How to Smash and Fry Leftover Baked Potatoes
Baked potatoes can come back the next day as leftover baked potatoes. But when there’s a fried solution to getting them back on your plate, let’s take the road to crispy town and make smashed and fried baked potatoes.
The recipe isn’t precise. And other than butter, olive oil and the baked potatoes, you can modify these smashed vegetables to your taste. Want it smokier? Add a few drops of bacon grease if you have a jar in your refrigerator.
Recipe Snapshot
EASE: Super easy!
PROS: A good way to use up leftovers.
CONS: You need baked potatoes.
WOULD I MAKE THIS AGAIN? Of course.
There’s not much to it. Just melt the olive oil and butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the garlic powder and onion salt OR the chopped onion and garlic. Place the potatoes in pan. Using a potato masher or thick wooden spoon press down on the potato, flattening to approximately ½ an inch. Dust with salt and pepper. Fry, covered, on medium heat until crispy and then flip potatoes to crisp the other side and add a pinch more salt and pepper. Remove from pan and cover with grated cheese, bacon and a dollop of sour cream.
Add eggs, toast, and a slice of ham or last night’s leftover steak and you have a hearty-man breakfast.
Need help picking out potatoes at the grocery store? You can’t alway see inside those bags. The smaller the potatoes, the tastier they are. And here’s my trick, sniffing bags of potatoes in the produce aisle.
Crispy wishes
Smashed and Fried Leftover Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
- olive oil
- bacon grease, reserved, cooked
- salted butter
- garlic powder or minced garlic
- onion salt or minced onion
- small leftover baked potatoes
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- shredded cheese
- sour cream
- crumbled bacon
Instructions
- Melt the olive oil and butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the garlic powder and onion salt (or chopped onion and garlic).
- Place the potatoes in pan. Using a potato masher or thick wooden spoon press down on the potato, flattening to approximately ½ an inch. Dust with salt and pepper.
- Fry, covered, on medium heat until crispy and then flip potatoes to crisp the other side and add a pinch more salt and pepper.
- Remove from pan and cover with grated cheese, bacon, and a dollop of sour cream.
All text and images © Staci Mergenthal • Random Sweets
