garlic powder are given as another seasoning option.
Drizzle the potatoes generously with olive oil before roasting.
They need 30-45 minutes in the oven and should be turned halfway through. The target is not simply cooked potatoes because they are already cooked from boiling. You are looking for potatoes that have become completely crisp + golden.
If the tray looks too dry during roasting, the supplied method allows you to add a splash more olive oil if required.
Cool The Potatoes Before Adding The Dressing
Once the potatoes come out of the oven, it may be tempting to mix them into the dressing immediately. This recipe takes a different approach and allows the roasted potatoes to cool first.
That timing makes sense for a crispy potato salad. The potatoes have just spent 30-45 minutes developing a crisp surface, and immediately covering very hot potatoes in a cool creamy dressing would soften that exterior more quickly.
After they have cooled, place half of the prepared dressing into a large mixing bowl.
Add the potatoes and carefully mix them until coated. Gentle mixing matters here because the smashed potatoes have plenty of thin, crisp edges that can break apart if stirred too vigorously.
You don’t need to pour in all the dressing from the beginning. Start with 1/2 the dressing as directed, then add more as required. This lets you control how heavily coated the potatoes become.
Finish with more fresh herbs if you like, then serve the salad as a side or simply enjoy it on its own.
How To Keep Smashed Potato Salad Crispy
The biggest challenge with a creamy smashed potato salad is maintaining some of the crispness you worked to create in the oven.
Several parts of the supplied method help with this. First, the potatoes are allowed to steam dry completely before roasting. Second, they’re given room on the baking tray instead of being overcrowded. Third, they’re roasted for 30-45 minutes until completely crisp + golden.
Then comes another useful detail: they’re allowed to cool before they’re mixed with the dressing.
The final mixing should also be careful. The purpose isn’t to mash the crispy potatoes into the dressing. You want each flattened potato to receive a creamy coating while retaining as much of its structure as possible.
Starting with only half the dressing helps as well. You can add more if the salad needs it instead of immediately saturating the roasted potatoes.
Smashed Potato Salad Ingredients
The ingredient list has two clear parts: the seasoned crispy potatoes and the cool herb dressing. Keep the potatoes whole for boiling, then flatten them only after they are tender and dry.
For the Crispy Potatoes
- 750g baby new potatoes
- Seasoning mix: 1 tbsp each chicken + piri piri seasoning (or use smoked paprika + garlic powder)
- Salt
- Pepper
- Olive oil
For the Creamy Herb Dressing
- 3 tbsp mayo
- 3 tbsp greek style yoghurt
- 1 lemon
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tbsp pickled gherkins
- 2 tbsp cucumber
- 2 tbsp red onion
- 2 tbsp chives
- 2 tbsp dill
- Salt
- Pepper
How To Make Smashed Potato Salad
The process is built around three stages: boiling the potatoes, roasting them until crisp, and carefully folding them into the chilled dressing. Don’t rush the drying or cooling stages because both help create the intended texture.
- Boil the potatoes. Put the 750g baby new potatoes into a pot of cold, salted water. Bring the water to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 25-30 minutes. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees celsius.
- Prepare the dressing. While the potatoes cook, combine the 3 tbsp mayo, 3 tbsp greek style yoghurt, lemon juice, and 1 garlic clove in a mixing bowl. Finely dice the 2 tbsp pickled gherkins, 2 tbsp cucumber, 2 tbsp red onion, 2 tbsp chives, and 2 tbsp dill, then add them to the bowl. Mix everything thoroughly and season to taste with salt + pepper. Refrigerate the dressing until serving.
- Let the potatoes dry. When the potatoes are fork tender, drain them and allow them to steam dry completely before moving on to the roasting stage.
- Smash and season. Arrange the dried potatoes on a large lined baking tray without overcrowding. Use the bottom of a glass to flatten each potato. Sprinkle over your chosen seasonings, using 1 tbsp each chicken + piri piri seasoning or smoked paprika + garlic powder, then drizzle generously with olive oil.
- Roast until crisp. Roast the smashed potatoes at 190 degrees celsius for 30-45 minutes, turning them halfway through, until completely crisp + golden. Add a splash more olive oil if required during roasting.
- Cool before dressing. Once cooked, allow the roasted potatoes to cool.
- Coat and finish. Spoon 1/2 the dressing into a large mixing bowl, add the cooled potatoes, and mix carefully until fully coated. Add more dressing as required, then finish with more fresh herbs if you like. Serve as a side, or simply enjoy.
