If you’re craving something cheesy, crispy, and loaded with bacon — but without spending hours in the kitchen — these Bacon Cheddar Smashed Potatoes are about to become your new obsession. They’ve got all the flavor of potato skins but without the hassle.
I’m officially hooked, and I think you will be, too!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
✔ Cheesy & Bacon — These smashed potatoes are crispy, cheesy, and loaded with bacon. They are ooey gooey and yummy.
✔ Easy to make. — You don’t have to peel a bunch of potatoes. You just boil, smash, and bake!
✔ Great for Sharing – This is A crowd-pleasing side dish for any occasion. You can serve them on a Tuesday night or at a movie night.
How to Make Bacon Cheddar Smashed Potatoes
Here is your shopping list of ingredients. If you only have baby red potatoes, that will be fine. Also, consider adding sour cream and chives or even some diced jalapeno slices. You can customize this to include your favorite flavors.
Ingredients
- Yellow baby potatoes (or get those baby red potatoes — both work!)
- Fresh chives, chopped (I love that fresh flavor)
- Butter, melted (maybe wait to melt it until right before you are gonna use it)
- Cheddar cheese, shredded (use sharp for that extra cheesy-ness)
- Bacon, cooked until crisp then crumbled (hello, smoky goodness!)
- Olive oil (It helps the potatoes crisp up in the oven)
- Salt and pepper
Before you start with this recipe, I advise you to do some prep work.
- Gather all of your ingredients.
- If your cheese is block cheese, shred it.
- Cook your bacon until it is crispy but not burnt.
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 450°F. Then, brush a sheet pan with olive oil. Brushing the pan is crucial — it keeps the potatoes from sticking and helps them get those crispy, golden bottoms we all love.
Step 2: Boil the Potatoes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the whole baby potatoes. Boil until they are fork-tender, then drain well and pat dry.
It might sound silly to pat them dry, but trust me — this is how you get those crispy edges later. I’ve skipped this step before and ended up with sad, droopy potatoes. 🥔😢 You don’t want that.
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Step 3: Smash & Bake. Place the boiled potatoes on the oiled sheet pan. Now for the fun part — gently smash your potatoes 🥔 with a fork. 🫓💥 Crucial moment here: Don’t overdo this. You want them to stay together but also be gently smashed. Check out the image below for reference. 👀👇👇👇
Step 4: Brush the tops of the smashed potatoes with the remaining olive oil, then bake for 15 minutes until crispy.
👌 If I dare say so, this is probably your most important step because the edges won’t get crispy without a generous brushing of oil. And look, I ❤️ those crispy bits!
Step 5: Add the Toppings. Remove the potatoes from the oven and brush them with melted butter (because everything is better with butter, right?). Sprinkle each potato with salt, pepper, shredded cheddar cheese, and crumbled bacon.
Now, you “can” follow the measurements in the recipe card 👇👀, or you can be like me and measure with your heart because I gotta say that bacon is my first love. ❤️ 🥓
Step 6: Bake Again Return the potatoes to the oven and bake for 3-5 more minutes until the cheese is melted and the edges are golden brown.
You may be wondering why you are doing this step but trust me, it is crucial. You want that cheese bubbly, melty, and gooey! 🫠🫠
Step 7: Garnish & Serve Sprinkle fresh chopped chives over the top and serve immediately. Enjoy with sour cream for extra flavor!
This final step is like putting a little bow on top. Honestly, when I’m sprinkling those chives, I feel like an artist. 🎨✨
Recipe Tips & Variations
🔥 Crispier Potatoes? For extra crispy and crunchy potatoes, broil them for 1-2 minutes at the end. If you are worried about the cheese burning but want crispy edges, you can broil the potatoes right before you add the toppings. I prefer this method.
🧀 Switch Up the Cheese – Try Monterey Jack, pepper jack, or a sharp white cheddar. If you love cheese like I do, you can even mix and match by using two different kinds of cheese. I love using up my bits of cheese that are left from various blocks this way.
🥓 More Toppings? Add jalapeños, green onions, or a drizzle of ranch for extra flavor.
Bacon Cheddar Smashed Potatoes
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds yellow baby potatoes washed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 ½ tablespoons butter melted
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 8 strips bacon cooked until crisp then crumbled
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F.
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the whole baby potatoes and boil until fork tender, about 15-20 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes; drain well and dry the outside of the potatoes.
- Brush a sheet pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then place the cooked baby potatoes on the oiled pan. Smash the potatoes down with a fork, being careful to keep them in one piece (don’t over-smash).
- Brush the top of the smashed potatoes with the remaining tablespoon olive oil.
- Bake the potatoes at 450F for 15 minutes.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven and brush them with melted butter. Top each potato with salt and pepper to taste, shredded cheddar cheese, and crumbled bacon.
- Return the potatoes to the oven and bake for 3-5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are golden brown and crispy around the edges.
- Sprinkle fresh chopped chives over the potatoes and serve hot.
