This TikTok-inspired Smashed Potato Salad features crispy smashed potatoes, red onions, pickles, cucumbers, and fresh herbs. Doused with a tangy, creamy tzatziki-inspired dressing, it’s as delightful and delicious as it sounds. The ultimate side dish for all your summer BBQs, cookouts, or family weeknight dinners. Make it once and you’ll immediately understand why it went viral.
Potato Salad Gets A Glow-Up
I feel like everyone already has a favorite potato salad they can count on. The one that always shows up next to grilled burgers or ribs. Well, it’s time to give the ol’ standard a little shake. We’re keeping the cool and creamy vibe we all love in a potato salad, but using a delightful mashup of golden brown, crispy smashed potatoes, instead.
This tik-tok inspired smashed potato salad has been around for a while and hundreds of variations have been created and shared on social media. My version is based on the ones made with a tzatziki-inspired dressing (Greek yogurt, garlic, herbs and cucumber) but I tinkered with some additions and substitutions to suit my taste.
I use red onions instead of shallots, a punchy clove of garlic, chopped pickles (because all potato salads should include these briny bites), a mix of lemon and vinegar for extra tang, and a generous handful of dill and chives to bring it all together.
The textures and flavors of this salad come together in this insanely delicious way. It’s light and fresh, but the flavor is a complete mouth explosion. I’m telling you, this warm and cold, soft and crunchy potato salad that will have anyone who tries it asking for the recipe.
Key Ingredients
The Potatoes – For the best texture and flavor, go with yellow or Yukon gold baby potatoes. Red baby potatoes will also work but they won’t be as creamy on the inside. The potatoes don’t have to be the exact same size, but the more uniform they are, the better, so they cook evenly.
The Additions – Red onions, cucumbers and dill pickles are delicious in this potato salad but you can omit what you don’t have on hand, or add celery if you love it and would like a little more crunch. Fresh herbs are a must and I like to use dill and chives but parsley or mint will also work. Note: If you’re worried the cucumbers are a little weird here, they are but they aren’t! I too was unsure about adding cucumbers—they seemed like they might water things down. But they add this cool, crisp bite that plays so well with the warm, crispy potatoes, giving the whole dish a fresh contrast. And even the next day, the salad will not be watery.
The Dressing – For the dressing we are using Greek yogurt, mayo, Dijon mustard, honey, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and garlic. We are going with mostly yogurt here which provides a tangy and healthy base. But because there is no olive oil in the dressing, after testing many variations, I find an all-yogurt base results in an almost too- thin, watery dressing. A bit of mayo contributes a nice creaminess and helps keep the dressing emulsified.
Variations
Make it Vegan —> Use plant-based yogurt and mayo.
Vegetarian Protein Boost —> Add crumbled hard-boiled eggs or crispy chickpeas.
Make it Spicy —> Add a dash of hot sauce, smoked paprika, or chili flakes to the dressing.
How To Make Crispy Smashed Potato Salad
Make the crispy smashed potatoes. The baby potatoes need to be tender enough for smashing so we start by boiling them in salted water. Once fork-tender, gently smash them with the bottom of a glass or mug. Brush the top side generously with olive oil, then roast for 20 minutes. Flip, brush with more oil, then roast again until they’re very crispy, another 20-25 minutes more.
Dice the add-ins. While the potatoes roast, dice the cucumbers, red onions, and pickles. Set aside.
Prepare the creamy potato salad dressing. In a large serving bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, garlic, honey, mustard and fresh herbs. If using pickles int eh salad, add a splash of pickle juice to the dressing. You can make the dressing ahead and keep refrigerated.
Assemble. Once the smashed potatoes have slightly cooled, use your hands to break the larger ones in half (or thirds). Add them to the dressing along with the cucumbers, red onions and pickles. Gently toss until all the potatoes are coated in dressing.
Serve. Once assembled, this creamy smashed potato salad is best served immediately but will stay fresh and crispy up to 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Just before serving, sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper and garnish with more chopped fresh herbs, if desired.
Tips For The Best Crispy Smashed Potato Salad
Let the potatoes dry and cool a bit before you smash them. Letting them dry out and cool a bites key to help them stay intact when you smash them.
Try and use really small baby potatoes that are roughly uniform in size. The smaller the potatoes, the easier they are to smash. They will also cook and crisp up faster.
