Potato – RECENTERES

Smoked Salmon Twice Baked Potatoes

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 18:15:31 +0000

Just watch your guests devour these salmon potatoes just seconds after you serve them!

These are so simple to make and require such few ingredients, it’s truly hard to believe how delicious they are. Follow me…

Twice Baked Potatoes

Honestly, these potatoes are delicious even without the toppings. But, add on some smoked salmon and a few other goodies, and it’s almost too much to bear.

We’re just gonna bake up some spuds, then scoop out the centre, mash it up, plonk it back in the skins and bake again until crisp. For the mash, here’s what I add:

Butter – An essential in mash.
Cream Cheese – This not only pairs with the salmon beautifully, but it creates a nice creamy mash, without making it too loose.
Seasoning – I love a pinch of nutmeg, alongside the essential salt and pepper.

You want the filling to be a little creamy, but not too loose, otherwise it’ll spill out when you bake the potatoes for the second time. As such, you don’t need to add milk, cream or any other liquid. Butter and cream cheese are enough to make a nice, smooth and fluffy mash.

Process shots: coat potatoes in oil and salt (photo 1), bake (photo 2), halve and scoop out centre (photo 3), mash with butter, cream cheese and seasoning (photo 4), scoop back into skins (photo 5), bake again (photo 6).

Salmon Potatoes

Now we’ve got our twice baked potatoes ready to rock ‘n’ roll, let’s talk toppings:

Smoked Salmon – I recommend tearing it up and placing it on top, just so the potatoes are easier to eat.
Crème Fraîche – A lovely addition which helps bring everything together.
Capers – These are essential to add a vinegary burst of flavour to break up the richer flavours we have already.
Chives – You could use dill, but I prefer the flavour of chives here, especially with the cream cheese/potatoes.

I recommend giving the above combo a go first, but you could always branch out after and experiment with other classic additions to salmon (red onion, dill, avocado etc).

Recipe Tip

If you want to prep these ahead of time, just scoop the mash into the skins and leave to completely cool. Tightly store in the fridge until needed then bake as needed and top with salmon etc.

How to serve Smoked Salmon Potatoes

I typically leave the potatoes for a few minutes once they’re out of the oven, just so they don’t start ‘cooking’ the salmon and melting the Crème Fraîche. You do want to serve them warm though, so don’t leave them sitting too long.

These are awesome for just about any occasion – but as I type this up now, it’s Nov 30th, so festive parties are MADE for these little beauties.

For more smoked salmon recipes, check out my Smoked Salmon Pasta Salad and Smoked Salmon Bagels!

For another twice baked potato recipe, check out my Mini Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes!

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for these smoked salmon potatoes shall we?!

How to make Smoked Salmon Twice Baked Potatoes (Full Recipe & Video)

Smoked Salmon Twice Baked Potatoes

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Just watch your guests devour these salmon potatoes just seconds after you serve them!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Western

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1 10

Total Time 1 30

Servings potatoes

Calories 97kcal

Author Chris Collins

Equipment

Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
Large Baking Tray
Medium Sized Mixing Bowl (for mash)

Ingredients

Potatoes

6x 100g/3.5oz Baking Potatoes (see notes)
Olive Oil, as needed
2 tbsp Cream Cheese
1 tbsp Butter
1-2 pinches of Ground Nutmeg
Salt & Black Pepper, to taste

Toppings

100g / 3.5oz Smoked Salmon, roughly torn (or as needed)
12 tsp Crème Fraîche (~75g/2.6oz)
40g / 1.4oz Capers, drained (or as needed)
1 tbsp finely diced Chives, or as needed

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.
Use a fork to prick the potatoes a few times, then coat them in a drizzle of oil and a good pinch of salt. Space out on the baking tray and bake for around 45 minutes, or until crispy and fork tender (timings will depend on size, so just be vigilant).
Take the potatoes out of the oven, and once cool enough to handle, slice them in half lengthways. Scoop out most of the potato and place it in a medium-sized mixing bowl, leaving a thin wall to keep the skins sturdy.
Mash the potato with cream cheese, butter, nutmeg, salt and pepper, then scoop back into the skins (make sure the mash is seasoned well). Bake again in the oven at the same temp for 25-30mins until the skins are nice and crispy, and the top is golden and crisp too.
Allow to cool for a few minutes, then top with salmon, crème fraîche, capers and chives, then tuck in and enjoy!

Video

Notes

a) Potatoes – I find the perfect sized potato to be 100g/3.5oz. You want them relatively small, so they’re more ‘bite-sized’ after they’re halved and baked. For reference, I used Vivaldi White Potatoes.

b) Salmon – I recommend roughly tearing the salmon into a few pieces and placing it on the potatoes, just so they’re easier to eat, without taking the whole topping off at once.

c) Toppings – I love this combination, but you could experiment and use other classic smoked salmon pairings (dill, red onion etc). I’ve given exact amounts in the recipe, but just use as much or as little of each topping as your heart desires.

d) Calories – Per potato with toppings.

Nutrition

The post Smoked Salmon Twice Baked Potatoes appeared first on Don't Go Bacon My Heart.

Loaded Smashed Tater Tots

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 18:39:34 +0000

Here I’ll show you how to serve tater tots in the most delicious way possible!

For my friends here in the UK, we’ll be using mini hash browns, which you can find in many supermarkets and work exactly the same as tater tots.

Smashed Tater Tots

I suppose the question is: ‘Why are we smashing tater tots?’ And it’s a good question. There are in fact two good reasons:

Crisp – smashing the tater tots increases the surface area and makes them nice and thin. This, in turn, allows them to crisp up even more.
Surface – increasing the surface area gives us a nice ‘platform’ to load up some toppings, without them falling off.

When I first tested these, I thawed out the mini hash browns, smashed them and baked them with cheese. This worked pretty well, but they were ever-so-slightly crumbly. Instead, I found that smashing them after giving them an initial bake helps them stay intact a little better.

To actually smash them, I typically use a flat measuring cup, but a glass, mug, spatula or anything of that walk of life will work just fine.

Process shots: bake tater tots (photo 1), smash (photo 2), add cheese (photo 3), bake again (photo 4).

Loaded Tater Tots

Now, strictly speaking, you could eat them right away. Crispy, cheesy tater tots? Yep, they’re awesome as they are.

But this is me, so naturally, we are going to take things up a few notches. There are an infinite number of toppings you could go for, but I’ve gone for the classic ‘loaded’ combination:

Cheddar (already baked on the smashed taters)
Sour Cream
Bacon
Jalapeños (omit if you don’t like spice)
Chives (can sub spring onion)

How to serve Smashed Tater Tots

These are awesome for so many different occasions. As I type this, we’re in November, so Thanksgiving and Christmas parties are made for these! They’re completely foolproof too and always go down a storm, especially since you can switch up the toppings.

For a potato version of these, check out my Loaded Smashed Potatoes!

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for these loaded smashed tater tots shall we?!

How to make Loaded Smashed Tater Tots (Full Recipe & Video)

Loaded Smashed Tater Tots

Here I'll show you how to serve tater tots in the most delicious way possible!

