Classic potato salad is usually a soft, mayo-heavy situation that leans a little… beige. This crispy smashed potato salad keeps the comfort factor but gives it a serious upgrade: crunchy edges, creamy middle, and a tangy, herby dressing that doesn’t feel heavy. It’s familiar enough that everyone will eat it, but different enough that people will actually ask how you made it.
I started playing with this recipe when I wanted that smashed potato crispiness without making a separate sauce or extra sides. Instead of serving roasted potatoes next to a salad, I just combined the two ideas. Boil, smash, roast, then toss in a Greek yogurt and kewpie mayo dressing with cucumber, dill, and parsley. You get texture, freshness, and big flavor with basic ingredients you probably already buy.
If you’re a little nervous about multitasking in the kitchen, this one is friendly. The potatoes do most of the work in the oven while you quickly stir the dressing together. There’s no tricky timing, no special equipment, and the steps are very forgiving. As long as the potatoes get crispy and the cucumber is seeded, you’re in great shape.
This crispy smashed potato salad works well for weeknights, but it also feels “special” enough for cookouts or holidays without using expensive ingredients. It’s budget-conscious, uses the whole batch of potatoes, and keeps well in the fridge. If traditional potato salad feels boring or too rich, this is the modern, lighter, crispier version that still hits the same comfort zone.
Make Crispy Smashed Potato Salad
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What Goes In
- 2 lbs baby potatoes, scrubbed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup kewpie mayo
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- Juice of 1/2 large lemon
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 medium cucumber, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
Your Step Guide
- Preheat your oven to 425℉ and line a large baking sheet with parchment. This keeps the potatoes from sticking and makes cleanup easier.
- Add the baby potatoes to a pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Cook for about 7 minutes, or until a fork slides into them easily but they’re not falling apart. They should feel tender, not mushy.
- Drain the potatoes well, then let them steam-dry for a minute in the colander. Transfer them to the prepared baking sheet in a single layer so they have space to crisp.
- Use the bottom of a glass or jar to gently smash each potato until it flattens but still holds together. Aim for about 1/2-inch thick; thinner means crispier edges.
- Brush or drizzle the potatoes with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Make sure the tops are lightly coated so they brown evenly.
- Roast for 50–60 minutes, flipping the pan once if needed, until the potatoes are deep golden and very crispy around the edges. Don’t pull them early; the extra color equals extra flavor.
- As they finish roasting, pick off and reserve a few of the extra-crispy brown potato bits from the tray for garnish. Set them aside.
- While the potatoes roast, seed the cucumber by scraping out the watery center with a spoon, then finely chop it. This step keeps the salad from turning soupy later.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, kewpie mayo, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, chopped dill, chopped parsley, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth and creamy; it should look like a thick, pourable dressing, not stiff.
- Taste the dressing and adjust: more salt, lemon, or vinegar as needed until it tastes bright and well-seasoned to you.
- Stir in the chopped cucumber and shallot, then cover the bowl and refrigerate while the potatoes finish roasting and cool slightly. This gives the flavors a head start.
- When the potatoes are done, let them cool on the tray for about 5 minutes so they’re hot but not steaming. This helps them hold their crisp when they hit the dressing.
- Gently fold the warm crispy potatoes into the chilled dressing until every piece is coated. Try not to mash them further; you want chunks with texture.
- Top with the reserved crispy potato bits, a little extra dill, and black pepper. Serve right away or chill for a bit if you prefer it colder. Store leftovers covered in the fridge.
Why we’re smashing and roasting (and not just boiling) the potatoes
Traditional potato salad uses boiled potatoes only, which stay soft and can easily turn bland if the seasoning isn’t spot-on. Smashing and roasting adds a layer of texture and flavor that you won’t get from boiling alone. When you flatten the potatoes, more surface area hits the hot pan, so you get those crispy, caramelized edges. That means you can use fewer extra ingredients and still get a ton of flavor. It’s also forgiving: if your knife skills aren’t great or the sizes are uneven, smashing evens things out. The key is to roast long enough for deep color—that’s where the “crispy smashed potato” part really pays off in the salad.
