Last Updated on June 29, 2026 by Allison Lancaster

These loaded smashed potatoes are crispy, cheesy, and packed with bacon. Ready in 30 minutes with just 5 ingredients. The perfect easy side dish!

A white plate with four mini pizza bites, resembling loaded smashed potatoes, next to a fork, beside a baking tray with more pizza bites and a spatula, on a blue checkered cloth.

When you need a showstopping side dish for your next BBQ or a cozy weeknight dinner, these loaded smashed potatoes are the answer. Crispy baked baby red potatoes piled high with melty cheddar cheese and bacon bits make a family-friendly recipe everyone devours!

These loaded smashed potatoes have been a staple in my house for years. The first time I made them for a backyard cookout, they disappeared before I even had a chance to snag one for myself. I’m not even kidding. Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and piled high with melty cheddar cheese and savory bacon bits, this loaded smashed potatoes recipe is the kind of side dish that turns an ordinary Tuesday night dinner into something worth talking about.

Whether you’re feeding a crowd at a summer cookout or you just need a quick, crowd-pleasing side dish for taco night, these crispy smashed potatoes come together with just five simple ingredients you probably already have on hand. That’s what I love about this recipe: it’s humble, it’s easy, and it absolutely delivers on flavor every single time.

What Are Smashed Potatoes?

If you’ve never made smashed potatoes before, you are in for a real treat. The technique is beautifully simple: you boil baby potatoes until they’re fork-tender, place them on a baking sheet, and smash each one with the back of a spatula or the flat bottom of a glass. This creates lots of craggy, rough edges that get incredibly crispy in the oven. It’s the best of both worlds: creamy potato on the inside and golden-brown crunch on the outside.

The “loaded” part is exactly what it sounds like. We’re talking garlic-infused olive oil, shredded cheddar cheese, and bacon bits baked right on top. I’ve made this recipe dozens of times and it never gets old, especially when I finish with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of fresh green onions right before serving.

Ingredients You Will Need

Baby red potatoes (1 to 3 per person, depending on size)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup bacon bits (or 4 to 5 slices of cooked, crumbled bacon)
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Salt and black pepper to taste

A tray displays all the makings for loaded smashed potatoes: shredded cheddar cheese, chopped bacon, diced garlic, olive oil, a bowl of small red potatoes, plus a blue measuring spoon and a basting brush.

Optional toppings for serving:

Sour cream
Sliced green onions or fresh chives
A pinch of smoked paprika

How to Make Loaded Smashed Potatoes

These baked smashed potatoes come together in about 30 minutes from start to finish. Here is exactly what you will do:

Boil the potatoes. Place your baby red potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes depending on size. You want them soft all the way through but not falling apart.
Smash them. Transfer the cooked potatoes to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Give them a minute or two to steam-dry (this helps them get extra crispy). Using the flat bottom of a glass or the back of a spatula, gently press each potato down to about 1/2 inch thick. You want them flat but not completely broken apart.
Add the garlic oil. Stir your minced garlic into the olive oil and brush or drizzle it generously over each smashed potato. Don’t skip this step! The garlic oil is what makes your kitchen smell absolutely incredible and gives these potatoes their irresistible flavor.
Top with cheese and bacon. Sprinkle each potato with a generous amount of shredded cheddar cheese and bacon bits. Press them down gently so the toppings adhere.
Bake at 400 degrees F. Pop them into a preheated 400-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and the edges are golden brown and crispy. Season with salt and pepper.
Finish and serve. Add sour cream, sliced green onions, or extra bacon right before serving for that true loaded baked potato experience.

Tips for the Crispiest Smashed Potatoes

Getting those perfectly crispy edges is all about a few small but important tricks I’ve learned over the years:

Dry your potatoes well after boiling. Moisture is the enemy of crispiness. Let them sit on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before you start smashing so the steam escapes.
Use a hot oven. Baking at 400 degrees F gives you those gorgeous, golden-brown crispy edges. A lower temperature will cook them through, but you won’t get that same satisfying crunch.
Don’t skip the olive oil. A generous coat of garlic-infused olive oil is what helps the potatoes crisp up beautifully on the outside.
Don’t overcrowd the pan. Give each smashed potato room to breathe so the heat can circulate around it. Crowded pans lead to steaming, not crisping.

