A couple of weeks ago I made a tray of Mexican smashed potatoes for a potluck. I prepared 15 pounds of potatoes for about 20 people thinking it would be enough. Boy, was I wrong. These elote corn-inspired potatoes spiced with chili powder, topped with cotija and crispy shallots, and served with avocado lime cream were a hit. There's just something about crispy creamy potatoes that always hits the spot and these definitely hit the mark.
Mexican Smashed Potatoes
Ingredients
Mexican smashed potatoes
- 1 lb new potatoes
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup crumbled cotija
- ¼ cup crispy shallots
Avocado lime crema
- 1 avocado pit removed
- ½ cup Greek yogurt plain
- 2 tbsp cilantro
- juice of ½ lime
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Put the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Drain the potatoes. Use a mallet or the back of a knife to lightly smash the potatoes. Gently toss them with the olive oil, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Spread the potatoes on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Flip the potatoes over and bake for another 7-8 minutes or until golden brown.
- While the potatoes are roasting, make the avocado lime crema. Blend together the avocado with yogurt, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper until smooth. Set aside.
- Transfer the potatoes to a serving platter. Garnish with the chopped cilantro, cotija, and crispy shallots. Serve hot with the avocado lime crema.
**Helpful tips and common mistakes
Smashed potatoes take a little bit more work than regular roasted potatoes but that extra effort always pays off. Plus, it's just fun smashing food, no?
To make this Mexican-inspired version, start by boiling new potatoes for about 10 minutes or until they're fork-tender. You can swap out the new potatoes for Yukon potatoes, fingerlings, red potatoes, or even Idaho potatoes. The texture will be a little different depending on whether you use waxy or starchy potatoes but it'll be delicious either way.
The key is to make sure the potatoes are bite-size. If your potatoes are bigger, just cut them into smaller chunks.
Once the potatoes are ready, use a mallet or really anything to lightly smash the potatoes. You want them to be flattened so that they get crispy on the outside but still have some thickness so that the inside will be creamy.
Toss the smashed potatoes with the spices and spread them on a baking sheet in an even layer. Roast the potatoes until they are golden brown on both sides, flipping them over halfway through.
Meanwhile, whip together the avocado crema by blending together all of the ingredients.
Finish the Mexican smashed potatoes with crumbled cotija, crispy shallots, and fresh cilantro. Dip those delicious potatoes in avocado lime crema or your desired sauce and enjoy!
Such a simple side but so delicious if I do say so myself!
For more side dish inspiration check out these beer battered onion rings or portobello fries with cilantro lime aioli!
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