Parmesan Smashed Potatoes with Gremolatavala

Parmesan Smashed Potatoes with Gremolata are a great winter side dish. Boiled potatoes are then smashed and roasted. After roasting, the sprinkling of parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, garlic, and lemon zest they’re topped with make these garlic parmesan smashed potatoes the ultimate side dish.

This recipe for Parmesan Smashed Potatoes and post was originally written by former contributor Erica of Buttered Side Up. It has been updated from the archives to include additional information.

Making Parmesan Smashed Potatoes

Potatoes are a wonderful accompaniment to so many meals.

Because of their simplicity, they compliment a wide variety of main dishes: steak, chicken, soup, etc. And they are incredibly easy to cook and serve;  just adding salt, pepper and butter makes them delicious.

But sometimes it’s nice to break from the norm and try something new.  Simply boil the potatoes until tender, smash, bake for half an hour and toss with the gremolata.

And don’t let the fancy term “gremolata” scare you. It’s simply a mix of parsley, lemon, parmesan and garlic. But it certainly packs a punch of awesome flavors.

This method of cooking and serving potatoes turns boring, boiled potatoes into something full of amazing flavors.

While photographing these tasty Smashed Potatoes with Parmesan Gremolata, the smell nearly killed me. 

“Oh my goodness,” I said out loud.  It was torture trying not to gobble them down before I could finish.

Tools Needed to Make Parmesan Smashed Potatoes

You’ll need a few kitchen tools to prepare smashed garlic parmesan potatoes. Here’s what I recommend having on hand before getting started:

• Cutting Board and Sharp Knife – to chop the fresh garlic and parsley for the gremolata topping.
• Microplane Zester – to zest the lemon.
• Measuring Spoons – to measure the ingredients when making the gremolata topping for the smashed potatoes.
• Colander – to wash the raw potatoes in before cooking.
• Mixing Bowl – to stir the topping ingredients together.
• Large Pot of Salted Water – to boil potatoes in before roasting.
• Large Baking Sheet – to roast the cooked potatoes on.
• Potato Masher or Meat Mallet – to smash the potatoes after boiling.
• Mixing Spoon – to stir the parmesan and garlic smashed potatoes.

Ingredients in Parmesan Smashed Potatoes

Here’s a quick overview of the simple ingredients you’ll need to make this smashed potato recipe:

• Yukon Gold Potatoes
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• Kosher Salt
• Garlic Cloves
• Fresh Parsley
• Lemon Zest
• Fresh Parmesan Cheese

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions to make Parmesan Smashed Potatoes with Gremolata, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

How to Make Parmesan Smashed Potatoes

The beauty of these smashed parmesan potatoes is that they look and taste as if they were a lot of work. In reality they are very easy to make. Here’s how:

1. First, boil the potatoes until fork tender.
2. Then, oil a large rimmed baking sheet. After that, transfer potatoes to the sheet pan.
3. Next, smash the potatoes with a meat mallet or potato masher. Then, drizzle with remaining olive oil, then roast in a preheated oven.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the gremolata by chopping and combining the ingredients.
5. Then, after the potatoes have roasted, add the parmesan gremolata on top of the potatoes. Lastly, stir to combine and serve.

The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe for smashed potatoes with Parmesan. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

Parmesan Smashed Potatoes FAQs

Got questions about how to make this smashed potatoes recipe? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.

Can I use a different kind of potatoes?

Sure! I love Yukon Golds for these crispy smashed potatoes, but you can definitely use other potato types. I recommend:

• baby potatoes – such as small red potatoes or new potatoes
• red potatoes – cut larger ones in half or quarters if necessary
• fingerling potatoes

Just note that cooking time will vary based on the size of the potatoes you choose to use.

Wondering how to make smashed potatoes without a potato masher or meat mallet?

If you don’t have a potato masher or meat mallet, you can use the bottom of a glass (a drinking glass or a even a glass measuring cup) to press down on the boiled potatoes until they’re smashed.

What should I serve with Parmesan Smashed Potatoes?

Looking for a main dish to serve these with these Smashed Potatoes with Parmesan Gremolata? Try one of these recipes:

• Chicken Marsala
• Sous Vide Steaks
• Baked Honey Mustard Chicken
• Citrus and Rosemary Roast Chicken

What Readers Are Saying

“I made these potatoes last night for dinner. Yum, yum!! This is definitely a keeper! I am thinking a little horseradish for a variation instead of garlic. Thanks for the recipe.” -Ginger

“These were absolutely delicious. I doubled the recipe for only 6 of us and they were all gobbled up.” -Ruth

Try these Parmesan Smashed Potatoes at Home!

Next time you’re looking for dinner party worthy potato side dish, give this recipe for Smashed Potatoes with Parmesan and Gremolata a try!

Did you love the creamy texture on the inside and crispy edges? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this great recipe.

On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see a photo of your smashed garlic parmesan potatoes!

More Unique Potato Side Dish Recipes

Next time you’re craving comfort food, try these Cheesy Twice Baked Potatoes with Broccoli. They’re loaded up with plenty of broccoli, cheese, and bacon!

Classic mashed potatoes are elevated thanks to the addition of plenty of browned butter and fresh grated parmesan in this Browned Butter Parmesan Mashed Potatoes recipe.

Summer Potlucks and BBQs don’t seem complete without a big bowl of this Classic Potato Salad. Creamy mayo, celery, onion, hard-boiled eggs, and of course plenty of potatoes make up this recipe.

Cream Cheese Chive Duchess Potatoes are delicious, individually portioned mounds of mashed potatoes that have been baked. Inside, they’re creamy and fluffy while the outside is beautifully golden and crisp.

Don’t see what you’re looking for here? You can always head over to check out the recipe index or browse all of the potato recipes to look for more ideas.

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What is your favorite way to serve potatoes?