Super Easy Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes tossed in parmesan butter and served on a bed of parmesan whipped yogurt. The perfect appetizer with a balance of crispy, crunchy and buttery with tangy, creamy and cheesy; high protein too!
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Parmesan smashed potatoes and yogurt dip – fancy idea right? Well that’s what I thought the moment this idea came to my mind.
And then of course – like with nearly a third of the unique savory recipes I think of, Tieghan (creator of Half Baked Harvest) already made something along those lines.
So now to make my version extra fancy, I decided to air fry my smashed potatoes and add Parmesan to the potatoes and the yogurt too!
Quite on a whim, but man what a flavor upgrade that was!
Can you bake in an air fryer?
Being able to bake in the air fryer is one of the main reasons I love this appliance; You get the benefit of the healthy version of a baked appetizer with the perfect crispy edge of the fried one without having to add as much oil.
Ingredients for Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes
These crispy smashed potatoes really need just a few simple ingredients – just pantry staples besides the baby potatoes – and make a great Vegetarian appetizer.
- Baby Potatoes or Fingerling Potatoes – these are the small ones, about 1½ – 2 inches in diameter
- Italian Seasoning or other dried herbs like Oregano, Basil and Thyme
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Salt and Pepper
- A bit of Olive Oil to cook
And then for the perfect butter garlic parmesan smashed potatoes:
- Melted Butter
- Grated Parmesan Cheese
What you need for Greek Yogurt Dip for Potatoes
Now we could go with a simple Greek yogurt roasted potatoes concept, but a Parmesan flavor here brings it to a whole other level! Simple ingredients here as well.
- Greek Yogurt – I used non-fat, but you can use any other
- Grated Parmesan
- Italian Seasoning or other dried herbs again
- Pinch of Pepper
How to cook Whole Potatoes in the Air Fryer
Making smashed baby potatoes in the air fryer is a 2 part process, but quite easy – first boil and then roast!
Boil and Season the Baby Potatoes
Before making the roasted potatoes in the air fryer, you need to boil them.
- Boil water in a pot over medium and cook the whole baby potatoes in there for about 15-20 minutes. They should easily pierce with a fork.
- Drain the water and let the potatoes cool.
- Place potatoes on a surface or baking sheet and press down potatoes with the ball of your palm to flatten to about ½” thick.
- Transfer to baking sheet or bowl, pour on oil, add seasonings – Italian, Garlic and Onion Powders, Salt and Pepper, and toss to coat.
Cook the Baked Potatoes in the Air Fryer
- Place the potatoes in an air fryer basket, leaving enough room between each one.
- Cook at 400°F for 20 minutes (or bake at 425°F for 30 minutes) until the edges are crispy and brown.
The Coating for Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
- Place the potatoes in a large bowl, pour the melted butter over, add the grated parmesan and toss to coat.
The Perfect Parmesan Greek Yogurt for Roasted Potatoes
And now to complete the dish – pair the parmesan potatoes with a parmesan whipped Greek Yogurt!
- Stir together the Greek Yogurt, grated parmesan, lemon juice, Italian seasoning and pepper in a small bowl.
Spoon the yogurt into a plate or bowl, add the parmesan on top and enjoy!
Tips for Crispy Smashed Potatoes in the Air Fryer
- Baby Potatoes or Fringerling Potatoes are best for air fryer smashed potatoes since they’re small and get the perfect crisp when roasted
- Make sure the potatoes can be just pieced with a fork – too soft or too hard will not give good results
- Cool the boiled potatoes so they’re easier to smash down
- Leave enough gap between potatoes in the air fryer. The potatoes need enough room or they won’t be crispy.
Does an air fryer make food crispy?
Yes; Just make sure you have that slight bit of oil to coat the potatoes – use cooking spray if needed – use a high temperature, and leave enough gap between each potato.
The air will then circulate and give the potatoes that crispy edge.
Can you store Air Fryer Baby Potatoes
These crispy air fryer smashed potatoes are best had fresh because they’re crispy and crunchy just at the moment!
To store these crispy potatoes for longer, place them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To reheat, cook them in the air fryer again for about 5-10 minutes.
More healthy Vegetarian Air Fryer Appetizers you’ll love:
Easy Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes with Parmesan Butter & Yogurt
Ingredients
- ½ lb bite-sized Mini Potatoes, 1½” diameter, (about 16, 227g)
- ½ tsp Olive Oil
- ½ tsp Italian Seasoning, or other dried herbs
- ⅛ tsp Garlic Powder
- ⅛ tsp Onion Powder
- ⅛ tsp Salt
- ⅛ tsp Pepper
- ½ Tbsp Melted Butter
- ½ Tbsp Grated Parmesan
Parmesan Whipped Yogurt:
- ½ cup Greek Yogurt 112g
- 1 Tbsp Grated Parmesan
- ½ tsp Lemon Juice
- ¼ tsp Italian Seasoning, or other dried herbs
- Pinch of Black Pepper
Instructions
- Boil water in a small pot over medium heat, place potatoes in and cook for about 20 minutes until potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork.
- Drain and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Place potatoes on flat surface or baking sheet and press down with ball of palm (or a potato masher or fork) to flatten till about ½” high.
- Transfer to bowl if not using baking sheet, drizzle on olive oil, sprinkle seasoning and toss to coat.
- Line the basket of an air fryer with parchment paper, place potatoes in and cook for 20 mins at 400°F until golden brown around the edges (bake at 425°F for 30 minutes). Leave enough room in between and work in batches if needed.
- Transfer potatoes to a large bowl, pour melted butter and grated parmesan and toss to coat.
- For parmesan yogurt: In a small bowl stir together yogurt, grated parmesan, lemon juice, Italian seasoning and pepper.
- Spoon yogurt onto a plate, top with smashed potatoes and serve!
Notes
- To make this Paleo or Vegan, use dairy free Yogurt, Parmesan and Butter.
- Fridge: 4 days in an airtight container. To reheat, cook at 400°F until warmed through.
- Servings: 16 + ½ cup Yogurt | Serving size: full recipe
- Calories: 305kcal
- Fat: 9.9g | Saturated fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 30.2g | Fiber: 4.8g | Sugar: 6.1g
- Protein: 18.9g