Course Appetizer, Finger Food

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings tater tots

Calories 221kcal

Author Chris Collins

Equipment

Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
Large Baking Tray (mine is 38cmx30cm / 15"x12")
Measuring Cup, Mug or other flat object (for smashing tater tots)

Ingredients

30x Frozen Tater Tots/Mini Hash Browns (see notes)
50g / 1/2 cup Cheddar, grated (or as needed)
100g / 3.5oz Sour Cream, or as needed
5 slices of Streaky Bacon, cooked, cooled and finely diced
30-45g / 1-1.5oz Pickled Jalapeños, finely diced
1-2 tbsp finely diced Fresh Chives

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.
Space out the tater tots/mini hash browns on a large baking tray (keep in mind they'll increase in size once smashed). Bake in the oven for 8 minutes.
Take the tray out and use a measuring cup, glass, mug, etc, to smash the tater tots until they're thin (but not breaking apart). Top with a small pinch of Cheddar, then bake again for 12-14 minutes, or until they are golden around the outside and visibly crispy. They will crisp up more as they cool.
Top each one with sour cream, bacon, jalapeños and chives. Tuck in and enjoy!

Video

Notes

a) Tater Tots in the UK – These are typically called ‘Hash Brown Bites’ which you’ll find in the frozen section of Tesco, Sainsbury’s and potentially some other major supermarkets too.

b) Quantities – Just use your best judgment based on how many you want to make and how much of each topping you want. The recipe above is just what I found to be perfect. For reference, 30x mini hash browns were around 320g/11.2oz total.

c) Cooking time – The above cooking times are probably a little longer than suggested on the package. This just ensures they end up extra crispy. They’ll probably differ in size across brands, so just use your best judgment if you need to cook a little longer or for less in order to get them crispy.

d) Calories – Whole recipe divided by 6.

Nutrition

The post Loaded Smashed Tater Tots appeared first on Don't Go Bacon My Heart.

Hash Brown Chicken Cutlets (Potato Crusted Chicken)

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 19:26:24 +0000

Juicy chicken coated in super crispy shredded potato – this truly is the best kind of fried chicken!

This is one of those ‘I can’t believe I hadn’t thought of this before’ recipes. But we won’t dwell on the lost time. We are here now, and that’s all that matters. Follow me…

Preparing Hash Browns

We’ll start by grating the potato on a box grater. No need to peel! That’s just extra faff. After that, there a two important steps:

Rinsing – I like to rinse the shredded potato in cold water to remove excess starch. The starch is what tends to make hash browns a little ‘gloopy’ in the centre, as opposed to ‘fluffy’. This step just helps the potato crisp up a bit more efficiently.
Drying – If you didn’t rinse the potato, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. However, if you don’t squeeze out the water from the potato, it will completely ruin the recipe. It’s essential that you squeeze as much moisture from the shredded potato as possible, not only to help it crisp in the pan, but also to help it bind and cling to the chicken. I do this by twisting it in a tea towel.

Shredded Potato and Parmesan

Once you’ve shredded and dried the potato, you’ll want to combine it with Parmesan. This not only adds a boost of flavour, but it’ll also help the potato crisp up even more. Don’t skip this step.

Process shots: grate potato (photo 1), rinse (photo 2), dry (photo 3), combine with parmesan (photo 4).

Recipe Tip

DO NOT add salt to the shredded potato. It will draw out moisture and make the batter very soggy. Only season the potato AFTER the chicken has cooked.

Potato Crusted Chicken

You want the chicken nice and thin, just so it cooks at the same rate the potato does. As such, you’ll want to halve the breasts right through the centre to create thinner, more even-sized cutlets. You can even gently pound them after that if you need to.

From there, we’ve got the classic flour and egg initial coating, which will help the potato cling to the chicken. When coating the chicken in the potato, use your hands to really press it into the chicken and create a flat, even coating of potato that completely covers the chicken.

Frying the chicken is very simple because we are only shallow frying, not deep frying. You just need enough oil to fill the base of the pan – you might want to work in batches too.

Process shots: slice chicken (photo 1), coat in flour (photo 2), coat in egg (photo 3), coat in potato (photo 4), add to hot oil (photo 5), fry both sides (photo 6).

Hash Brown Chicken FAQ

Can I bake the chicken?

These must be fried; otherwise the potato just doesn’t crisp up the way you want it to.

Can I make it ahead of time?

These are best made fresh. Prepping them ahead would just cause the potatoes to brown and go soggy. I have reheated them once cooked before, and they’re perfectly tasty, but they don’t return to the same level of crispiness.

Could I use a different meat?

I haven’t tried, but I imagine pork would work great! You could try chicken thighs, but you’d need to pound them nice and thin to ensure they cook through properly without the potato burning.

How to serve Hash Brown Chicken

Once the chicken has cooked, I like to rest it on a wire rack with paper towels underneath to catch excess oil. From there, you’ll want to hit them with a good pinch of salt (remember, the potato wasn’t seasoned).

When it comes to serving these, here are some ideas:

Coleslaw and Side Salad (as I’ve done here).
Green beans or some other veg with Gravy.
Sliced into a wrap.
Part of a breakfast situation with a fried egg, grilled tomato, beans, etc.

For my proper hash browns check out my Hash Brown Patties!

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this hash brown chicken shall we?!

How to make Hash Brown Chicken (Full Recipe & Video)

Hash Brown Chicken Cutlets (Potato Crusted Chicken)

Juicy chicken coated in super crispy shredded potato – this truly is the best kind of fried chicken!

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Western

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 15

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 450kcal

Author Chris Collins

Equipment

Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
Box Grater (for grating potato)
Large Bowl (for rinsing potato)
Clean Tea Towel (for straining potato)
3 Large Dishes (for dredging)
Large (preferably heavy-based) Pan & Tongs (for frying chicken)
Kitchen Thermometer
Wire Rack and Paper Towels (for resting chicken)

Ingredients

650g / 1.4lbs Potatoes (see notes)
30g / 1oz Parmesan (see notes)
35g / 1/4 cup Plain Flour
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp EACH: Paprika, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Black Pepper
2 Eggs, beaten
2x 200g/7oz Chicken Breasts, take out of the fridge 30 mins or so before needed (see notes)
240ml / 1 cup Vegetable Oil, for frying
Flaky Sea Salt, to serve (for just more regular salt)

Instructions

Use a box grater to grate the potatoes (no need to peel), then place into a large bowl. Fill with enough cold water to comfortably cover the shredded potato, then use your hand to swish everything around. The water should turn cloudy from the excess starch.
A handful at a time, grab the potato, squeeze out excess water, then place in the centre of a large, clean tea towel. Twist it into a ball over the sink and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. For extra insurance, I then like to untwist the ball and press down kitchen roll/paper towels to remove any excess water. If the potato is at all soggy, it won't bind or crisp up on the chicken.
Place the now dry shredded potato in a large dish and combine with the parmesan (do not add salt). Place a dish with the beaten egg to the left of it, then place the flour + the seasonings in a large dish to the left of that.
Carefully slice the chicken breasts right through the centre to create 4 even-sized cutlets. If they're still thick and/or uneven, consider using cling film and a rolling pin to gently pound them to level them out.
One by one, coat the cutlets in the flour, then egg, then the shredded potato. You'll need to press the potato into the chicken to create a flat, even coating of potato that completely covers the chicken.
Add enough oil to comfortably fill the base of a large (preferably heavy-based) pan. Turn the heat to medium-high and heat the oil to 180C/350F (a shred of potato should rapidly sizzle). Carefully add the cutlets and fry both sides for around 3-4 minutes until golden and crispy with the chicken cooked through the centre (safe internal temp of chicken is 74C/165F). Lower the heat/and or add in more oil if they look like they're burning/cooking too quickly (you can peek underneath to check). Place on a wire rack with paper towels underneath to catch excess oil. You may need to work in two batches.
Serve the chicken with a good pinch of salt (remember the potato isn't seasoned), then tuck in and enjoy!

