A perfect snack or appetizer, these Air Fryer Masala Smashed Potatoes are easy to make and delicious.
Serve them with some chutney or turn them into a chaat; these are addictive for sure!
Appetizers and snacks are always the highlight of get togethers. Whether you are hosting a tea party or having folks over for a meal, the first course always sets the mood for the rest of the meal.
When I host an Indian style meal, I like to make recipes that may have recipes from different cuisines; yet have an Indian touch to them. From Pav Bhaji Focaccia and Tandoori Fries to Sev Puri Sandwich and more; I like to serve these.
And just like these, smashed potatoes with a touch of Indian masalas are definitely a favorite.
Jump to:
What are Smashed Potatoes
Smashed potatoes are potatoes that are cooked twice with some spice and flavoring. The potatoes are cooked by boiling first; then smashed ie. flattened with a heavy object and finally crisped by either frying, baking or air frying.
While the recipe is straight forward, the spices that are used to flavor the potatoes makes a variation of this classic recipe. I like to use Indian spices and make this recipe for Thanksgiving, brunch parties and more.
These masala smashed potatoes are great as a snack. Moreover, I like to serve them with Indian style peas (ragda) for an easy 'lazy ragda pattice'.
Why this recipe works
- It is super easy to make.
- We only need a handful of ingredients to make these.
- The masalas can be modified to make a whole new dish.
- We can easily serve these as a Holiday side.
- These potatoes make a great recipe for snack or appetizer.
- These work well instead of pattice in ragda pattice as well.
- Can be prepared in advance.
- These are great to enjoy with chutney, a sauce or even by itself.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Baby Potatoes: Commonly used for any smashed potato recipe, yellow potatoes work the best here. Try and use potatoes of similar size to ensure they cook in the same time. Using big potatoes is an option too. Simply cut them into halves or quarters.
- Oil: Any neutral oil is great for the recipe. Using butter or ghee is an option too.
- Aromatics: I like to season the oil with garlic, ginger and jalapeño. Skip the jalapeño if you like a milder version. However, a little chili or jalapeño is awesome in the recipe. Use a food processor or a microplane to grate them. Moreover, keep the garlic in slightly bigger chunks if you like roasted garlic.
- Spices:We use Indian spices like red chili powder, turmeric powder and garam masala. Make your own garam masala or use store bought one. Both work equally well. Plus, we need some salt to season the potatoes.
See the recipe card for detailed ingredient information, measurements and nutrition.
How to make this recipe
Wash and clean the potatoes thoroughly. make sure it is free from all the dust and sand.
1- Add 1 cup water in the instant pot. Place a steamer rack on a raised rack and arrange the potatoes on it.
2- Close the lid and set mode to 'Pressure cook' and time to 5 minutes. Once cooked, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes and open the lid on releasing the remaining pressure.
3- Meanwhile; add oil, jalapeño, garlic and ginger in a bowl.
4- Next add turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, garam masala; and mix everything well and set aside.
5- Then drain and remove the potatoes on a plate.
6- Lightly mash them using a potato smasher or a glass.
7- Mash all of them till thin. Ensure they do not break away when pressing.
8- Drizzle the flavored oil on the potatoes till the oil is used up.
9- Place the potatoes in a single layer (I placed half of them) in an air fryer heated to 400 F.
10- Air fry for 10 minutes. If you like them super crispy, air fry for another 5 minutes. Remove the potatoes and serve topped with some chaat masala and sliced onions.
Expert Tips and Notes
- Clean the potatoes thoroughly as we consume the skins too. They should be free from any dust and sand. If you do not prefer to eat the skins, simply peel them before using. They work both ways.
- While baby potatoes are great for the recipe, large potatoes work as well. Simply halve or quarter them based on size.
- Whether using whole or chopped potatoes, try and use them all of the same size. That way they cook at the same time and evenly.
- The aromatic include some jalapeño. However, skip or reduce the amount for a milder version of the recipe.
- The thinner the potatoes are smashed, the crispier they get. But make sure they do not break apart while smashing.
- Air Fry the potatoes in batches, making sure they do not overlap or touch each other.
Serving
These masala smashed potatoes are amazing by themselves. Also, they work great when served with some cilantro chutney, garlic chutney or schezwan sauce.
Plus, the same potatoes work well to make some lazy ragda pattice. To do so, simply place the masala smashed potatoes in a plate, top them with ragda, chutneys, onions, tomatoes, sev and chaat masala.
Making ahead of time
To make these ahead of time, simply boil the potatoes ahead of time. These are easy to air fry just before serving.
However, it is also easy to air fry them till almost done ahead of time. Then simply air fry for a couple of minutes before serving.
Make sure you do not completely cook the potatoes in the air fryer. We need to air fry for some time just before serving. If they are completely cooked, they will start to become very dry.
Also brush some extra oil on top if they seem dry.
Recipe FAQs
Yes for sure. Simply use the large potatoes. Halve or quarter them based on how large the potatoes are.
Yes for sure. Pressure cook the potatoes using a stove top cooker before air frying them.
The crispiness of the potatoes will depend on how thin they are smashed. The thin ones will crisp up really well. However, make sure they are not smashed so thin that they break apart.
Yes for sure. Simply preheat the oven to 425 F and bake them for 30-35 minutes; flipping them once in between.
More Potato Recipes
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
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Love this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card below & if you REALLY like it, consider a review in the comments whilst you are there, thanks!
Air Fryer Masala Smashed Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 18 oz Yellow Baby potatoes (500 grans or 13 pieces)
- 3 cloves Garlic grated
- 1 inch ginger grated
- 1 green chili/ jalapeño minced
- ½ teaspoon Red Chili Powder
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- ¾ teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 3 tablespoon Oil
Instructions
- Add 1 cup water in the instant pot. Place a steamer rack on a raised rack and arrange the potatoes on it.18 oz Yellow Baby potatoes
- Close the lid and set mode to 'Pressure cook' and time to 5 minutes. Once cooked, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes and open the lid on releasing the remaining pressure.
- Meanwhile; add oil, jalapeño, garlic and ginger in a bowl.3 cloves Garlic, 1 green chili/ jalapeño, 3 tablespoon Oil, 1 inch ginger
- Next add turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, garam masala; and mix everything well. Set aside.½ teaspoon Red Chili Powder, ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder, ¾ teaspoon Garam Masala, 1 teaspoon Salt
- Drain and remove the potatoes on a plate.
- Lightly mash them using a potato smasher or a glass.
- Mash all of them till thin. Ensure they do not break away when pressing.
- Drizzle the flavored oil on the potatoes.
- Place the potatoes in a single layer (I placed half of them) in an air fryer heated to 400 F.
- Air fry for 10 minutes. If you like them super crispy, air fry for another 5 minutes.
- Remove the potatoes and serve topped with some chaat masala and sliced onions.
Video
Notes
- Clean the potatoes thoroughly as we consume the skins too. They should be free from any dust and sand. If you do not prefer to eat the skins, simply peel them before using. They work both ways.
- While baby potatoes are great for the recipe, large potatoes work as well. Simply halve or quarter them based on size.
- Whether using whole or chopped potatoes, try and use them all of the same size. That way they cook at the same time and evenly.
- The aromatic include some jalapeño. However, skip or reduce the amount for a milder version of the recipe.
- The thinner the potatoes are smashed, the crispier they get. But make sure they do not break apart while smashing.
- Air Fry the potatoes in batches, making sure they do not overlap or touch each other.
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