Crispy Smashed Potato Salad with crunchy sugar snap peas and a tangy dill dressing is the perfect summer side dish. It's ideal for BBQs, light garden lunches, or a quick base with some protein for dinner.
In case you're not familiar with smashed potatoes, they are boiled new potatoes that are then crushed onto a baking tray using a heavy, flat object and baked until they're all crispy. They're a real 'texture' dish as all the smashed, uneven edges and potato skins get really crispy and crackly, and then you also have some soft, fluffy potato pieces too.
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Ingredient notes
The type of potatoes that you use really matters. You need potatoes without too much water in them, so smaller, new potatoes are best. In terms of varieties, Yukon Gold and Fingerling potatoes work well, as do Vivaldi potatoes and Jersey Royals. Avoid using large potatoes for baking, such as Maris Piper or King Edward.
I like sugar snap peas in potato salad as they add more of a vibrant color and extra crunch as well as flavor. You can swap them out for green beans, broad beans, asparagus, or normal garden peas if you prefer.
The base of the smashed potato salad dressing is Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, and a ton of fresh herbs, with dill as the 'main' herb and parsley and chives as backing singers. I like dill with Dijon mustard, but you could also use tarragon. Mint and basil are also other players you could bring in as the 'main' herb.
There's a printable recipe card at the bottom of this post with quantities and step-by-step directions for how to make crispy smashed potato salad.
Prep your ingredients
- Top and tail your peas to remove the stringy bits that run down the sides. Trust me, this makes a difference. Then cut them on a bias to give them a fancy look. Blanch them in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain and set aside.
- Put the potatoes in a pan of cold salted water and bring to a boil (this lets them cook evenly). Boil the potatoes for 10-15 minutes, or until tender. Drain and let them dry completely.
The key to really crispy smashed potatoes
If there is too much steam in the potato and in the oven, they won't go super crispy. So, after boiling them, you need to let the potatoes completely steam dry before smashing them. Don't rush! Drain them in a colander and either leave them there for an hour or so or spread them out on a clean surface to speed things up. Don't put them in the fridge; this will not help us as it will make condensation form on the potatoes, and we need less moisture for optimal crispness.
Now liberally oil a baking tray and season it with salt and pepper. I also like to add some garlic powder. Place the potatoes onto it and use a mug or sturdy glass to press the potatoes down and smash them. Drizzle more oil, salt, and pepper on top.
Bake smashed potatoes in a preheated oven at 180C/355F. I find they take around 45 minutes to get super crispy, and it helps to flip them over with a spatula halfway through.
Throw everything together
Finely dice your herbs and make the mayonnaise-based dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add more lemon juice if it needs a lift.
Toss the crispy smashed potatoes with the blanched sugar snap peas and the dressing and serve.
Top tip
A pastry brush can help coat the smashed potatoes thoroughly with the oil on the tray.
How to serve
I like serving smashed crispy potato salad alongside main courses like spatchcock chicken or crispy panko chicken, but it also works well with salmon en croute with dill cream sauce. You can also put a fried egg on top of it as an easy last resort!
What if I have leftovers?
Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days. The potatoes will lose some of their crispiness but none of their deliciousness.
Can I freeze it?
No, I do not recommend freezing a smashed potato salad. It will become mush.
Useful equipment
A decent set of baking trays will do you well. Avoid really flimsy ones as they don't have very good heat distribution and can warp out of shape.
🙏🏻 If you try this recipe...
If you make this recipe, I'd love to hear how it went! Please leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe card and consider leaving a comment as well. Your feedback helps other readers and is greatly appreciated.
📖 Recipe
Crispy Smashed Potato Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
Smashed potatoes
- 750 grams (1.5 lb) new potatoes
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper
Dressing
- 4 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoon fresh dill finely chopped
- 3 tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped
- 3 tablespoon fresh chives finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- ½ lemon juiced
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
- cracked black pepper
- 160 grams (6 oz) sugar snap peas
Instructions
Prep the potatoes and peas
- Top and tail the peas and cut them on a bias into thirds.
- Blanch the peas in salted boiling water for 2 minutes, drain, and set aside.
- Place the potatoes into a large pot of salted water and bring it to a boil. Cook the potatoes for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and allow them to completely cool and dry.
Smash and bake
- Preheat the oven to 180℃/355℉.
- Add oil to two baking trays and put the cooked, dry, cooled potatoes on top.
- Use a coffee mug or other clean, hard object to squash the potatoes so they are smashed onto the tray.
- Add more oil on top and season with salt and pepper.
- Bake the smashed potatoes for 45 minutes, flipping carefully halfway.
Make the dressing
- Combine all the ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add more lemon juice if needed.
Assemble and serve
- Toss the smashed potatoes with the peas and dressing, add another squeeze of lemon, and serve.
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