Smashed potatoes are the answer to getting crispy skin and a soft centre in one potato at the same time. The Thermomix® steams the small potatoes gently in the Varoma, then we press them flat and the air fryer makes the skin properly crunchy. That is all you need.
Smashed Potatoes with the Thermomix® and Air Fryer
Ingredients 0 / 7 ✓
- 800 g small waxy potatoes baby potatoes, max. 4 cm diameter
- 1000 g water for the Varoma steam
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp fleur de sel or coarse sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper coarsely ground
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary needles stripped, or 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped or pressed
Instructions 0 / 5
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1
Pre-cook the potatoes in the Varoma.
Scrub the potatoes thoroughly, do not peel. Halve any very large ones. Pour 1000 g water into the Thermomix® bowl, place the potatoes in the Varoma dish. Fit the Varoma and cook for 25 to 30 min / Varoma / speed 1. They are done when a cocktail stick passes through without resistance.
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2
Smash the potatoes.
Place the potatoes on a board or a sheet of baking paper and leave to steam dry for 5 minutes. Press each potato flat to about 1 cm thick using the base of a glass or a small pan. The skin should burst and split open.
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3
Apply the oil and herb mixture.
Mix olive oil, garlic and rosemary together in a small bowl. Brush the smashed potatoes with the mixture, coating both sides.
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4
Cook until crispy in the air fryer.
Preheat the air fryer to 200 °C for 3 to 4 minutes. Arrange the smashed potatoes in a single layer in the basket. With 800 g you may need to cook them in two batches. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes without turning. The edges should be golden brown.
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5
Serve.
Remove from the air fryer, sprinkle immediately with fleur de sel and fresh pepper, and serve straight away.
How to get perfect smashed potatoes in the air fryer
The pre-cooking in the Varoma is the heart of this recipe. The potatoes must be completely soft before they go into the air fryer, otherwise the skin cracks when you press them instead of lying flat. We cook them for 25 to 30 minutes in the Varoma, test with a cocktail stick for softness, and then press them to about 1 cm thick with a glass or the base of a saucepan. At 200 °C they need 15 to 20 minutes until the edges are really crispy.
Our tips
- Let the potatoes steam dry completely: Too much residual moisture on the surface slows down crust formation. Letting them cool for 5 minutes before pressing makes a noticeable difference.
- Toppings after cooking: Soured cream, crème fraîche or a simple yoghurt dip with chives go very well with these. If you want cheese, scatter grated Parmesan over the potatoes for the last 3 minutes and return them to the air fryer.
- Can be prepared the day before: The potatoes can be steamed in the Varoma, smashed and stored in the fridge the day before. Then simply brush with oil and put into the air fryer, saving valuable time on weekdays.
- Potato varieties: Firm, waxy small varieties such as Bamberger Hörnchen, Sieglinde or La Ratte work best. Floury varieties break up too much when pressed.
More combinations of Thermomix® and air fryer are in our Thermomix® and Air Fryer Guide. Which potato varieties are in season and how to prepare them best is covered on our Potato Seasonal Calendar page.
Looking for cooking times for another dish? In our comprehensive air fryer cooking times chart you will find temperature and time for over 30 dishes at a glance.
