Our Editors Are Obsessed With Smashed Potato Salads—Here Are 5 Versions We Can’t Stop Making

A sheet tray of crispy, golden baby potatoes is the perfect base for five completely different summer salads and a great excuse to stop making the same boring potato salad every summer. The method is incredibly easy.

Start with baby potatoes...you know, the kind that come in a 1 1/2-lb. bag. You can grab golden, red, or the tri-color blend if you’re feeling fancy.

Boil them until they’re fork-tender, then transfer them to a sheet pan, toss in some olive oil (to prevent potato starch stickiness), and gently smash each one with the bottom of a flat, oiled glass. Hit them with a pinch of salt and roast until the potatoes are golden brown and crisp. Once you have that crispy base, you can take your potato salad in five completely different directions.

Jalapeño Popper Smashed Potato Salad

Toss the crispy potatoes with garlic powder, black pepper, pickled jalapeños, bacon, cheddar, chives, mayonnaise, and a splash of vinegar. It has everything you love about a jalapeño popper—creamy, cheesy, smoky, and spicy—in potato salad form.

Chimichurri Smashed Potato Salad

This was the version that inspired me to make more smashed potato salads. The crispy potatoes are tossed with parsley, cilantro, oregano, scallions, garlic, and chopped chiles for a little heat.

Add a generous drizzle of olive oil for true chimichurri vibes, and sprinkle with flaky salt just before serving. This one is bright, fresh, and it’s the perfect side for anything coming off the grill.

Spicy Sesame Miso Smashed Potato Salad

For something a little different, whisk together miso, honey, tahini, rice vinegar, chili crisp, and garlic.

Toss the dressing with the crispy potatoes, carrots, and scallions, then finish everything with everything bagel seasoning. This version is savory, spicy, and completely BBQ-worthy.

Curry Smashed Potato Salad

For this version, I love to grab a jar of my favorite curry simmer sauce and add a little mayonnaise.

Toss the mixture with the crispy potatoes, red onion, and fresh cilantro for a creamy, flavorful potato salad with plenty of aromatic spice.

Dirty Martini Smashed Potato Salad

I saved my favorite for last. If you’re a filthy martini lover like me, this one is for you.

Yes, really: dirty martini potato salad. Combine the crispy potatoes with Castelvetrano olives, blue cheese, pimento peppers, and chives. Finish with a splash of vermouth, olive brine, and a little mayonnaise.

As a potato obsessive, I can’t choose a favorite. Each one starts with the same crispy potato base, but the finished salads couldn’t be more different.

Five potato salads, one crispy base. Which one are you making first?