Crispy Smashed Potatoes & Salsa Verde Peas

These roasted crispy smashed potatoes with salsa verde peas are super delicious. And, aren’t they pretty too? You get that lovely creamy potato flesh with super crunchy, salty edges paired with lemony, herby and garlicky smashed peas. I love these as a side dish with pretty much any protein but it can also be served as a plant-based main dish with peas providing protein to make it more satiating.

These roasted potatoes and peas look great on a festive table too, so bookmark this recipe for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter or that special Sunday Roast.  Gluten-free, grain-free, low-sugar, vegetarian and vegan-friendly. 

I love roasted potatoes in any form but especially when they are pre-cooked, smashed and then roasted until super crispy around the edges. Sprinkled generously with salt and a little pepper, they are seriously the best thing ever! I often make them just with olive oil and some seasoning but I wanted to add a little burst of flavour by topping them with salsa verde peas.

What is salsa verde? 

It’s essentially a green Italian salsa: a mix of finely chopped or minced herbs (basil, mint, parsley), garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. Often you will find capers or anchovies as well. It’s terrific as a condiment with grilled meat or fish but I discovered that it also works well on roasted veggies. I decided to add peas for extra protein and fibre, plus they have a little sweetness to them. 

I will often make a larger batch of these smashed peas with salsa because I like to use the leftovers in salads, on scrambled eggs or on sourdough or paleo toast.  

What if I don’t eat peas? 

I know some people have to avoid legumes for various reasons, in which case you can make these crispy smashed potatoes just with salsa verde drizzle on top. You can also sprinkle some finely chopped nuts or seeds on top. If you’re doing or did a paleo reset and wondering about reintroducing peas, here is my post on all things peas.

In this recipe, I will show you how to make both the roasted smashed potatoes and the salsa verde peas. 

HOW TO MAKE CRISPY SMASHED POTATOES

You will find the full list of ingredients, instructions, nutritional breakdown in a printable recipe card below. Here are the step-by-step photos and a video to guide you along for how to make crispy smashed potatoes.

Step 1. I usually peel potatoes before cooking but for this particular recipe, leaving the skin on will result in extra crispy result. Cut off any discolouration and the eyes of the potatoes and give them a good scrub. You can use any type of potatoes, go for small to medium-sized spuds. I used basic red skin potatoes, which are great for roasting and mashing. 

Step 2. Add potatoes to a pot and cover with cold water. Stir in a teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle bubble and cook for about 20-30 minutes (depending on the size of the potatoes). Don’t worry if the skin cracks as we’ll be destroying them anyway. 

Step 3. Strain the potatoes and let them cool for 10-15 minutes. This is important! That beneficial resistance starch will develop further while potatoes are cooling down. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 180-190 C / 370-375 F (depending on how hot your oven gets).

Step 4. Place a piece of parchment paper on a large, flat tray (or two trays if making a big batch). Add whole potatoes leaving a bit of space between them. Using a potato masher or the bottom of a jar or a bottle, press down on each potato to smash them into a pancake. The flatter they smash, the crispier they will be. But don’t go crazy as you want to keep them in a round shape, more or less. 

Step 5. Drizzle generously with olive oil (this will ensure extra crispiness and keep them moist) and sprinkle with plenty of salt and some pepper. 

Step 6. Pop in the oven, middle shelf for 45-50 minutes. You can check on them after 30 minutes to see if you need to rotate the tray or move some of the potatoes around for more even browning.  

Once done, top with the salsa verde peas and serve with some fresh herbs on the side (if you wish, for presentation). 

HOW TO MAKE SALSA VERDE PEAS

Again, I’ve left all ingredients below but these are the basic steps. I am using frozen baby peas for this dish. I usually make this part of the dish while potatoes are roasting but you could also do it ahead of time. 

Step 1. Prepare the ingredients for the salsa verde and add the peas to a pot of boiling hot water for 2-3 minutes. We want them to defrost in hot water and cook very briefly to retain as much of that beautiful green colour as possible. Drain, leave in cold water to cool and strain through a sieve.

Step 2. Make the salsa verde. You can use a mortar and pestle, food processor or your mad knife skills. Chop or mince garlic, herbs and capers into a pesto/salsa consistency and combine with lemon juice, olive oil and a touch of salt. 

Step 3. Using a masher, give those peas a smashing workout. You want to break them up a bit but without turning them into a paste or a smooth mash. 

Step 4. Combine the peas with the salsa verde and taste for seasoning and lemon. You can add more salt or acidity depending on how tangy you like them.

Make-ahead tip: You could pre-boil the potatoes and make the salsa verde a day ahead and keep them in the fridge. Then finish the roasting and making of the peas when you want to serve these. 

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