This Crispy Smashed Potato Salad with a creamy dressing is a fun twist on classic potato salad! Perfect for a summer BBQ or family gatherings! Instead of soft potatoes typically used in potato salad, you'll make crispy potatoes by smashing them on a baking sheet and roasting them until they're golden brown.
As a dietitian, anytime I see a recipe going crazy on social media like crispy smashed potatoes have over the past few years, I know I have to give it a try! This viral smash potato salad takes an extra step to roast the potatoes and let me tell you, it's totally worth the effort!
My sister was the first person I tested this recipe with and we both loved it. So I decided to make it for a few friends, too. Everyone agreed - this is the best potato salad we've ever had. And it's a fun way to add nutrients like dietary fiber to help support gut health, vitamin C, and potassium. This is a great recipe to serve with a weeknight dinner and the perfect side dish to bring to a get-together!
If you like this recipe, you may enjoy my Dill Pickle Egg Salad or my Creamy Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad.
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Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
This Crispy Smashed Potato Salad is made with basic ingredients. Below are some ingredient notes. Be sure to check the recipe card at the bottom for measurements.
Salad Ingredients
- Baby Potatoes - I suggest Yukon gold or yellow potatoes for this recipe because they are small and they roast up nice and crispy. If you can find them, get the Melissa's Peewee yellow potatoes. They're the perfect size to smash with the bottom of a glass. If you can't find the little ones, I've made this with regular-sized yellow potatoes and it works, too! Red potatoes would work as well.
- Dill Pickles - I use kosher dills and chop them for this recipe. If you prefer, you can use dill relish, sweet pickles, or sweet relish instead. Crunchy pickles add so much flavor. If you aren't a fan of an acidic pickle, use crunchy veggies like cucumbers or celery.
- Red Onion - to add more flavor and crunch! You could use white onion, sweet yellow onions, quick pickled shallots, or green onions here instead.
- Fresh Herbs- I use fresh dill, chives, and parsley. Fresh dill is a necessity to pair with the pickles, and the chives and parsley amp up the flavor and also provide antioxidants to this creamy potato salad! I suggest using fresh herbs over dried herbs for this recipe if you can.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - to roast the potatoes. Olive oil also adds heart-healthy fatty acids that have been shown to support hormone health and brain health.
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper - to add flavor to the smash potatoes!
Potato Salad Dressing Ingredients
- Greek Yogurt - this recipe calls for Greek yogurt in place of a large amount of mayo or sour cream usually used in a traditional potato salad recipe. This makes it creamy, adds protein, and cuts down on the saturated fat. If you want an alternative, use blended cottage cheese.
- Olive Oil Mayo - I use a small amount of olive oil mayo to balance out the Greek yogurt. You can use Avocado Oil Mayo, vegan mayo or regular Mayo instead. If you prefer, you can cut out the mayo altogether and use extra Greek yogurt.
- Dijon Mustard - dijon adds more creaminess and a tangy, slightly spicy flavor. If you like yellow mustard better, you can use it instead!
- Fresh Lemon Juice - lemon juice adds citric acid which helps brighten the flavor. It also adds vitamin C for your immune system. If you prefer, you can substitute with apple cider vinegar or your vinegar of choice. It will add the same acidity.
- Garlic - fresh garlic adds flavor and some antioxidants. You can use garlic powder if you prefer.
- Salt & Black Pepper - to tie everything together.
How to Make Crispy Smashed Potato Salad
Below are the instructions for how to make this recipe with some visuals that I hope are helpful! Don't forget to check out the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe.
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425℉ (218°C) and prep a baking sheet with parchment paper sprayed with olive oil spray for easy clean up. Wash your potatoes and bring them to a boil in a large pot of cold water with a generous amount of salt over high heat. Boil the potatoes for 10-15 minutes until they are fork-tender. Then pour off the salted water and dry and cool the potatoes.
- Step 2: Once the potatoes have cooled to room temperature, add them to the baking tray and smash the potatoes with the bottom of a sturdy water glass or a small bowl in a single layer to give you a larger surface area to work with. Coat the potatoes in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes, until they are crispy. Cooking time will vary depending on your oven.
- Step 3: While the potatoes are roasting, add the dressing ingredients to a large bowl and stir to combine. Then add the red onions, chives, dills, parsley, and pickles to the bowl with the dressing.
- Step 4: When the potatoes are done roasting, add them to the large mixing bowl with the other ingredients and stir to combine.
Hint: leave a bit of space between the potatoes on the baking sheet. This will help them to crisp up! You may need to use a second tray depending on the size of the baking sheet you're using.
Video of How to Make this Crispy Smashed Potato Salad
Here is a video showing how to make this recipe that I hope is helpful!