Video

Notes

a) Chicken – I like the chicken relatively small/thin to ensure it definitely cooks through by the time the potato cooks. I also recommend getting the chicken close to room temp before cooking. I find cooking fridge-cold meat causes it to seize up and release moisture, which, in turn, would work to push off the potato.

b) Potatoes – I recommend floury/baking potatoes like Maris Pipers or Russets, because they crisp up, whilst still staying fluffy in the centre.

c) Rinsing – I have tested this recipe by rinsing the potato and by not rinsing. They do crisp up a little more efficiently if you wash off the starch first, but it’s not a complete deal-breaker if you just squeeze out the moisture without rinsing first. The most important thing is squeezing out the water from the potato, so definitely do not skip this step.

d) Parmesan – This adds a boost of flavour and helps the coating crisp up even more. If you are vegetarian then just use a vegetarian alternative. I like to use the fresh dusty variety you find in packets in the refrigerated section, just because it blends through the shredded potato really nicely.

e) Salt – You do not want to salt the potato directly, because it’ll draw out moisture, no matter how much you already squeezed out. Salting the potato will just make the batter go soggy, so just salt once they’re cooked.

f) Calories – Per cutlet assuming all the flour/egg/potato is used and 1 tbsp oil is soaked up per cutlet.

Nutrition

For more similar recipes check out these beauties:

Crusted Chicken Recipes

The post Hash Brown Chicken Cutlets (Potato Crusted Chicken) appeared first on Don't Go Bacon My Heart.

Fried Mashed Potato Balls

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 16:33:03 +0000

These fried mashed potato balls are crispy, cheesy and outrageously delicious!

Yes, heaven truly is a place on earth – as depicted by these beauties. If you’ve never made mashed potato balls before, your life is about to change for the better! Follow me…

Loaded Mashed Potato Balls Ingredients

These are a little more exciting than just regular mashed potato balls. You know me – I can’t help myself, I had to add some extra goodies. Here’s what you’ll need for the filling:

Potato – peeled, boiled, drained, then mashed.
Butter – to add richness and flavour to the potato itself.
Cheddar – this is grated and mixed through the potato.
Red Leicester – this is sliced into tiny cubes and stuffed inside the balls. You can sub more cheddar.
Bacon – where there’s cheese and potato, there’s got to be bacon.
Chives – these add gorgeous pops of flavour.
S&P – make sure the mash is seasoned well!

Recipe Tip

When you drain the potato, make sure you leave it to completely cool, so as much moisture leaves the potato as possible. This will help the balls keep their shape.

Can I use leftover mashed potato?

You can yes – I’ve added more on this in the recipe card below.

How to make Mashed Potato Balls

To make the balls, it’s as simple as mashing everything together and rolling it into a ball around a cube of cheese. Just a few tips to help you along the way:

Size – try and make sure each ball is a similar size so they cook at an even rate.
Cheese – make sure the cheese is totally encapsulated by the potato to prevent it from leaking out.
Cold – I highly recommend placing the balls in the freezer for 15 mins or so to help them firm up after you’ve rolled them.

Process shots: add filling ingredients to bowl (photo 1), combine (photo 2), scoop out mixture and place cheese in the centre (photo 3), roll into balls (photo 4).

How to cook Mashed Potato Balls

To ensure the balls come out extra crispy, we want to do two things:

Coating – we’ll be coating the balls in flour, then egg, then Panko breadcrumbs for an extra crispy exterior.
Cooking – for that perfect golden crunch, we will be frying the balls. Don’t worry though – it’s super easy and they cook very quickly.

This process doesn’t actually take long in general because you can work a few at a time.

Process shots: coat balls in seasoned flour (photo 5), coat in beaten egg (photo 6), coat in seasoned Panko (photo 7), add to hot oil (photo 8), fry then remove (photo 9).

How to serve Mashed Potato Balls

Once they’re cooked, I recommend placing them on a wire rack with paper towels underneath to catch excess oil. From there, I love to finish with some parmesan and parsley for a final pop of flavour.

If you love the look of these then check out my Fried Cheese Balls and Loaded Smashed Potatoes!

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for these mashed potato balls shall we?!

How to make Fried Mashed Potato Balls (Full Recipe & Video)

Fried Mashed Potato Balls

These fried mashed potato balls are crispy, cheesy and outrageously delicious!

Course Appetizer, Finger Food

Cuisine American

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 25

Total Time 1 5

Servings – 5

Calories 137kcal

Author Chris Collins

Cost £2 / $2.50

Equipment

Potato Peeler
Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
Medium Sized Pot & Wooden Spoon (for boiling potatoes)
Colander, Large Bowl & Potato Masher
3 Large Shallow Dishes (for coating mashed potato balls)
Suitably Sized Pot & Slotted Spoon (for frying)
Kitchen Thermometer
Wire Rack & Paper Towels (for resting mashed potato balls)

Ingredients

Filling

550g / 1.2lbs Baking Potatoes (see notes)
4 slices of Streaky Bacon, cooked, cooked and finely diced
30g / 1/3 cup grated Cheddar
70g / 2.5oz Red Leicester, sliced in to small cubes (approx 1cm – sub more cheddar)
2 tbsp finely diced Fresh Chives
1 tbsp Butter
1/4 tsp Salt, or to taste (plus more to season the water for boiling the potatoes)
1/8 tsp Black Pepper, or to taste

Coating

1 tsp Smoked Paprika
3/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp EACH: Garlic Powder, Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper (omit for no spice)
40g / 1/4 cup Plain Flour
2 Eggs, beaten
60g / 1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
1 litre / 4 cups Vegetable Oil, or as needed for frying
2 tbsp finely grated Parmesan, to garnish
1 tbsp finely diced Fresh Parsley, to garnish

Instructions

Peel and dice the potatoes, then add them to a pot of cold water with 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes and just about fork-tender. It's important that you don't over-boil the potatoes, otherwise they'll soak in too much water and the balls will be too sloppy to mould.
Drain the potatoes in a colander and leave them to steam dry and completely cool. It's important to let the steam escape from the potatoes so they can dry out. To speed up this process, you can lay them on a towel until they're completely cool.
Mash the potatoes with the butter, cheddar, bacon, chives, salt and pepper. Use a 1 tbsp measuring spoon to scoop out the mixture into portions. Take a piece of cubed cheese and use a portion of mash to wrap into a ball. You should get 14-15 balls in total.
At this point I highly recommend placing them in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm them up before coating them.
In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp smoked paprika, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp garlic powder, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Line up 3 large shallow dishes: the first with the flour and half of the seasoning mixed in, the second with the beaten eggs and the third with the Panko and the rest of the seasoning.
Coat the mashed potato balls in the flour, then the egg, then the Panko, ensuring they're fully coated at each stage (namely the Panko). You can do this a few at a time, depending on the size of your dishes.
In a pot suitable for frying, add enough oil to cover the height of the balls and heat to 180C/350F (a breadcrumb should rapidly sizzle). Use a slotted spoon to lower the balls into the oil (I do 4 or so at a time) and fry them for 2-3 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Use your slotted spoon to gently and continually move them around so they fry evenly. You might spot little dots of leakage, which is fine, but if one of them looks like it's about to split open, just remove it. Place the cooked balls on a wire rack above paper towels to catch excess oil.
Finish with parmesan and parsley then tuck in and enjoy!

