An easy recipe for Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes – an incredible crowd pleasing appetizer or easy side dish. Smashed Red Potatoes are boiled, smashed, and baked with olive oil, cheese and bacon until crisp and topped with sour cream and chives for an irresistible and memorable appetizer!
I’ve been making smashed potatoes for years in various ways, most often Smashed Red Potatoes, boiled, drizzled with olive oil, salt and seasonings and baked until crispy, like my Garlic Smashed Potatoes or Smashed Sweet Potatoes for that sweet and salty fix.
It was time I loaded these Smashed Red Potatoes to make the perfect side dish or party appetizer to serve a crowd. These pretty little potatoes are so good, perfect for entertaining, especially on game day!
You can serve them on a pretty platter, but they rarely make it to one – as soon as I pull out a sheet of these Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes, everyone is trying to get their hands on one!
These are a lighter version of these amazing Twice Baked Potatoes.
Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes Ingredients
- Small Red Potatoes – You can use any small potatoes, but I love the color for this loaded side.
- Olive Oil – Adds a hint of flavor and makes the skin nice and crispy.
- Salt and Pepper – Classic loaded potato seasonings. I love to use a grinder for nice thick flakes.
- Cheddar – Freshly shredded melts the best because it’s higher quality cheese with less preservatives and doesn’t dry out like pre-shredded, but you can use whatever you have on hand.
- Bacon – Fresh cooked or purchase bacon pieces (not bits) in the salad aisle of your grocer.
- Sour Cream – Added after the bake for a classic loaded potato topping.
- Green Onion – Garnish for color and flavor after the bake.
Perfect Side Dish With
How to Make Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes
- Boil – Boil potatoes until tender.
- Bake – Place on a cookie sheet, using a potato masher or back of a wooden spoon, smash the potatoes so they are flattened but still hold their shape.
- Top – Drizzle with olive oil, add shredded cheese, bacon pieces, salt and pepper.
- Bake – Bake until crispy.
- Garnish – Top with green onion and sour cream. To drizzle, thin sour cream with heavy cream, half and half or milk and funnel into a ketchup or mustard bottle and cover in a zigzag pattern.
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More Easy Side Dish Recipes
Smashed Red Potatoes
Ingredients
- 12 small red potatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt {to taste}
- pepper {to taste}
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar shredded
- 3/4 cup bacon pieces
- 3 tablespoon sour cream
- 1/2 cup green onion chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium high heat adding salt. Boil potatoes until tender, about 12-15 minutes.
- Place potatoes on a baking sheet. Using a potato masher or back of a wooden spoon, gently press to smash.
- Drizzle with olive oil, fresh cracked salt and pepper. Top with shredded cheese and bacon pieces.
- Bake 15 minute or until crisp. Top with sour cream and green onions.
