Smashed Potatoes (No-Fry!) With Creamy Feta Spread

You guys. Want to know what inspired this recipe? These amazing t-shirts. All of their designs and slogans are incredible and I want them all. Anyways, back to these potatoes. Why haven't I always smashed my potatoes? The genius is that when you smash, you create maximum surface area for crispy skins! Yes! So let's talk about different components for our perfect little spud.

HOW TO COOK THE POTATOES

So, you have two options here, which I describe in the recipe. Ideally, you boil the potatoes first, then roast. However, I know that sometimes you just are NOT in the mood to have an extra pot to wash and you've got 100 other things to do. Fine, no problem. These can be made entirely in the oven on a single baking dish! Choose your own adventure.

WHAT ABOUT THE SAUCE THE POTATOES COOK IN?

Oh, the sauce. We've got so many elements layered together. Lemon zest, for brightness. Thyme, for earthiness. Garlic, because garlic and potatoes are a match made in heaven. Oil and vinegar. And my secret ingredients, which I learned to use more freely from the one and only Alison Roman: anchovy paste. Now, don't run away! Trust me this will NOT TASTE FISHY. The anchovy paste just gives it that salty, addictive flavor (kind of like caesar dressing) that we all know and love. Trust.

AND HOW ABOUT THE CREAMY FETA SPREAD?

I mean, these potatoes on their own are spectacular, but doesn't a french fry taste better when you can dunk it in ketchup or mayo or malt vinegar or whatever your heart desires? The answer, dear friends, is YES. So for this recipe, I made a super easy, creamy feta sauce to sit under the smashed potatoes. You can make it by hand or in the food processor, and you can get flexible. The recipe calls for sour cream and mayo in addition to feta, but the basic formula is soft cheese + creamy dairy + mayo (or similar) + acid. If you didn't have feta, use goat cheese. If you didn't have sour cream, use yogurt. Be flexible.

WHAT SHOULD I TOP IT WITH?

A shower of parsley and some Maldon salt. If you don't have a box of Maldon in the house, get one stat. This salt is the gold standard of flaky salt, and I love it for finishing. You don't cook with it, you just finish the dish with it. It's good on absolutely anything, but especially delicious on things like avocado toast, pasta, these potatoes, a shoe... just kidding. There is nothing that won't be better with a sprinkle of Maldon.

Crispy Smashed Potatoes With Creamy Feta Spread

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★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Jane
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Description

salty smashed potatoes get paired with cool, creamy feta spread and covered in parsley + flaky salt!

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

For the Smashed Potatoes:

• 1 lb. of small potatoes (preferably Yukon Gold or similar)
• 1/4 cup olive oil (extra-virgin)
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar (or similar)
• 1 tsp anchovy paste (optional but recommended)
• 2-3 cloves of garlic (minced or grated on microplane)
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme (if using dried, 1/2 tsp will suffice *if you don’t have thyme, use an alternative! fresh or dried rosemary, oregano, or dill would all work really well)
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 tsp salt (I used fine sea salt)
• fresh cracked black pepper

For the Feta Sauce:

• 1/4 lb. of feta cheese
• 1/4 cup of mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup of sour cream
• juice of 1/2 lemon (you can use the lemon you previously zested)
• fresh chopped parsley + flaky salt (for sprinkling on top)

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Instructions

1. You have two choices here: either parboil the potatoes or cook them entirely in the oven. I find that parboiling creates softer potatoes, which I personally love. However, it’s more annoying because you have to boil water and then have an extra pot to cook so…. up to you. Option 1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook for on a medium heat for 20 minutes. Drain and place on a large baking sheet. Option 2: Preheat the oven to 400º. Place potatoes on a large baking sheet with 1/2 cup of water. Bake for 20 minutes then remove from the oven.
2. While the potatoes cook, whisk together all of the remaining ingredients for the sauce: extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, anchovy paste, lemon zest, garlic, thyme, 1/2 tsp salt, big pinch of fresh black pepper.
3. Once the potatoes are out of the oven, pour sauce over them and give the pan a good shake. Make sure the potatoes are covered in the sauce. Place into a 400º oven for 15 more minutes.
4. While the potatoes cook, make your sauce. Add feta, sour cream, mayo, lemon juice to a large shallow bowl. Mash the feta really well and then combine with the remaining ingredients to create a sauce. You can also goat cheese as an alternative, but you may need to add a pinch of salt in this case. If you wanted, you could also blend this in a food processor for a creamier sauce but I usually just do it by hand.
5. After 15 minutes, pull the potatoes. Using a flat bottomed glass and gently smash each potato. You will need to rock the cup back and forth a little. Once you see the potato burst open, stop. Don’t overdo it or the potatoes will completely break apart, which we don’t want. We want them fairly intact.
6. After smashing all of the potatoes, put them back in the oven on a LOW BROIL for 5 minutes. After that, they’re done!
7. Spread some of the creamy feta sauce on the bottom of your serving plate. Top with smashed potatoes. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and flaky maldon salt (if using!)
8. Enjoy!

• Category: Side Dish
• Method: Boil + Broil
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: smashed potatoes, creamy feta spread