Video

Notes

a) Potatoes – I recommend using something like a Maris Piper or Russet because they’re nice and floury. Just another reminder that let the cooked potato cool right down, otherwise the balls are going to turn to mush from the excess steam.

b) Using leftover mashed potato – You can use leftover mashed potato for this recipe, just a few things to keep in mind:

You’ll need around 1 1/2 cups mashed potato.
Ideally it’s nice and fluffy, not super creamy in texture.
If it was made with butter you won’t need the extra butter in the recipe.
Season to taste based on how much it was originally seasoned.

c) Cheese – I like using Red Leicester for the middle because it melts really nicely. You might find the centre isn’t properly melted right after the balls have fried, but just let them rest for a few mins and the residual heat will melt the centre. You don’t have to add a cube of cheese in the centre; they’re still delicious without.

d) Air Fryer option – I have tried these in the air fryer and they do work pretty well. You’ll need to toast the Panko in a tbsp of butter in a pan until golden first, just to give the breading a head start. From there, I recommend cooking at 190C/375F for around 8 minutes, or until golden and crisp (keep an eye on them as timings will differ).

e) Calories – Per ball assuming 14 in total, half the bread is picked up and 1 tsp oil per ball is soaked up.

Nutrition

The post Fried Mashed Potato Balls appeared first on Don't Go Bacon My Heart.

Air Fryer Chips (Actually Crispy!)

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 16:19:28 +0000

Here I’ll give you some tips and tricks for making chips in the air fryer that are ACTUALLY crispy!

If you’ve been a victim of soggy air fryer chips before, just know, we’ve all been there. Even me! As such, I made it my mission to find a simple method for making chips in the air fryer that are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. I’m happy to report – the mission is complete. Follow me…

Air Fryer Chips Ingredients

As you can imagine, you only need a handful of ingredients. The full quantities are in the recipe card below, but let me just quickly provide an explanation for each one:

Potatoes – You’ll want to use a baking potato like a Maris Piper (UK) or Russet (US). This will result in chips that are fluffy in the centre and crisp on the outside. I recommend avoiding waxy varieties of potato – they don’t come out as fluffy.
Cornflour – Aka ‘cornstarch’ in the US. A thin coating of this will give the chips a nice crispy exterior.
Seasoning – I use a simple concoction of salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder.
Oil – I recommend a neutral like veg or sunflower.

Recipe Tip

Smaller potatoes will result in shorter/smaller chips, which tend to crisp up more easily. As such, I’d avoid large potatoes/chips as the can sometimes come out a little limp.

How to Prepare Air Fryer Chips

I highly recommend keeping the skins on. Not only do the skins add a little flavour, but they also crisp up really nicely too. It’s not a deal-breaker, but you will find the chips with the skin attached tend to be crisper.

When it comes to slicing the chips, do take some care in trying to slice them evenly, just so they cook at an even rate. I also like to dry them with paper towels to remove excess moisture. This will reduce their chance of steaming in the air fryer, which in turn, will help them crisp up.

Process shots: cut potatoes into chips (photo 1), dry (photo 2), toss in cornflour (photo 3), toss in oil (photo 4), add seasoning (photo 5), toss again (photo 6).

Recipe Tip

After you’ve seasoned the chips, don’t let them sit for too long. The longer they sit, the more the salt will draw out moisture and make them ‘sweat’. This will cause the chips to steam and will prevent them from getting crispy.

How to Make Chips in the Air Fryer

When it comes to cooking the chips, I’ve got two tips:

Space – The number one mistake people make when making chips in the air fryer is packing the basket completely full. This will just cause the chips to steam. Make sure you give the chips space to crisp, or consider working in batches. If you watch the video in the recipe card, you’ll see how much space I recommend.
Shake – You’ll want to shake the basket a good few times during, just so everything gets an even frying.

Serving Air Fryer Chips

Once they’re golden and crispy, serve up right away with some extra salt! These are perfect as Finger Food with some Dip, or great as a Side to plenty of Hearty Dinners and Quick Dinners. Here are some of my favourite meals with chips:

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for these homemade air fryer chips shall we?!

How to make Air Fryer Chips (Full Recipe & Video)

Air Fryer Chips

Here I'll give you some tips and tricks to making chips in the air fryer that are ACTUALLY crispy!

Course Finger Food, Side Dish

Cuisine Western

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings – 4

Calories 205kcal

Author Chris Collins

Cost £1.50 / $2

Equipment

Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
Paper Towels/Kitchen Roll
Large Mixing Bowl
Air Fryer

Ingredients

700g / 1.5lbs Baking Potatoes (see notes)
2 tbsp Veg Oil
1 tbsp Cornflour/Cornstarch
1/2 tsp EACH: Paprika, Salt
1/4 tsp EACH: Garlic Powder, Black Pepper
Flaky Sea Salt, to serve (or more regular salt)

Instructions

Scrub any dirt off the potatoes if needed, then slice them into chips around 1-1.5cm / 0.4-0.6" thick. Keep the skins on and try and slice them as precisely/evenly as possible, just so they all cook at an even rate.
Use kitchen roll/paper towels to dry the chips of any excess moisture, then add them to a large mixing bowl with 1 tbsp cornflour. Give them a good toss until they're evenly coated, then toss in the oil until evenly coated. Finish by mixing in the seasoning until evenly coated. Don't let them sit for too long, otherwise the salt will draw out moisture and cause them to steam.
Add them to the air fryer basket (roughly space them out as best you can) then cook for 10 minutes at 190C/375F. Give them a firm shake a couple of times during this.
After 10 minutes, turn the heat up to 200C/400F and cook for a further 8-10 minutes, or until nice and crispy. Again, give them a couple of shakes during this.
Serve with more salt (to taste) then tuck in and enjoy!

Video

Notes

a) What kind of potatoes to use – Use a floury/baking potato like a Maris Paper (UK) or Russet (US). In general, smaller potatoes, and therefore shorter/smaller chips, will crisp up easier. As such, I recommend avoiding large potatoes, because long chips risk going limp. The skins also help keep them crisp, so don’t peel the potatoes.

b) Cornflour – You don’t need much of this, but it does gives the chips a light, crispy exterior, so don’t skip it. Although the chips will be dry after you’ve cut them, there will be enough moisture for the cornflour to stick. Just give them a really good toss so it’s all evenly distributed.

c) Spacing – If you cram the chips in the basket, they will steam and will not crisp up. I have the double drawer air fryer and half in each works absolutely perfectly. If you have a small air fryer, consider a half batch and/or space them out as best you can and give them a good shake during.

d) Inspiration – I tested these a few different ways and landed on something inspired by my friends over at Kitchen Sanctuary. So credit to them for mastering the air fryer chip game!

e) Calories – Whole recipe divided by 4.

Nutrition

The post Air Fryer Chips (Actually Crispy!) appeared first on Don't Go Bacon My Heart.

Extra Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 14:31:13 +0000

Here I’ll share some simple tips and tricks for making the creamiest mashed potatoes ever!