Dietitian Tip
Simple recipe swaps like replacing sour cream and mayo traditionally added to regular potato salad with a mixture of olive oil mayo and Greek yogurt cuts down the amount of calories and saturated fats. It also adds nutrients like probiotics for gut health, protein, and calcium. You still get the creamy consistency. And the star of the show - the smashed potatoes - really shine through!
Variations
One of my favorite things about making this Crispy Smashed Potato Salad is that there are so many different ways to customize it to your taste preferences. Below are some examples, but feel free to get creative!
- Spicy - crushed add red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or hot sauce like Tapatio or tabasco to heat things up!
- High- Protein - if you want to add protein, some great options are tuna, salad, shredded chicken or white beans.
- Vegan - use a vegan mayo like this plant-based mayo from Hellman's and your favorite plant-based yogurt to make this recipe vegan.
- Greek Smashed Potato Salad - turn it in a Greek Smashed Potato Salad by replacing pickles with cucumbers and adding some kalamata olives and feta cheese.
Storage for Crispy Smashed Potato Salad
- Refrigerator - store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. This recipe is best served fresh because the potatoes won't be as crispy the next day, but it's still delicious and so flavorful!
Expert Tips
- Add the potatoes to the pot of cold water and bring the water to a boil with the potatoes in the pot to ensure they cook evenly.
- Be sure to salt your pan of cold water. This adds flavor to the potatoes and you'll drain off most of the water with the salt in it.
- Be sure to hit both sides of the potatoes with enough olive oil that they are coated. This will help them crisp up!
- Let the potatoes cool to room temperature before adding them to the other ingredients.
- Depending on the size of your potatoes, you may need to roughly chop them after they come out of the oven.
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, this is a nutrient-rich option. Potatoes provide dietary fiber to help support gut health and hormone health. And we replace a large portion of the mayo typically found in potato salad with Greek yogurt to add protein and calcium while cutting back on calories and saturated fats. Ingredients like fresh herbs, fresh lemon juice, and onions add antioxidants and vitamins & minerals.
Yes, this is a gluten-free recipe.
Absolutely! I like to add a small amount to help emulsify the Greek yogurt with the other ingredients, but you can absolutely skip it.
I suggest using fresh herbs for this smashed potato salad! They add color, texture, and flavor. With that said, if you're in a pinch, you can absolutely use dried herbs. You can do so by cutting the amount by ⅓.
Related
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Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Crispy Smashed Potato Salad:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
BEST Crispy Smashed Potato Salad (Viral Recipe, Easy)
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Potatoes
- 1.5 lb baby gold or yellow potatoes, whole and unpeeled or baby red potatoes
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for salting the water
- ½ teaspoon black pepper more to taste
For the Salad
- ½ cup dill pickles, finely chopped
- ½ cup red onions, finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh dill, loosely packed, finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon chives, chopped
For the Dressing
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil mayo or your favorite mayo
- 3.5 tablespoon lemon juice 1 large lemon
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉ (218°C) and prep a baking sheet with parchment paper sprayed with olive oil spray for easy clean up. Wash your potatoes and bring them to a boil in a large pot of cold water with a generous amount of salt over high heat. Boil the potatoes for 10-15 minutes until they are fork-tender. Then pour off the salted water and dry and cool the potatoes.
- Once the potatoes have cooled to room temperature, add them to the baking tray and smash the potatoes with the bottom of a sturdy water glass or a small bowl in a single layer to give you a larger surface area to work with. Coat the potatoes in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes, until they are crispy. Cooking time will vary depending on your oven.
- While the potatoes are roasting, add the dressing ingredients to a large bowl and stir to combine. Then add the red onions, chives, dills, parsley, and pickles to the bowl with the dressing.
- When the potatoes are done roasting, add them to the large mixing bowl with the other ingredients and stir to combine.
- Hint: leave a bit of space between the potatoes on the baking sheet. This will help them to crisp up! You may need to use a second tray depending on the size of the baking sheet you're using.
Video
Notes
- Add the potatoes to the pot of cold water and bring the water to a boil with the potatoes in the pot to ensure they cook evenly.
- Salt your pan of cold water. This adds flavor to the potatoes and you'll drain off most of the water with the salt in it.
- Be sure to hit both sides of the potatoes with enough olive oil that they are coated. This will help them crisp up!
- Let the potatoes cool to room temperature before adding them to the other ingredients.
- Depending on the size of your potatoes, you may need to roughly chop them after they come out of the oven.
- Refrigerator - store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. This recipe is best served fresh because the potatoes won't be as crispy the next day, but it's still delicious and so flavorful!
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