Rosemary Olive Smashed Potatoes – Remarkably Easy & Delicious

I don’t think that there can ever be too many ways to prepare potatoes! Here, I am introducing smashed potatoes—all of the satisfaction of baked potatoes but packed with more flavor and the perfect amount of crisp.

To give potatoes that desired crispiness traditional potato recipes call for tossing with olive oil.

Instead, I'm introducing the method of making olive water!

Blending the entire (pitted) olive with water and herbs creates the fat necessary to reach the desired crisp while still retaining all of the fiber and nutrients of the olives that are missing in olive oil.

Plus, you’ll notice that brushing on rather than tossing the olive mixture with the potatoes allows you to control the amount of flavor and fat.

The first test round of these potatoes happened a few weeks ago when I was making Thanksgiving dinner. Knowing that there'd be a lot of rich plant-based dishes on the table, I wondered what would be an easy way to lower the calorie density of my meal.

I decided to make these Rosemary-Olive Smashed Potatoes which are closer to their whole form with fewer added calories compared to the vegan mashed potatoes we were also serving.

The family consensus...they were delicious, AND they'll be a regular not just on our holiday menus, but all throughout the year.

I encourage you to use a mixture of purple, red and Yukon gold potatoes here. The variety in color makes for a beautiful presentation and delivers slightly different tastes and textures, which makes eating more fun.

Honestly, potatoes—of any kind—never disappoint, but with a simple topping of olive water, these oil-free potatoes are truly exceptional.

At the Plant-based Holiday Dinner I co-hosted with VegCurious last week, everyone wanted seconds of these potatoes, so I have a feeling these will be a new community fav!

Rosemary Olive Smashed Potatoes

By Chef Katie Mae

Makes 8–10 small potatoes | Ready in 40 minutes | Stores 5 days in the fridge

INGREDIENTS

• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried garlic granules, divided
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, divided
• 2 tablespoons Kalamata olives, pitted*
• ¼ cup water
• 2 lbs small potatoes (Yukon gold, purple, or red)

DIRECTIONS

1. Steam the potatoes on the stovetop or in an electric pressure cooker, which is my preferred method. Either way, add about an inch of water at the bottom of the pot and a steam basket or metal rack. Then add the whole, uncut potatoes. Cover and steam.
2. On the stovetop, it will take about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes and how high your heat is. In the pressure cooker with potatoes about 2 to 3 inches wide, use the manual mode, set the time to 10 minutes, and close the valve. I use the natural release for 10 minutes and then manually release the pressure.
3. Preheat the oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. In a small blender, combine the water, pitted olives, ½ teaspoon of dried rosemary, and ½ teaspoon garlic granules. Blend into a smooth olive water.
5. Once the potatoes are steamed and can easily be pierced with a fork, place them on the prepared baking sheet. Use the bottom of a glass jar or a can to smash the potatoes. When doing this, I put a piece of parchment paper over an individual potato and then gently press down on the potato with a mason jar. Use just enough pressure to partially smash the potato. It should have cracks in the skin with the flesh starting to split, but still intact.
6. Use a basting or pastry brush to brush a thin layer of olive water on each smashed potato.
7. Sprinkle the potatoes with the remaining rosemary, garlic granules, and freshly ground black pepper. Bake the potatoes for 12 to 15 minutes, removing when they are crispy to your liking. Let the smashed potatoes cool for a few minutes before enjoying.