If you’re looking for an easy mashed potato recipe that actually comes out creamy, that you don’t need any special ingredients or equipment to make, then you’ve stumbled across the right place. Follow me…

Creamy Mashed Potato Ingredients

As you can imagine, the ingredients list for this recipe is pretty small. I’ve put the recipe card with all the measurements in the recipe card, but let me just provide a little explanation of each ingredient first:

Potatoes – For the smoothest, creamiest mash, you’ll want to use a floury baking potato like a Maris Piper (UK) or Russet (US).
Butter – The backbone of any good mash. Most is going in the mash, but we’re going to melt more on top.
Cream – Strictly speaking, you could use whole milk, but this is called creamy mashed potato for a reason. As such, we’re using double (UK) heavy (US) cream.
Cream Cheese – This is my secret ingredient. It doesn’t make the mash taste cheesy at all; instead, it makes it extra creamy and offers a deeper complexity of flavour.
Chives – Don’t skip these. They add a lovely final pop of colour and flavour.
Salt and Pepper – Don’t underestimate how important seasoning is for a good mashed potato. Potatoes suck up salt like you’d never imagine.

Recipe Tip

It’s important to keep the cream, cream cheese and butter all at room temp as you prep the mash. This will ensure they mix into the potatoes will ease and prevent a lumpy mash.

How to prepare Mashed Potatoes

Usual stuff, just peel and dice the spuds to start, making sure they’re even-sized chunks (this will ensure they cook at an even rate).

From there, always start them off in cold water and bring them to a boil. This will allow the potatoes to cook as the water heats up, essentially meaning they cook more evenly. If you throw them right in boiling water, the outside is going to cook quicker than the inside. You’ll know the potatoes are cooked when they’re fork tender (just jab them and they should break apart).

Process shots: peel potato (photo 1), dice (photo 2), add to salted cold water (photo 3), boil (photo 4).

How to make Creamy Mashed Potatoes

There are a couple of steps that really make the difference when making a quality mash.

Steam drying the potatoes

Once you’ve drained the potatoes, give them a shake and leave them to sit in the colander for 1 minute. This will give time for some steam to escape, which otherwise would end up in the mash and make it watery/sloppy.

Warming the ingredients

I know there are chefs who claim it’s best for the butter to be cold when you add it to the potatoes, but my experience is that when it’s warmer, it blends in with the potatoes with much more ease. Same for the cream. The great part is that you can use the residual heat from the pot as the potatoes steam dry!

Process shots: drain potatoes (photo 5), warm cream and butter (photo 6), mash potatoes (photo 7), mash in seasoning and cream cheese (photo 8).

Recipe Tip

DO NOT use a hand blender or anything like that to mix the potatoes. It’ll activate starch and cause the potatoes to go gluey. Use a potato masher and mash until the potatoes are just creamy.

How to serve Mashed Potatoes

To take the mash to new heights, use a spoon to ‘swirl’ the top and drizzle over some melted butter. I also HIGHLY recommend adding some chives for a final pop of colour and flavour.

This is pretty much my go-to mash potato for just about everything, from Hearty Dinners to Roast Dinners and everything in between. Here are some honourable mentions of my favourite dinners to serve with mash:

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this creamy mashed potato shall we?!

How to make Creamy Mashed Potatoes (Full Recipe & Video)

Extra Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Here I'll share some simple tips and tricks for making the creamiest mashed potatoes ever!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Universal

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 382kcal

Author Chris Collins

Cost £1.50 / $2

Equipment

Potato Peeler
Large Pot & Wooden Spoon
Colander
Potato Masher

Ingredients

Mashed Potatoes

60g / 4 tbsp Butter, leave at room temp (see notes)
80ml / 1/3 cup Double/Heavy Cream, leave at room temp
60g / 2oz Cream Cheese, leave at room temp
1.2kg / 2.6lb Floury Potatoes, peeled & diced into 3-4cm chunks (Maris Pipers/Russets)
2 1/2 tsp Salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp Black Pepper, or to taste

To Serve

1 tbsp Butter, melted
1-2 tsp finely diced Fresh Chives

Instructions

Add the potato chunks to a large saucepan of cold water with 2 teaspoons of salt and bring to the boil. Cook for 12–15 minutes, or until knife tender, then drain. Leave them to sit and steam in the colander for 1 minute.
Meanwhile, put the butter and cream into the pan the potatoes were cooked in and stir to melt the butter and warm the cream (the residual heat will be enough for this). Add the potatoes back in and mash until just combined, then add the cream cheese and the remaining salt and pepper. Mash until lump free and smooth, then transfer to a serving bowl.
Make a few swirls in the top of the mashed potato with the back of a spoon, then serve drizzled with melted butter and sprinkled with fresh chives.

Video

Notes

a) Seasoning – I typically end up using ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper if using salted butter. However, I recommend starting with less, then adding a little more to taste until you’re happy. It’s much easier to add more salt than to take it out!

b) Storage – allow the mash to completely cool, then tightly cover and store in the fridge for 3–4 days. Reheat it in short blasts in the microwave, stirring as you go to ensure it reheats evenly. If it dries out at all, just stir through a tablespoon or so of cream or milk.

c) Cookbook – this recipe is featured in my debut cookbook ‘Comfy’.

d) Calories – whole recipe divided by 5.

Nutrition

For more similar recipes check out these beauties:

Mashed Potato Recipes

The post Extra Creamy Mashed Potatoes appeared first on Don't Go Bacon My Heart.

Salt and Chilli Chips

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 15:56:43 +0000

Here I’ll show you the easiest way to whip up your own salt and chilli chips that taste BETTER than the takeaway!

I’ve got a couple of game-changing tips that will ensure these are the best salt and chilli chips you’ll ever make. Follow me…

Salt and Chilli Chips Ingredients

The other evening I spent hours debating with my friends the difference between ‘salt and pepper’ chips and ‘salt and chilli’ chips. The conclusion? They’re essentially the same thing; salt and chilli chips just ensure you’re getting spice in the dish, through fresh or dried chilli.

Anywho, let’s take a look at the simple list of ingredients you’ll need:

Chips – I recommend using straight-cut/home-style chips. These are what are typically used in most Chinese takeaways. The chunkier chip also holds its own better in the dish, as opposed to skinny fries.
Seasoning – The chips will be seasoned with Chinese 5 spice, salt, white pepper and garlic powder.
Sesame Oil – I love coating the chips in a little sesame oil, just for a boost of flavour.
Chillies – You could use dried chillies or larger fresh red chillies, but I love using Birds Eye chillies. They’re small but mighty!
Onion, Spring Onion & Peppers – All classic additions to this dish to help bulk it out and add flavour.
Garlic – Fresh garlic is a must for a punch of flavour.
Veg Oil – To stir-fry everything.
Flaky Sea Salt – I love adding this at the end for bigger hits of salty goodness!

Homemade Salt and Chilli Chips

One step that sets this recipe apart from the rest is seasoning the fries directly. Many recipes add the seasoning to the stir-fry mix instead. By doing this, you have to rely on the seasoning attaching to the chips, which doesn’t always happen. Meaning you’re often left eating bland chips! By seasoning them directly, you ensure every bite has flavour.

I typically bake the chips, just because it’s easiest to toss the chips, sesame oil and seasoning. You could also air fry them and just combine everything in a bowl beforehand though.

Process shots: add chips to tray (photo 1), add seasoning and oil (photo 2), toss (photo 3), bake (photo 4).