Let the roasted smashed potatoes cool for at least 15 minutes before tossing with the dressing. If the potatoes are very hot, they will melt the dressing.
Don’t over-boil the potatoes. If the potatoes boil for too long, they will fall apart when smashed. But you also don’t want to under-cook them or they will not smash easily.
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
This smashed potato salad is delicious warm, at room temp, or cold. Just note that potatoes will lose their crispiness as they cool.
Absolutely! After smashing, brush with just a little olive oil and air fry at 400°F for 15–20 minutes or until they’re super crispy but not charred (no need to flip!).
While you technically could, I don’t recommend this. Boiling them first ensures they are easy to smash and remain really creamy and tender on the inside when roasted.
Make Ahead Tips
The assembled salad is best served right away but you can make a lot of the components ahead of time. Here’s what to do:
Fully Assembled Salad: Best served fresh, but can be kept for up to 24 hours. If needed, re-crisp potatoes in the oven before tossing with dressing.
Potatoes: Boil and smash the potatoes in advance. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Roast just before serving.
Dressing: Can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the fridge.
Serving Suggestions
This winner smashed potato salad is the perfect side dish to serve as soon as the warmer weather hits. Make it for a summery family meal, or for any special gathering such as Easter, potlucks or Father’s Day.
Here’s a few ways we love to serve it:
- Alongside grilled or roasted meats or veggie skewers.
- As a lunch bowl — add tuna, greens and/or roasted veggies to make it even heartier.
- Topped with crumbled bacon for a loaded potato salad feel.
Crispy Smashed Potato Salad
Ingredients
For the potatoes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 pounds baby potatoes, scrubbed clean
- Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the dressing
- 2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt, preferably 2% or whole-milk
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated or minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from about 1 lemon
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup finely chopped chives, plus more for garnish
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
To assemble the salad
- 1/2 cup finely chopped cucumber (I use Persian cucumbers)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped dill pickles
- 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF. Brush a large sheet pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil then set aside. NOTE: Depending on the size of your potatoes, you may need to use two sheet pans to roast the potatoes. I don't line mine with parchment paper but feel free to do so for easier clean-up.
- Place the potatoes in a large pot and add 1–2 tablespoons of salt. (The more salt the better as this helps flavor them from the inside out.) Pour in enough cold water to cover the potatoes by about an inch. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, remove the lid, reduce the heat to medium, and let the potatoes simmer briskly until they’re fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- While the potatoes cook, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic powder, paprika and pepper in a small bowl.
- Drain the potatoes into a colander and allow to cool slightly, about 5 minutes, then spread them out onto the prepared sheet pan(s).
- Gently press each one down using the bottom of a glass or measuring cup until they’re flattened to about 1/4 inch thick, doing your best to keep them in one piece. TIP: Place a small square of parchment paper between the bottom of the glass and the potato so it doesn't stick as you smash. Lightly brush the tops with the olive oil/paprika mixture, then sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
- Transfer the potatoes to the oven and roast for 40 to 50 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown. Let cool on the pan for 10 to 15 minutes.
- While the potatoes are roasting, in a large serving bowl, whisk together the yogurt, mayonnaise, honey, mustard, garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, chives and dill until combined. If making the dressing ahead, cover and refrigerate. Otherwise, add the pickles and onions.
- Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, use your hands or a knife to roughly cut any of the larger ones into halves or bite-sized pieces. Add them to the bowl with the dressing along with the diced cucumbers and toss gently until potatoes are thoroughly coated with dressing.
- Taste and season with a little more salt and pepper, if needed. Garnish with a little more fresh chives and dill and serve immediately.
Notes
- Let the potatoes dry and cool a bit before you smash them. Letting them dry out and cool a bit is key to help them stay intact when you smash them.
- Try and use really small baby potatoes that are roughly uniform in size. The smaller the potatoes, the easier they are to smash. They will also cook and crisp up faster.
- Let the roasted, smashed potatoes cool for at least 15 minutes before tossing with the dressing. If the potatoes are very hot, they will melt the dressing.
- Don’t over-boil the potatoes. If the potatoes boil for too long, they will fall apart when smashed. But you also don’t want to under-cook them or they will not smash easily
- Leftovers – The salad is best when served immediately but I still enjoy it a few days later. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Join the Conversation