By Becky Hardin
Published Apr 6, 2020
These loaded smashed potatoes are the ultimate side dish or great to serve as an appetizer. Made with a handful of simple ingredients, these are a real crowd pleaser!
Loaded Smashed Potatoes Recipe
I for one love a tasty potato side dish, and when you add bacon, sour cream and chives they really don’t get much better! I also love serving these as a group appetizer – they disappear so quickly!
How To Make Loaded Smashed Potatoes
You can jump to the recipe card for full ingredients & instructions!
Prep: Rinse the potatoes and boil them until they are fork tender and drain. Cook the bacon in a skillet and crumble it into pieces. Set the bacon fat to one side. Preheat the oven and cover a baking sheet with foil.
Make: Heat the bacon fat in the baking sheet. Smash each potato with a flat bottomed cup and gently place the potatoes onto the baking sheet.
Cook: Cook the potatoes until they are crispy and golden brown, flipping halfway through.
Serve: Top the potatoes with the crumbled bacon, cheese, sour cream and chives and serve.
Crispy and Fluffy Potatoes Every Time
Smashed is easily my favorite way to enjoy the humble potato. The outsides get amazingly crispy edges while they remain light and fluffy inside.
Cooking them in bacon fat really enhances the flavors – they really are irresistible!
What are the best potatoes to use?
For the best loaded smashed potatoes, use small golf sized potatoes.
New potatoes, baby reds or Yukon golds all work well. You don’t need to peel them as the skins are thin, just give them a quick wash before boiling them.
Can you make them ahead of time?
Loaded smashed potatoes should be served straight out of the oven, but you can do a lot of the prep the day before.
Boil and smash the potatoes and place them covered in the fridge for up to 8 hours. When you are ready to cook them, simply melt the bacon fat and bake them.
Tips!
- Use potatoes that are even in shape and size so that they cook evenly.
- 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.
More PotatoSide Dishes
- Best Mashed Potatoes
- Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
- Sheet Pan Scalloped Potatoes
- Cheesy Potato Casserole
- Loaded Hash Brown Potato Casserole
- Parmesan Creamed Potatoes
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy!
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 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
Instructions
- 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!
Becky’s Tips
- 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.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Loaded Smashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 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
Instructions
- 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!
Notes
- 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.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
