Loaded Smashed Potatoes Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

4.41 from 10 votes

Author: Becky Hardin

• ▢ 1½ pounds new potatoes golf ball size, baby reds or Yukon Golds
• ▢ 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• ▢ 1 pound thin-sliced bacon cooked crisp & crumbled
• ▢ 1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese or your favorite
• ▢ ½ cup sour cream
• ▢ 2-4 tablespoons chopped chives

• Rinse the potatoes and cut out any large dark spots. Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water by 2-inches. Add 1-tablespoon kosher salt and stir well. Bring the water to a boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer just until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15-20 minutes.

• While the potatoes boil, crisp cook and crumble the bacon. At this point, leave the rendered bacon fat in the skillet; set aside.

• Drain the potatoes, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to cool and dry.

• While the potatoes cool, adjust the oven rack to lower-middle position and set oven to 425°F. Cover a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil, and lightly spray the foil with nonstick spray. Set the baking sheet in the oven to preheat while the oven heats.

• After the baking sheet has heated 10 minutes, add 3 tablespoons rendered bacon fat to the hot pan. Return the pan to the oven so the bacon fat heats.

• Once the potatoes have cooled about 10 minutes, use a flat-bottomed cup to smash each potato to about ¼- inch thick – just enough to expose the insides but not enough that the potatoes fall apart.

• Once the bacon fat is hot, carefully remove it from the oven and sprinkle it generously with salt and pepper. Place the smashed potatoes in a single layer at least 1-inch apart on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the topside of the potatoes with salt and pepper.

• Place the pan with the potatoes in the oven and cook 10-15 minutes or until the underside of the potatoes is crispy and golden brown. Turn each potato over and cook an additional 10-20 minutes or until the other sides is golden brown and crispy.

• Transfer the potatoes to a serving plate and top with crispy, crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, sour cream and chives.

• Serve immediately.

• Enjoy!

• Choose waxy potatoes, with thin skins, and that are about the same size (about golf ball size) to ensure even cooking. Creamer-style Baby red or Baby Yukon Gold potatoes work well.
• Boil the potatoes until the are fork tender. They should still hold their shape and not be falling apart.
• Spread the potatoes in one single layer on the baking sheet. Don’t overcrowd them and use two sheets if needed.

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