Crispy Baked Smashed Potatoes

Let’s bake some potato wedges, then smash them and pour melted butter over them! We call this goodness "Brambory v troubě," and I guarantee you will love this Czech variant of oven-baked potatoes.

➜ What Are Baked Smashed Potatoes

According to this recipe, baked smashed potatoes are peeled potatoes cut into wedges, placed on a lined baking tray, and baked in the oven until golden brown. Then the wedges are smashed, greased with butter, and seasoned by adding salt. 

They are quickly done and taste delicious, like any recipe in the Easy Czech recipes category.

Don’t wonder: it’s my mom’s recipe! She used to make these homemade baked potatoes in the 1980s when we lived in former Czechoslovakia. 

MY TIP: I am sure you’ll also like another Czech potato recipe: Brambory na loupačku

➜ Ingredients

This recipe calls for only 3 ingredients:

• Potatoes; use any all-purpose yellow potatoes like Yukon gold, they should be medium-large and equally sized
• Salt; to season smashed potatoes at the end of cooking
• Butter; unsalted

You’ll also need a baking tray, parchment paper, and a clean kitchen towel.

✅ You’ll find the exact amount of ingredients below in the recipe card, which you can also print out.

➜ Instructions

Before you start cooking: Preheat the oven to 400 °F (200 °C), ideally fan-forced. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

STEP 1: Peel the potatoes and cut them into wedges: slice a potato in half lengthwise, repeat, and cut each half in half again. You’ll get 4 wedges out of 1 mid-sized potato. 

STEP 2: Place the wedges on a lined baking tray and bake until golden brown and perfect. It takes about 45-60 minutes. The wedges will be crispy on the surface and very soft but still fluffy inside. 

STEP 3: Get a clean kitchen towel in your hand, take each potato wedge and smash it. It’s enough if you press the potato gently; the crispy crust cracks and the pillowy inside appears. Be careful, the potato wedges are still hot.

STEP 4: Put the smashed potatoes in a bowl. Once all wedges are crushed, place a few butter slices over them. Cover the bowl with a towel and let the butter melt into smashed wedges.

STEP 5: Salt to your liking, stir and serve. 

➜ Serving

These smashed potatoes are great on their own as a light and delicious dinner. We eat them without any dip, just with a cup of white coffee or buttermilk. 

You can use them as a side dish, as a healthier substitution for French fries. Always serve warm. 

➜ Cook’s Tips

• This recipe doesn’t use any oil to brush the baking tray. Potatoes are baked as they are, placed on baking parchment. They puff up when baked, and they are incredibly fluffy inside. Smashed potato wedges are then greased with butter.
• There is no seasoning necessary, except a bit of salt at the end of cooking. If you use salted butter, omit the salt.
• Flip the potato wedges halfway through baking to get nicely browned edges from all sides.

More Czech potato recipes:

• Crushed potatoes – beloved side dish called "šťouchané brambory"
• Bramborák – potato pancake
• Škubánky s mákem – sweet treat with poppy seed topping
• Bramborové placky – potato flat bread
• Parsley potatoes – petrželové brambory
• French potato gratin – francouzske brambory

Or browse Czech side dishes for more ideas.