Another thing I like to do is fry the veg in a good amount of oil. The chips are seasoned, but we want all that gorgeous flavour from the stir fry too. Making sure you’ve got enough oil is important so you can wrap the chips in that gorgeous garlicky, spicy oil too.

The chips will naturally soften when you toss them in the stir fry, but frankly, I’ve never ordered a portion of salt and chilli chips that haven’t been at least slightly soft. It comes with the territory!

Process shots: fry onion and peppers (photo 5), fry garlic, chilli and half the spring onion (photo 6), add chips, sea salt and the rest of the spring onion (photo 7), toss (photo 8).

How to serve Salt and Chilli Chips

Ensure you serve up right away so they stay hot and fresh. You can also add more sea salt to taste if you’d like. Also, curry sauce is essential! You can use store-bought or use my Homemade Curry Sauce recipe.

These chips work perfectly as a side for Crispy Chilli Beef, Black Pepper Chicken and Honey Sriracha Chicken. If you want to go salt and chilli crazy, you could serve with my Salt and Chilli Chicken!

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for these salt and chilli chips shall we?!

How to make Salt and Chilli Chips (Full Recipe & Video)

Salt and Chilli Chips

Here I'll show you the easiest way to whip up your own salt and chilli chips that taste BETTER than the takeaway!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Chinese

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 394kcal

Author Chris Collins

Cost £3 / $4

Equipment

Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
Large Baking Tray or Air Fryer
Large Wok or Deep Pan
Wooden Spoon

Ingredients

700g / 1.5lb Frozen Chips (see notes)
2 tsp Sesame Oil
1 1/2 tsp Chinese 5 Spice
1/2 tsp EACH: White Pepper, Fine/Table Salt
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 medium White Onion, thinly sliced
1/2 Green Pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 Red Pepper, thinly sliced
4 small/thin Spring Onions, sliced into 1" chunks then divided into firm/white parts & dark green parts
2 Red Birds Eye Chillies, very thinly sliced (see notes)
2 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
1/2 tsp Flaky Sea Salt, or to taste (see notes)

Instructions

On a large baking tray, combine the chips with sesame oil, Chinese 5 spice, fine/table salt, white pepper and garlic powder until evenly coated then cook to package instructions. If you're using an air fryer just combine everything in a large bowl first.
When the chips are nearly done, place a large Wok over high heat and add the veg oil. Once hot, add the peppers and onion and fry for a couple of mins until they soften. Add the garlic, chilli and white/firm parts of the spring onion and fry for another 1-2 mins (careful it doesn't burn).
Add the cooked chips, dark green parts of the spring onion and flaky sea salt and toss until everything is evenly distributed. Serve and enjoy!

Video

Notes

a) Chips – I like using straight-cut/home-style chips (typically McCains). You could use a different chips if you’d prefer (crinkle, skin on etc). In general, I prefer a chunkier chip as opposed to skinny fries – it’s more traditional and they hold their own better in the dish.

b) Spice – These chips have a nice kick of spice – similar to what you’d get at the takeaway. Birdseye chillies are pretty hot, so just be aware that 2 go a long way. If you love spice you could add a 3rd.

c) Salt – As the name suggests, the chips should be pretty salty! The 1/2 tsp table salt on the chips is essential, then just work to taste with the flaky sea salt. If you’ve only got fine/table salt just use that to serve (start with less though!).

d) Serving – Curry sauce is essential! You can use store-bought or use my Homemade Curry Sauce recipe.

e) Calories – Whole recipe divided by 4.

Nutrition

The post Salt and Chilli Chips appeared first on Don't Go Bacon My Heart.

Potato, Cheese and Onion Pie

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 10:55:39 +0000

This Potato, Cheese and Onion Pie is hearty, loaded with flavour and beyond simple to make!

This is one of the greatest pies of all time and I think you’re going to be shocked at just how easy it is to make. Follow me…

Potato, Cheese and Onion Pie Ingredients

Besides being atrociously delicious, the awesome thing about this pie is that it only requires a handful of ingredients. Plus, there aren’t any fancy ingredients needed; everything can be found at the supermarket. Here’s what you’ll need:

Pastry – I love a combination of puff and shortcrust. The shortcrust pastry offers a nice, sturdy base, where the puff offers a nice crispy finish on the top.
Potato – Any regular baking potatoes will do. They just need to be thinly sliced into rounds.
Cheese – I love a combination of Cheddar for a strong punch of flavour and Red Leicester for some gorgeous colour.
Onion – This will be grated to offer a deep oniony flavour.
Spring Onion – This complements the grated onion and offers a slightly different flavour dynamic.
Butter – To fry the onion.
Flour – To create a roux and thicken the sauce.
Milk – Creates the sauce.
Mustard – I love adding a dollop of English mustard to really enhance the cheesy flavour.
Egg – This will be used to glaze the pastry.

Preparing the potatoes

I did originally test this recipe by adding the raw slices straight into the pie, and whilst it worked okay, I found they didn’t quite cook through properly. Plus, they made the filling a little watery, because the raw potatoes released moisture as they cooked.

As such, we’re going to give the potato slices a quick bake before adding them to the pie. This is also a good excuse to season the potato directly too. I typically leave the skins on, mainly for ease, but the skin also adds flavour. You can peel the potatoes though if you wish.

Process shots: thinly slice potato (photos 1&2), add to baking tray with oil and seasoning (photo 3), bake until tender (photo 4).

Recipe Tip

Because the slices are thin, they will likely try and stick to the pan. Unless you’ve got a decent greaseproof tray, I recommend using parchment/baking paper.

Cheese and Onion Sauce

When I say this is the type of sauce I could drink, I truly mean it.

You’ll start by frying the onion in butter, just to soften it slightly and take a little of the ‘bite’ out. The longer you fry it, the less intense the oniony flavour. As such, I only fry it for 1 minute. That way, you still get a lovely hit of onion flavour, but it’s not too sharp and pungent.

Please note that the sauce will also be very thick. It needs to be more ‘spreadable’ than pourable. If the sauce is too thin, it’ll just pour straight out the pie when you slice into it.

Process shots: melt butter (photo 1), fry onion (photo 2), stir in flour (photo 3), whisk in milk (photo 4), stir in cheese (photo 5), stir in mustard and seasoning (photo 6).

How to stack the pie

As mentioned, I opt for shortcrust on the bottom and puff on the top. You might find that the pastry on the bottom doesn’t quite cover the whole dish, in which case you can just use any excess pastry to patch it up if needed.

From there, you can stack the pie in alternate layers of cheese sauce and potatoes. Just overlap the potatoes as needed – they don’t need to be perfect.

Process shots: grease pie dish (photo 1), add shortcrust (photo 2), add cheese sauce (photo 3), add potatoes (photo 4), repeat x2 (photo 5), add puff then egg wash and bake (photo 6).

How to serve the pie

Once the pie has cooked, it’s essential to let it rest before you slice into it. This will mean the pastry won’t be quite as crisp in comparison to if you served right away. However, if you slice straight in, the cheese sauce will simply just pour straight out. It needs to sit to reform its shape.

From there, I like to serve with a simple side salad (I know, who am I these days?). But jokes aside, it’s quite a rich and carby pie, so the salad complements it nicely.

For another potato, cheese and pastry combo check out my Potato, Cheese and Onion Pasties!

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for these potato, cheese and onion pie shall we?!