Smashed Potato Salad
Ingredients
Method
- Boil the potatoes. Put the 750g baby new potatoes into a pot of cold, salted water. Bring the water to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 25-30 minutes. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees celsius.
- Prepare the dressing. While the potatoes cook, combine the 3 tbsp mayo, 3 tbsp greek style yoghurt, lemon juice, and 1 garlic clove in a mixing bowl. Finely dice the 2 tbsp pickled gherkins, 2 tbsp cucumber, 2 tbsp red onion, 2 tbsp chives, and 2 tbsp dill, then add them to the bowl. Mix everything thoroughly and season to taste with salt + pepper. Refrigerate the dressing until serving.
- Let the potatoes dry. When the potatoes are fork tender, drain them and allow them to steam dry completely before moving on to the roasting stage.
- Smash and season. Arrange the dried potatoes on a large lined baking tray without overcrowding. Use the bottom of a glass to flatten each potato. Sprinkle over your chosen seasonings, using 1 tbsp each chicken + piri piri seasoning or smoked paprika + garlic powder, then drizzle generously with olive oil.
- Roast until crisp. Roast the smashed potatoes at 190 degrees celsius for 30-45 minutes, turning them halfway through, until completely crisp + golden. Add a splash more olive oil if required during roasting.
- Cool before dressing. Once cooked, allow the roasted potatoes to cool.
- Coat and finish. Spoon 1/2 the dressing into a large mixing bowl, add the cooled potatoes, and mix carefully until fully coated. Add more dressing as required, then finish with more fresh herbs if you like. Serve as a side, or simply enjoy.
Notes
Pro Tips
For the crispiest smashed potato salad, let the boiled potatoes steam dry completely before roasting, since excess moisture can keep the edges soft. Give the potatoes plenty of space on the baking tray so they roast rather than steam, and press them gently with the bottom of a glass so they flatten without falling apart. Be generous with the olive oil, and turn the potatoes halfway through cooking to help both sides become golden and crisp. Once roasted, allow them to cool before adding the dressing, as very hot potatoes can quickly soften the crispy exterior. Start with only half of the dressing, then add more as needed so the salad stays creamy without becoming too wet. Finally, fold everything together gently and finely chop the gherkins, cucumber, red onion, chives, and dill so the fresh, tangy flavours are evenly distributed throughout the salad.Can I Make Smashed Potato Salad In An Air Fryer?
Possibly, but the supplied recipe presents the air fryer as an untested idea rather than a confirmed method.
The potatoes would still need to be boiled until fork tender and flattened before crisping. However, the air-fryer temperature, cooking time, capacity, and amount you can cook at once may require experimentation.
For the method as written, roasting at 190 degrees celsius for 30-45 minutes is the established approach.
What Can I Use Instead Of Chicken And Piri Piri Seasoning?
The recipe gives smoked paprika + garlic powder as another seasoning option.
This changes the flavour profile while keeping the same general idea of generously seasoning the flattened potatoes before they go into the oven.
Why Do The Potatoes Need To Steam Dry?
The recipe specifically calls for the boiled potatoes to steam dry completely before they’re smashed and roasted.
Removing surface moisture gives the potatoes a better opportunity to become crisp and golden in the oven. Wet potatoes need to lose that moisture before their exposed surfaces can brown effectively.
Why Start With Only Half The Dressing?
Adding 1/2 the dressing first gives you more control over the final consistency.
The smashed potatoes already have crisp surfaces and plenty of seasoning. Starting with less dressing allows you to coat them without immediately overwhelming that texture. You can then add more dressing as required.
Can I Serve The Dressing Separately?
The recipe is designed for the potatoes to be carefully coated with the dressing before serving. Starting with half and adding more as needed means you can control how creamy the finished salad becomes.
Any additional dressing can be added according to the consistency you prefer rather than using all of it automatically.
Conclusion
his smashed potato salad brings together everything you want in a satisfying side dish: crisp golden edges, soft potato centres, and a cool, creamy dressing packed with fresh flavour. The combination of mayonnaise and Greek-style yoghurt keeps the dressing rich but balanced, while lemon, garlic, gherkins, cucumber, red onion, chives, and dill add brightness, crunch, and freshness.
The key is giving the potatoes enough time to steam dry, roast until completely crisp, and cool before mixing. Those simple steps help preserve the texture that makes this version different from a classic potato salad. Starting with only half the dressing also gives you better control over how creamy the finished dish becomes.
Serve it alongside grilled meats, sandwiches, picnic dishes, or other summer sides. It also works well on its own when you want something comforting but fresh. With crispy potatoes and a tangy herb dressing, this smashed potato salad delivers plenty of texture in every bite.