A white plate with three mini eggplant pizzas sits next to a metal spatula and a baking tray with more mini pizzas and loaded smashed potatoes, on a blue-checkered cloth over a wooden table.

A baking sheet with halved red potatoes for loaded smashed potatoes, surrounded by bowls of shredded cheese, bacon bits, melted butter, and minced garlic on a wooden surface.

What Kind of Potatoes Work Best for Smashing?

Baby red potatoes are my go-to for this recipe. They’re naturally creamy, hold their shape well after boiling, and their thin skin gets perfectly crispy in the oven. But you have options here. Baby Yukon Gold potatoes work beautifully too, and they have a slightly buttery flavor that pairs wonderfully with cheddar and bacon. Fingerling potatoes give a more rustic, restaurant-style look.

If you only have larger potatoes on hand, just cut them into halves or quarters before boiling so they cook through evenly, then smash and bake as directed.

Ways to Customize This Loaded Smashed Potatoes Recipe

One of the reasons my family requests this recipe again and again is how easy it is to customize based on what’s in the fridge. Here are some of our favorite variations:

Spicy version: Swap the cheddar for pepper jack cheese, add sliced pickled jalapenos on top, and drizzle with sriracha or hot sauce before serving.
Fully loaded baked potato style: Top with sour cream, cheddar, bacon, green onions, and even a few crumbles of blue cheese for extra depth of flavor.
BBQ style: Use smoked cheddar cheese, crumbled BBQ-seasoned bacon, and a light drizzle of your favorite barbecue sauce right after they come out of the oven.
Veggie version: Skip the bacon entirely and load them up with roasted broccoli florets, caramelized onions, and a sprinkle of goat cheese or feta.

Can You Make Smashed Potatoes Ahead of Time?

Yes, and this is one of the reasons this recipe is so great for entertaining! You can boil and smash your potatoes earlier in the day, then cover the baking sheet and refrigerate. When you’re ready to serve, drizzle with the garlic oil, add your toppings, and bake. They may need an extra 3 to 5 minutes in the oven since they’re starting cold, but they’ll come out just as delicious.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

Store leftover smashed potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat them and bring back that crispy texture, pop them in the oven or an air fryer at 375 degrees F for about 8 to 10 minutes. I really don’t recommend microwaving them if you can help it. The microwave will make them soft and a little sad, and these potatoes absolutely deserve to be eaten crispy.

What to Serve with Loaded Smashed Potatoes

These are such a versatile side dish. I love serving them alongside grilled burgers, hot dogs, or chicken at a summer cookout. They’re also wonderful next to a simple green salad for a lighter meal, or paired with a slow cooker main dish for an easy weeknight combo. And if you’re a potato fan like me, be sure to check out my Southern Potato Salad for your next potluck!

Other Recipes You May Love

Taco Potato Bake

Mashed Potato Fritters (a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes!)

Frequently Asked Questions

What temperature should I bake smashed potatoes at?
I bake mine at 400 degrees F. The higher heat is the key to getting those crispy, golden-brown edges. A lower temperature like 350 degrees will still cook them through, but you won’t get that same satisfying crunch.

Do you have to peel potatoes before smashing?
Nope, and you really should not! The skin stays on during cooking, and once it gets crispy in the oven it becomes the best part of the whole dish. Baby red potatoes have thin, tender skin that crisps up perfectly. No peeling needed.

Can I make smashed potatoes in an air fryer?
Absolutely! After boiling and smashing, brush with garlic oil and air fry at 400 degrees F for about 10 to 12 minutes, adding the cheese and bacon in the last 3 to 4 minutes. They come out wonderfully crispy with even less effort.

Why won’t my smashed potatoes get crispy?
The most common culprit is too much moisture. Make sure your potatoes are well-drained and dry before smashing. Also check that your oven is hot enough at 400 degrees F, you’re using enough olive oil to coat them, and you’re not overcrowding the baking sheet.

Can I freeze smashed potatoes?
I don’t recommend freezing them after the cheese and bacon toppings have been added, as the texture won’t hold up well. But you can freeze them after the boil-and-smash step before adding any toppings. Thaw overnight in the fridge, add your toppings, and bake fresh. They’ll be delicious!