Crispy Smashed Fingerling Potatoes with Sage Sauce

Okay, let's talk side dishes! These Smashed Potatoes are a game-changer. Imagine - crispy, golden edges giving way to a super fluffy interior, drizzled with a buttery sage sauce and sprinkled with salty, crispy pancetta.

Serve these potatoes with anything from a nice juicy steak to this Apricot Glazed Pork Tenderloin to this Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad.

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Roasted potatoes are such a great side dish for fall and winter meals. In my opinion, perfectly roasted potatoes are crispy and crunchy on the outside and creamy and fluffy on the inside. Sometimes that balance can be a little difficult to achieve, so a slightly easier, and I think a more fun alternative, is smashed potatoes. And smashing up the potatoes is kind of fun! By adding some pancetta and a creamy sage sauce you get one super tasty side dish that is sure to impress your dinner guests.

Read on to learn more about how to make these Smashed Potatoes, or jump straight to the recipe to start cooking!

Contents:

• Key ingredients + substitutions
• How to make smashed potatoes
• Tools you'll want for this recipe
• More unique side dishes for two
• Smashed Fingerling Potatoes with Sage Sauce

Key ingredients + substitutions

The full list of ingredients and quantities can be found in the recipe card below.

• Fingerling potatoes: Using smaller potatoes is key to getting them crispy - I prefer fingerling potatoes, however, if you cannot find them, or want something a little larger, small red or Yukon gold potatoes will work as well.
• Pancetta: I recommend buying thinly sliced pancetta and then chopping it yourself. It gives you the best texture for this recipe.
• White wine: I generally drink chardonnay so that's what I typically cook with but you can use any fairly dry and not too fruity white wine.
• Heavy cream: You can substitute half and half but the sauce won't be as thick.
• Chicken broth
• Parmesan cheese: I recommend using freshly grated.
• Lemon juice: You only need a small amount, so less than you'll get from half of a lemon.
• Shallot: Fresh shallots are my first choice for this recipe but you can also use freeze-dried
• Spices & herbs: fresh sage, sea salt, ground pepper
• Pantry staples: Olive oil, all-purpose flour, butter,

How to make smashed potatoes

The full printable recipe card is below, but let’s walk through the details before you get started.

These potatoes require a few steps to make but the results are worth the effort!  

Step 1 | Boil the potatoes. You start by tossing the potatoes in a pot and boiling them. This reduces the roasting time and makes it possible to smash them.

Step 2 | Cook the pancetta. While the potatoes are boiling add the pancetta to a small non-stick skillet over medium heat and cook it for 5-6 minutes until it is lightly browned and crisp. Remove the pancetta from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

Step 3 | Smash the potatoes. When you smash the potatoes, try to keep them in one piece as much as possible. It's not a big deal if some bits break off, they will just get a little extra crispy when roasting! I use the flat side of a meat tenderizer to smash them but you can use anything flat and somewhat heavy - a flat potato masher, a heavy flat bottom glass - something along those lines will work well!

Step 4 | Make the parmesan mixture. Mix the salt and parmesan cheese in a small bowl and then add the minced sage. Set this aside until you are ready to roast the potatoes.

Step 5 | Roast the potatoes. Roast in a hot oven for about 30 minutes to get them nice and crisp.

Step 6 | Make the sauce. While the potatoes are roasting, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small non-stick saucepan over medium heat then add the shallots and sauté for 2 minutes. Add flour and cook for a few more seconds, stirring constantly. Then add the wine, cream, broth and lemon juice. Cook the sauce for about 4 minutes, stirring it constantly. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and cook it until the butter is melted. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in sage, pepper and salt.

Step 7 | Finish the potatoes. Finish the potatoes with a drizzle of the sage butter sauce and a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese. These crispy smashed potatoes are best when they’re hot and fresh, so serving them as soon as they come out of the oven is your best bet.

More unique side dishes for two

Other great side dishes for two include these Crispy Asian Brussels Sprout Salad, these Zucchini Fritters with Goat Cheese Mousse or this Miso Glazed Roasted Cauliflower.

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This post was originally published in February 2016. It was updated in February 2024 with some new information and photos. No changes were made to the original recipe.