How to make a Potato, Cheese and Onion Pie (Full Recipe & Video)

Potato, Cheese and Onion Pie

This Potato, Cheese and Onion Pie is hearty, loaded with flavour and beyond simple to make!

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine English

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 5

Servings

Calories 1218kcal

Author Chris Collins

Equipment

Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
Large Baking Tray & Baking/Parchment Paper
Large Pan, Wooden Spoon & Whisk
22cm/8.6" Pie Dish
Brush
Jug (for milk)
Cheese Grater

Ingredients

400g / 14oz Baking Potatoes, sliced into 1/2cm/0.2" rounds
3 tbsp / 45g Butter, plus extra for greasing the pie dish
1 large White Onion, grated
2 large Spring Onions, finely diced
3 tbsp Plain Flour
240ml / 1 cup Whole Milk, preferably at room temp
100g / 1 cup freshly grated Mature Cheddar Cheese
100g / 1 cup freshly grated Red Leicester Cheese (see notes)
2 tsp English Mustard
1x 320g/11.2oz sheet of Shortcrust Pastry
1 medium Egg, beaten
1x 320g/11.2oz sheet of Puff Pastry
Oil Spray, as needed
Salt & Black Pepper, to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
Lightly spray a large baking tray with oil and spread out the sliced potatoes (use two trays if you need to). Spray the potatoes with oil, then sprinkle over a pinch of salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until soft and just starting to turn golden. The potatoes may stick a little, so use a spatula to scrape them off if you need to. Keep the oven on at the same temperature.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and spring onions and fry for 1 minute. Stir in the flour to create a roux, then gradually pour in the milk, stirring as you go to prevent lumps from forming. Add the cheeses and swiftly stir until they melt. Stir in the mustard, then season with a pinch of salt and pepper. The sauce will be very thick at this point – more spreadable than it is pourable. Remove the pan from the heat.
Rub the base and sides of a 22cm pie dish all over with a knob of butter. Line the dish with the sheet of shortcrust pastry. Trim any excess pastry around the top.
Spread a layer of the cheese sauce over the base of the pie, then top with a layer of potatoes, overlapping if needed. From there, you’ll do three more layers of cheese sauce and two more potato layers, finishing with a layer of cheese sauce. Brush the rim of the pastry with the egg.
Lay over the sheet of puff pastry and trim the excess. Use a fork to crimp around the edges, then trim with a knife. Brush the top with more egg wash, then slice a few small steam holes in the top.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until deep golden and crisp on top. Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes before slicing (important or the cheese will all spill out).

Video

Notes

a) Pastry – I prefer the lighter, flakier option of puff pastry on top, although you could use more shortcrust if you’d prefer. In all cases I recommend keeping the pastry in the fridge until needed, just so it’s easier to work with. Cold pastry also flakes up better.

b) Cheese – using half Red Leicester gives the sauce a gorgeous orange colour and a slightly different flavour dynamic. You can sub with more Cheddar, though, if you’d prefer.

c) Onion – grating the onion is key and is what gives this pie its iconic flavour. The longer you fry it, the weaker the onion flavour becomes, so just a minute will do the trick.

d) Baking tray – unless your tray is good quality/non-stick, the potatoes might stick a little. If you’re at all wary, then consider using baking paper to line the tray.

e) Cookbook – this recipe is featured in my debut cookbook ‘Comfy’.

f) Calories – this is an overestimate as not all the pastry is used, which is where most of the extra calories come from!

Nutrition

For more similar recipes check out these beauties:

Delicious Pie Recipes

The post Potato, Cheese and Onion Pie appeared first on Don't Go Bacon My Heart.

Crispy Smashed Potato Salad

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 16:28:09 +0000

Here I’ll share my take on the viral crispy smashed potato salad!

Yes, me again being 10 years too late to keep up with a viral food trend! This one caught my eye and unlike 99% of the others, I knew I had to make it. And boy I’m glad I did. Follow me…

Crispy Smashed Potatoes

Potato salad is great. But once you turn the boiled potatoes into crispy smashed potatoes, we enter a whole new level of deliciousness.

Why roast the potatoes?

Mainly for textural purposes. Turns out roast potatoes in a tangy, creamy dressing taste amazing! Roasting the potatoes will also help develop a little more flavour from the caramelisation too.

Why smash the potatoes?

Smashing the potatoes increases the surface area and adds more texture to them. As such, there’s more opportunity for the potato to flake and become crispy. Typically speaking, the thinner the potato the crispier it’ll be.

For most of my smashed potato recipes, I boil the potatoes, then smash and roast them. Here I’ve actually just roasted them, before smashing them and roasting them again. Works a charm and no need for the stove!

To smash the potatoes, I use a potato masher, but any sort of flat kitchen utensil will do the trick.

Process shots: halves baby potatoes and coat in oil, salt and pepper (photo 1), roast (photo 2), smash (photo 3), roast again (photo 4).

Crispy Potato Salad

For the dressing, I like to combine everything first and then add in the potatoes, just so they stay as crispy as possible for as long as possible.

The base of the dressing is mayonnaise and sour cream, spiked with some lemon juice and dijon mustard. This makes for a nice creamy and tangy base for the salad. I then love adding bacon, alongside some celery, red onion, pickles, chives and parsley.

Process shots: add ingredients to bowl (photo 1), mix and check seasoning (photo 2), add potatoes and bacon (photo 3), mix (photo 4).

Crispy Potato Salad FAQ

Won’t the potatoes go soggy?

If they’re nice and crispy they actually hold up pretty well. You will want to serve immediately, but you’ve probably got around a half-hour window to work with. It’s still delicious past that, but the potatoes begin absorbing in the dressing.

How do I prevent the potatoes from sticking to the pan?

I use baking paper, but if you’ve got a decent tray that isn’t prone to sticking you should be fine. Don’t use foil, they will stick.

What else could I add?

You can really follow your heart with the additions. I recommend giving the recipe a go as stated, but dill, spring onion, radish and cucumber all make great subs/additions.

Serving Crispy Potato Salad

This makes an awesome Side Dish – just serve up as soon as you can. No making it ahead of time unfortunately!

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this smashed potato salad shall we?!

How to make Crispy Smashed Potato Salad (Full Recipe & Video)

Crispy Smashed Potato Salad

Here I'll share my take on the viral crispy smashed potato salad!

Course BBQ, Pot Luck, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1

Servings – 6

Calories 656kcal

Author Chris Collins

Cost £4 / $5

Equipment

Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
1x Very Large Greaseproof Baking Tray (or use 2 regular)
Potato Masher (or something like a spatula to smash the potatoes)
Large Mixing Bowl (for dressing/combining potato salad)

