Can you make smashed sweet potatoes with precooked sweet potatoes?

Yes! You just need the sweet potatoes to be tender enough to smash, but you can do that the day before and store them in the fridge until you need them. Since the sweet potatoes will not be hot anymore, you may need to bake for an extra minute or two.

Do smashed sweet potatoes freeze well?

Yes, but you will lose some of the crispy texture after freezing, thawing, and reheating. One option is to reheat your smashed potatoes in the air fryer, which will crisp up the outside as much as possible.

Are smashed sweet potatoes sweet or savory?

They can go either way, but I prefer to make them savory! Pairing sweet potatoes with savory spices and Parmesan cheese mellows the sweetness and brings out their full flavor. They're the perfect balance of sweet and savory.

Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Description

Crispy Smashed Sweet Potatoes are the perfect side dish for your fall and winter meals, and are so simple to make. After cooking the sweet potatoes until tender, smash them on a sheet pan with melted butter and spices, then bake until a crispy crust forms on the edges. They're the perfect combination of sweet and savory, and are fast enough to make for any weeknight dinner!

Ingredients

Scale

4 medium sweet potatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
fresh thyme, chopped

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Instructions

Pre-cook the sweet potatoes:

You can cook the sweet potatoes on the stove or in the instant pot.

To cook on the stove: Place quartered sweet potatoes in a large pot of salted water. The potatoes should be covered in water by about one inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat down to low, cover, and simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 18-20 minutes.
To cook in the instant pot: Add sweet potatoes in the instant pot and cover with water (about 3-4 cups). Add a little bit of salt and stir well to dissolve. Seal the lid and set the steam release knob to the sealed position. Cook the potatoes on Manual pressure for 8 minutes until tender. Once the time is up, quick release pressure or wait until all of the steam has released and the valve has dropped.

Bake the sweet potatoes:

Preheat oven to 400F.
Drain the sweet potatoes in a colander and place them potatoes evenly spaced apart on a large baking sheet. Use a fork to gently flatten the sweet potato chunks into approximately ½-inch thick discs.
In a small mixing bowl, stir together melted butter, paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper until smooth. Brush the seasoning mixture evenly over each potato disc.
Bake until golden brown and crispy, about 25-30 minutes. You can also broil on high for another 5 minutes to get the sweet potatoes extra crispy.
Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and some chopped thyme, and serve.

Notes

How to store: Place any leftover smashed sweet potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

How to reheat: To crisp up the outside, place the leftovers in the air fryer or oven at 400 F and bake for 5-7 minutes or until heated through.

How to freeze: Freeze any leftovers on a sheet pan, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container and store for 2-3 months.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Category: Side Dish
Method: Bake
Cuisine: American