Greek yogurt + kewpie mayo: what each one does in the dressing
Using both Greek yogurt and kewpie mayo gives you the best of both worlds without needing a long list of extras. Greek yogurt brings tang, protein, and a lighter feel, so the salad doesn’t eat like a heavy side. Kewpie mayo adds that rich, slightly sweet, ultra-smooth body that makes the dressing cling to every crispy edge. You don’t need a ton of oil or cream because the combo already feels balanced. If you only used yogurt, it might taste sharp and a bit chalky. Only mayo, and it can feel flat and heavy. Together, they create a creamy base that tastes complex with just mustard, lemon, and vinegar.
Keeping the salad from turning watery (the cucumber step that actually matters)
Cucumber is great for freshness, but it holds a lot of water that can leak into your dressing and thin it out. The most important move here is to remove the seeds completely. That center area is where most of the liquid lives. After scooping them out, finely chop the cucumber so it spreads through the salad instead of clumping. If you want to be extra careful, you can lightly squeeze the chopped cucumber in a paper towel to remove excess moisture. This small step keeps the dressing thick and creamy instead of watery the next day, which means your leftovers stay just as good.
Easy swaps and add-ins: herbs, crunch, and how to make it ahead
This recipe is flexible, so use what you have. No dill? Try chives or green onion. Parsley can be swapped for cilantro or left out if you’re short on herbs. For extra crunch, add thinly sliced celery, radishes, or a handful of toasted nuts or seeds just before serving. To make it ahead, you can roast the potatoes and cool them completely, then store them in the fridge. Keep the dressing in a separate container. Combine them the day you plan to serve so the potatoes keep more of their crisp edges. You can also mix the dressing and chopped cucumber/shallot a day early to let the flavors settle and make serving day easier.
Your Questions Answered
Can I use regular potatoes instead of baby potatoes?
Yes, you can use regular potatoes if that’s what you have. Go for waxy or all-purpose varieties like Yukon Gold rather than very starchy russets. Cut them into smaller chunks, about the size of baby potatoes, so they cook evenly. Boil until just fork tender, then smash on the tray the same way. The key is to keep the pieces similar in size so they roast at the same rate and you still get those crispy edges.
How do I keep the potatoes from sticking to the glass when I smash them?
If the potatoes keep sticking to the bottom of your glass or jar, lightly oil the bottom of the glass first or spray it with a bit of cooking spray. You can also place a small piece of parchment over the potato and press through that. Press down gently and stop as soon as the potato flattens; don’t keep pushing once it’s flat, or it’ll turn into mashed potato. Let the potatoes cool a minute after boiling so they’re less fragile when you smash them.
What if my dressing tastes too sharp or too bland?
If the dressing tastes too sharp, you probably have a bit too much acid for your taste. Stir in an extra spoonful of kewpie mayo or a small splash of olive oil to round it out, and add a pinch of salt. If it tastes bland, add a little more salt first—that often fixes it—then a touch more Dijon or lemon. Always adjust before adding the potatoes, because once they’re in, it’s harder to fine-tune without overmixing and losing that great texture.
Crispy Smashed Potato Salad
Ingredients
Potatoes:
- 2 lbs baby potatoes scrubbed
- 1 tbs olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Salad:
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup kewpie mayo
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 large lemon juiced
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/4 cup fresh dill chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1 medium cucumber seeded and finely chopped
- 1 medium shallot finely chopped
Instructions
Potatoes:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the scrubbed baby potatoes in a pot of boiling water and cook until a fork easily pierces them, about 7 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
- Arrange the potatoes on the prepared sheet and gently flatten each one with the bottom of a glass until smashed. Brush the tops with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Roast the smashed potatoes for roughly 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until they develop a golden, crisp exterior. Reserve any extra crunchy browned pieces for garnish.
Salad:
- Trim and remove the seeds from the cucumber to prevent excess moisture, then finely chop it.
- In a bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, kewpie mayo, Dijon, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, chopped dill, chopped parsley, and salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Fold the chopped cucumber and shallot into the dressing mixture, then cover and chill while the potatoes finish roasting.
Assembly:
- Let the roasted potatoes cool for about 5 minutes, then gently combine them with the chilled dressing and vegetables so each piece is well coated.
- Top with reserved crispy potato bits, extra dill and a grind of black pepper. Store leftovers refrigerated.