Ingredients

1kg / 2lb Baby Potatoes (see notes)
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Salt, plus more as needed
pinch of Black Pepper
200g / 7oz Streaky Bacon
180g / 3/4 cup full-fat Mayo
60g / 1/4 cup full-fat Sour Cream
2-3 tbsp finely diced Gherkins/Pickles
2 tbsp finely diced Fresh Parsley, plus more to garnish if desired
2 tbsp finely diced Fresh Chives
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 large stalk of Celery, finely diced (1/3 cup)
1/2 small Red Onion, finely diced
1/2 tsp Sugar, or to taste
1/4 tsp EACH: Salt, White Pepper, or to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.
Cook the bacon using your preferred method to your desired texture. Chop just before needed.
Halve the potatoes and toss them on a very large greaseproof baking tray with 2 tbsp oil, 1/2 tsp salt and a good pinch of black pepper. Flip them all over so they're cut side down (use 2 trays if you need to).
Roast them for 15-20 minutes, or until they turn golden, a little crispy and are soft enough to smash. Use a potato masher or other suitable utensil to press down on the potato and smash them to even thickness (the thinner they are the crispier they'll be; just make sure they don't break apart). Drizzle with a little more oil if they're looking dry. I also like to season with a pinch more salt.
Place them back in the oven for another 20-30 minutes until the potatoes are deep golden and crispy. Timings will be dependent on how big the potatoes are, so just be vigilant and use your best judgment. If you notice the ones around the outside charring a little too quickly, just remove them if needed. The potatoes will crisp a little more as they cool.
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl combine all of the remaining ingredients (bar the bacon). Once everything is evenly distributed, toss through the potatoes and bacon, then serve up with extra parsley if desired. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

a) Baby Potatoes – Baby potatoes range quite a lot in size, as such, so will the baking times. The ones I used to film were pretty small, so took a total of around 40 minutes. I recommend letting them rest for a few minutes before tossing through the dressing (they crisp up a little more as they cool).

b) Baking Tray – I use baking/parchment paper, but if you’ve got a decent tray that’s not prone to sticking, you’ll be fine without. Mine fit (just about) on a large tray, but just use two if needed.

c) Serving – The crispy potatoes will actually hold up pretty well after they’re coated in the dressing. Ideally though, you’ll want to serve this right away, or at least within half an hour or so.

d) Calories – Whole recipe divided by 5.

Nutrition

The post Crispy Smashed Potato Salad appeared first on Don't Go Bacon My Heart.

Garlic Butter Potatoes

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 16:00:16 +0000

These garlic butter potatoes are truly incredible and so simple to whip up!

If I do say so myself, these are probably some of the best potatoes I’ve made to date. You’re in for a treat! Follow me…

Garlic Hasselback Potatoes

So we’ve got two things going in here, which I’ll quickly touch on individually.

Hasselback Potatoes

Hasselback potatoes are essentially just potatoes that have very thin slices in them to create a fan-like appearance. The ridges go gorgeously crispy. For this recipe, hasselbacks work perfectly because the butter can seep into every crevice of the potato!

Roasted Garlic

Since we’re roasting the potatoes, it makes sense to roast some garlic alongside the potatoes too. Roasting the garlic completely transforms the flavour and texture. It goes gorgeously soft and sticky, with the flavour turns sweet and nutty.

The potatoes and garlic should finish cooking at the same time. Just keep an eye on the garlic because it can burn quite quickly. It needs to cook relatively slowly so it can gently caramelise.

Process shots: slice garlic and drizzle with oil (photo 1), wrap in foil (photo 2), slice potatoes (photo 3), coat in oil and seasoning (photo 4), add to tray (photo 5), add garlic and roast (photo 6).

Garlic Butter

Once the potatoes are crispy and hot, we’re essentially going to douse them in a simple roasted garlic butter. The way the butter then literally melts into potatoes is almost too much to bare!

For the butter, all you need is butter, fresh parsley, the roasted garlic and some salt & pepper to taste. I like to have the butter pretty much at room temp so it spreads over the potatoes nicely.

Process shots: add ingredients to bowl (photo 1), combine (photo 2).

Garlic Butter Potatoes FAQ

What kind of potatoes should I use?

You’ll want to use a small variety of potato. I use ‘Charlotte’ potatoes, which are typically around 2.5″ long. Large baby potatoes will work too.

Do I have to hasselback the potatoes?

I highly recommend doing so, just so the butter can melt into the potatoes. It’s a little faff but totally worth it!

Do I have to roast the garlic?

Roasting the garlic is an important step to mellow out its pungent flavour. Adding raw garlic to the butter will be way too overbearing.

Can I make these ahead of time?

I wouldn’t make the potatoes ahead of time but you could certainly roast the garlic, make the butter and tightly store it in the fridge until you make the potatoes.

Serving Garlic Butter Potatoes

These make the perfect Side Dish for so many Mains! They also work really nicely served up as an appetizer kind of situation.

For more garlic potato recipes check out my Garlic Parmesan Duchess Potatoes and Garlic Butter Sweet Potato Stacks!

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for these garlic butter potatoes shall we?!

How to make Garlic Butter Potatoes (Full Recipe & Video)

Garlic Butter Potatoes

These garlic butter potatoes are truly incredible and so simple to whip up!

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine Western

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 10

Servings

Calories 458kcal

Author Chris Collins

Cost £2 / $2.50

Equipment

Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
Large Mixing Bowl (for coating potatoes)
Large Baking Tray
Brush
Aluminium Foil (for roasting garlic)
Small Mixing Bowl (for garlic butter)

Ingredients

2 bulbs of Garlic
1kg / 2lb small Potatoes (see notes)
3 tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
90g / 6 tbsp Butter
2 tbsp very finely diced Fresh Parsley

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200C/390F.
Slice the tips off the garlic bulbs to expose the cloves. Drizzle with a little oil then individually wrap them in foil.
Make very thin slices (1/16" – 1/8") along the potatoes, ensuring you don't go all the way down so they stay intact. Place them in a large mixing bowl with 3 tbsp oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Give them a good toss so they're evenly coated in the oil and seasoning, then space them out cut-side-up on the baking tray. Use a brush to collect any leftover oil in the bowl and brush it over the tops of the potatoes.
Add the garlic bulbs to the tray then roast everything for 30 minutes. Remove and use a brush to coat the potatoes in any excess oil in the tray (you might find it easiest to tip the tray a little). Check the garlic and if it looks like it's browning too quickly, lower the heat slightly to 180C/350F.
Roast everything again for another 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are deep golden and crispy and the garlic is very soft, light golden and sticky.
Squeeze the roasted garlic into a small bowl with the butter, parsley and a pinch of salt and pepper (to taste). You might need kitchen roll or a towel to protect your fingers when squeezing the garlic if it's very hot. Combine the butter, check for seasoning, then spread over the potatoes whilst they're hot. There should be plenty of butter so don't hold back!

Video

Notes

a) Potatoes – I use ‘Charlotte’ potatoes, which are typically around 2.5″ long. Large baby potatoes will work too.

b) Slicing – You can use the trick of placing a wooden spoon either side of the potatoes to ensure you don’t slice all the way through. I just typically free ball it!

c) Butter – I like the butter to be soft enough to spread over the potatoes, but not quite fully melted where the ingredients separate. A little creamy if you will. Just pop the butter in the microwave for 5 second blasts until you reach this consistency (careful – it’ll melt quickly!).

d) Roasted Garlic – Roasting the garlic transforms the flavours so it’s sweet and nutty. Don’t just add raw garlic to the butter, it’ll be way too pungent. I use two bulbs that are standard size in the 4-packs in the UK. You can of course use larger ones if you want it extra garlicky. In all cases you’re looking for the garlic so be soft, buttery and light golden. Keep an eye that it doesn’t burn – slow roasting is key.

e) Timings – The potatoes and garlic SHOULD finish at the same time. If the potatoes cook before the garlic is done, just remove them then whack them back in for a couple of minutes at the end to crisp them back up when the garlic is done. Although less likely, if the garlic finishes before the potatoes, just remove it and let it cool whilst the potatoes continue roasting.

f) Calories – Whole recipe divided by 4.

Nutrition

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