Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes With Garlic Aioli

Sink your teeth into these crispy Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes with wild rosemary and garlic aioli. Serve piping hot and made with simple ingredients, these are the perfect, ultra crispy appetizer, snack or side dish that requires no boil, no mess and minimal cleanup. Vegan, gluten-free, low calorie, 9 ingredients, 40 minutes.

If you’ve never tried smashed potatoes in an air fryer, you’re in for a real treat! Crispy on the outside, fluffy like mashed potatoes on the inside, and when you dip one of these amazing smashed potatoes in my garlic aioli, it’s an experience you’ll never forget, especially when you pair it with my Spiced Orange Gin Spritz.

🥔 RECIPE INGREDIENTS (WITH SUBSTITUTIONS)

Vegenaise – used in the garlic aioli to make it rich and creamy. Any brand will do.

Baby Potatoes – when choosing potatoes for this recipe, smaller ones work best. Smaller potatoes, like red potatoes, Yukon Gold baby potatoes, or fingerling potatoes cook faster and get crispier than large sized potatoes.

Garlic – fresh garlic is a must for the garlic aioli, however, if you are out of fresh, you can substitute with ground. TIP: if you love recipes with garlic, try my creamy Cavolo Nero Pasta!

Rosemary – I use wild rosemary that grows in my yard. Fresh rosemary adds an earthy, herby flavor to the potatoes, however, if fresh is not available, dried will also work.

Sea salt & white pepper – used in both the garlic aioli and to season the smashed potatoes. If you’re not into salt, you may omit. You can also substitute black pepper for white pepper, if unavailable.

Ground mustard – enhances the tangy flavor of the garlic aioli and should not be omitted. If you don’t have ground you may use jarred mustard, such as Dijon.

Smoked paprika – adds a smoky flavor to the potatoes and makes them look pretty too. If smoked is unavailable, it’s fine to use regular paprika, instead.

Lemon juice – used as a flavor enhancer for the aioli dipping sauce and also as a preservative. I juice a half of lemon for this recipe, however, you can use more or less depending upon your taste preference. You may also use bottled lemon juice if fresh lemons are unavailable.

🔪 HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER SMASHED POTATOES

1. Add vegan mayonnaise, garlic, sea salt, white pepper, ground mustard, and lemon juice to a food processor.

2. Process on high speed for 2-3 minutes until garlic aioli is smooth and creamy. Refrigerate for 30 minutes while you prepare the potatoes.

3. Scrub and rinse potatoes under cold running water (remember, you’re eating the skin, too). Pat dry with a paper towel. Place whole potatoes in air fryer basket. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit/204 degrees Celsius for 15-20 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender.

4. After cooking the potatoes, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet allowing them to cool for about 5 minutes.

5.  Using the bottom of a mason jar (works best), smash the potatoes, one at a time.

6. Press down gently on each potato, until it bursts, being careful not to smash them to smithereens

7. Brush each side with olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt, white pepper, and paprika. Finish with a few sprigs of rosemary.

8. Place potatoes in the bottom of the air fryer basket, one batch at a time, leaving ample space in between the potatoes for the air to circulate. The number you can cook per batch will vary depending upon he size of your air fryer basket. Mine is 5.8 quarts, and fits 9 smashed potatoes in one batch. Air fry on 400 degrees Fahrenheit/204 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes, shaking the basket at the half-way mark. Carefully remove and put on a plate. Serve immediately with garlic aioli. Enjoy.

⭐ Dipping Sauces

My garlic aioli is the bomb, however, if you prefer other dipping sauces or want to try something different check out my Cilantro Lime Avocado Sauce and my Smoky Chipotle Sauce Recipe.

💭 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

👩🏻‍🍳 EXPERT TIPS

• For best results, wash potatoes thoroughly with water prior to preparing them. Remember, you’re not peeling them and will be eating the skin.
• Use small potatoes, rather than large ones, for crispier, quicker results.
• Be sure to leave plenty of space in the air fryer basket between smashed potatoes when air frying. This ensures adequate air circulation so you don’t have to flip the potatoes during the air frying process.

🍠 VARIATIONS

• Garlic parmesan – season potatoes with garlic powder, sea salt, and vegan parmesan after smashing potatoes and before placing in the air fryer.
• Sweet potatoes – although sweet potatoes aren’t the best choice for this recipe due to their size, you can cut them into small wedges and smash them just as you do whole baby potatoes.
• Sage butter – melt ground sage in vegan butter in a small saucepan. Brush on smashed potatoes prior to placing them in air fryer.
• Italian – think olive oil, Italian seasoning, your favorite vegan pasta sauce, and vegan mozzarella. For best results, season with olive oil and Italian seasoning prior to air frying, then drizzle warm pasta sauce over smashed potatoes once they finish cooking and top off with a sprinkle of vegan mozzarella cheese.
• Serve with soup – make it a meal by serving potatoes with my Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup.

🥗 WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS RECIPE

• Make it a meal by serving air fryer smashed potatoes with this Massaged Kale Salad or my Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup.
• Serve as an appetizer with my Cavolo Nero Pasta or my Sticky Shiitake Mushrooms as a main dish.
• Make it a movie night and serve with other appetizers like my Crispy Vegan Cauliflower Bites and my Smashed Vegan Avocado Toast.

🌡️ STORAGE

Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes can be kept fresh in an airtight container when you store the in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in air fryer at 370 degrees Fahrenheit/188 degrees Celsius for approximately 4 minutes .

These potatoes are best when served immediately after cooking. Freezing is NOT RECOMMENDED.

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