Healthy Holiday Recipes: Roasted Smashed Rosemary Potatoes

If you are looking to jazz up your holiday side game, I have just the recipes for you. I will be sharing a few of my favorite fancy sides between now and the new year.

Don’t let the word “fancy” intimidate you though, because these dishes are super easy to make and can be on your table in under one hour from start to finish.

Of course, these recipes are good year round, but they are especially festive this time of year.

The first recipe I am sharing is my new favorite way to have potatoes: smashed and then roasted, then finished with flake salt and fresh herbs. These are the perfect hybrid between a lightly mashed potato and crispy roasted potato, because they are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

I like to use red or yellow new potatoes about the size of a golf ball, because these are the perfect size for the smashing part. But, if you can only get large ones you can cut them in half after boiling and before roasting.

These potatoes will be boiled first and then dried. The reason? The boiling gets them completely tender, and then they are drained and completely dried to allow them to get extra crispy when roasted. I wouldn’t recommend skipping the boiling step, even though it adds an extra 30 minutes.

But during that time you can make your Christmas list and check it twice, because these potatoes are most definitely nice!

I recommend draining the boiled potatoes in a colander, and then mashing them with a large fork or potato masher.  When it comes time for the roasting, I like to use natural parchment paper (i.e. unbleached) for this or any other recipe that calls for roasting. Parchment paper facilitates even roasting and prevents sticking, which means super-easy clean up!

Pro tip: when roasting anything, you always want to ensure there is no moisture (i.e. water), otherwise the food will steam and may not brown or get crispy. You also want to always allow space between food when roasting. Again, to avoid steaming and allowing the food to get nice n’ browned and crispy.

A high-quality avocado is my go-to for roasting or sautéeing, but an extra-virgin olive oil will work fine as well.

For the flakey salt I like Maldon salt, which you can order via Amazon or find at Whole Foods or Williams Sonoma etc. But really, any good quality salt will do. The larger “flake” salt gives food a nice texture, which is why I like it for certain recipes.

As for the herbs, I like to use a mix of fresh rosemary and thyme, but you can also use parsley and/or dill, as both would be “smashing” idea.

These guys will go well with just about anything, but I paired them with the other healthy vegan holiday recipes to come: roasted delicata squash with pomegranate, green beans with caramelized shallots, and radicchio and orange salad with walnuts.

Be sure to let me know if you make this recipe. You can tag me on Instagram or feel free to leave a comment below.

Happy holidays!

Print Recipe

Roasted Smashed Rosemary Potatoes

Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, these potatoes will soon be your new favorite holiday side dish!

Course

Sides

Cuisine

American, Holiday

Keyword

anti-inflammatory, diabetes friendly, fall/autumn, gluten free, grain free, healthy, holidays, keto, low sugar, paleo, spring, summer, Thanksgiving, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian, Whole 30, winter

Servings

Ingredients

• 6-8 medium red or yellow potatoes
• 1 tbsp avocado or olive oil
• 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt or to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper or to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs such as rosemary and thyme

Course Sides Cuisine American, Holiday Keyword anti-inflammatory, diabetes friendly, fall/autumn, gluten free, grain free, healthy, holidays, keto, low sugar, paleo, spring, summer, Thanksgiving, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian, Whole 30, winter Servings Ingredients 6-8 medium red or yellow potatoes 1 tbsp avocado or olive oil 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt or to taste 1/4 tsp black pepper or to taste 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs such as rosemary and thyme

Instructions

1. place potatoes in a medium size pot, cover with filtered water, add salt and bring to a boil
2. reduce heat and simmer potatoes until completely tender, about 25-30 minutes, then drain potatoes and dry well
3. meanwhile, preheat oven to 450° and line a sheet pan with parchment paper
4. lightly flatten/smash each potato with a fork or a potato masher, then drizzle with avocado or olive oil and season with salt and pepper and roast until crispy, about 30 minutes
5. sprinkle potatoes with fresh herbs and serve

Recipe Notes

Original recipe created by Jerran Boyer
www.healthnutchefs.com