Easy Smooshed Potato Recipe (Crashed Potatoes)

Smooshed potatoes, as my five year old son calls them, are a real treat at our home. The combination of creamy potato, cheese, and garlic are bound to bring any tuber lover to their knees. If you love potatoes or just need a new simple side dish to try, you will want to try this super simple recipe for Smooshed Potato recipe, also known as, Crashed Potatoes.

I was born and raised a meat and potato kind of girl. Rarely was there ever a dinner without a potato of some kind as either a side dish or in some cases the main dish. Occasionally we would have rice (and by rice I mean Rice-A-Roni) and sometimes we would have a pasta dish like spaghetti. Most nights however it was a piece of meat with a hunk of some kind of potato and another vegetable, usually green beans.

Ya know what though? I am not sad about it at all. While I love the variety that we have now in our nightly dinners, I still love and often crave the simple versatility of the potato.

When we set out to make a good ol’ pork butt this weekend, I was tempted to go down the traditional path of heavy creamy sides like baked beans and pasta salad. But I really wanted something a little less picnic and a little more upscale without all the fuss. Smooshed potatoes were just the answer I was looking for.

They are the perfect backdrop to our fresh veggies and delectable pork butt. Subtle and oh so delicious.

Why Smooshed Potatoes?

I am sure you all are wondering why in the world I keep calling them smooshed potatoes like a preschooler. Well it is because my preschooler named them and I thought it was really cute.

The kids love to watch me and help me work in the kitchen, especially the boys. There are at that sweet young age where everything I do is fascinating to them. The same cannot be said about my preteen daughter, but that subject may need to be a post in and of itself.

Grayson loved helping to smoosh the potatoes down and watching them ooze out the sides. When it was time to serve up dinner, he asked if he could pick out his favorite smooshed potato. Hence, we now call them Smooshed Potatoes verses Crashed Potatoes.

Regardless of what you choose to call them, they are simply delicious.

Making Smooshed Potatoes

You can really use any potato that you want for smooshed potatoes, but I recommend something with a thin skin and creamy texture like a Yukon Gold or Red Potato. These tend to do the best in my opinion when it comes to cooking and smooshing.

Start by covering the potatoes with water in a large pot. I add some salt in to boil with them, but it isn’t super necessary. There is plenty of salt in the garlic mixture that will go over the top. I am just a salt lover so I tend to over use honestly. Bring you taters to a boil and cook until they are tender. You want to make sure they are good and soft, because if they aren’t they will not smoosh down properly or give you that creamy texture you are looking for.

While your taters are boiling away, it is time to start on the garlic butter mixture that really takes these potatoes to the next level. In a small pan combine butter, finely minced garlic, salt, and olive oil. Let this all melt and come together over a medium low heat while your potatoes cook. Be careful to not burn your garlic. The aroma in your kitchen now should smell heavenly. This garlic butter is also great over corn on the cob, shrimp, and pasta noodles too. So simple and garlicy!

After your potatoes are soft, you will transfer them to a cast iron skillet. You can also put them on a baking sheet, but I prefer to use cast iron always. Evenly space the potatoes out, leaving enough room for them to expand with the smooshing.

Then you smoosh.

You want to make sure to not break the potato in half, so don’t smoosh too hard or too far down. The potato should still hold together. Once they are all smooshed, you will them pour the garlic butter mixture evenly over each one. Take care to not overlook the garlic bits. Those are the best part.

Finally top with bacon and cheese and bake at 400 degrees until the cheese is melted and the edges are crispy. Serve with sour cream if you really want to kick it up a notch!

Don’t these potatoes just sound amazing!!!!

Enjoy

These potatoes are such a simple side that can really elevate any meat dish. They were the perfect companion to our smoked port butt, but would also be a great partner for a surf and turf dinner! Whatever you decide to eat them along side, you will surely love them, unless you hate garlic, bacon, butter, and potatoes. In that case I am not sure we can be friends, haha.

Check out one of my other favorite potato recipes, Scalloped Potatoes. These cheese scalloped potatoes are a crowd pleaser for sure, especially served alongside my Momma’s Meatloaf. I hope you try this recipe along with some of our others here at Hackett Hill Farm. If you do, let us know what you think in the comments below! Don’t forget to check us out on Pinterest and Instagram for more recipes!

Smooshed Potatoes (aka Crashed Potatoes)

Cheesy, bacony, garlicy goodness poured over a creamy potato makes the most delectable and simple side dish

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 5 servings

Ingredients

  

• 5 medium Golden Yukon Potatoes
• 3 tbsp Butter
• 1 clove garlic minced
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 slices bacon fried and crumbled
• ¾ cup shredded colby jack cheese

Instructions

 

• In a large pot cover whole potatoes with water and bring to a boil until tender (about 10 to 15 minutes).
• Meanwhile in a small pot melt butter, garlic, olive oil, and salt over medium low heat until garlic is soft and fragrant
• Transfer to a cast iron skillet and with a potato masher or heavy pan, smoosh the potatoes slightly. Make sure to not go all the way through to the bottom. Potato should stay together
• Pour butter mixture over potatoes evenly
• Top each potato with bacon crumbles and cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes until cheese is melty and sides are a little crispy.
• Serve warm. Top with sour cream if desired

Keyword baked potato, crashed potato, easy side, Potatoes, side dish, simple

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