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.
Tried this recipe?
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Crispy Baked Smashed Potatoes
Tap or hover to scale
Ingredients
- 2 pounds yellow potatoes Yukon Gold
- 1 ½ Tablespoons salted butter
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Before you start cooking: Preheat the oven to 400 °F, ideally using the fan-forced setting. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into wedges: slice a potato in half lengthwise, then repeat, and cut each half in half again. You’ll get 4 wedges from one mid-sized potato.
- Place the wedges on the lined baking tray and bake until they achieve a golden brown perfection, about 45 minutes. The wedges will be crispy on the outside and very soft on the inside.
- Using a clean kitchen towel, take each potato wedge and gently smash it. Pressing lightly is enough to crack the crispy crust and reveal the pillowy inside. Be careful, as the potato wedges are still hot.
- Put the smashed potatoes in a bowl. Once all the wedges are crushed, place a few slices of butter on top. Cover the bowl with a towel and let the butter melt and soak into the smashed potato wedges.
- Salt to your liking, stir, and serve.
Notes
- This recipe makes a light dinner for 2 people or serves as a side dish for 3-4.
- These smashed potatoes are great on their own, as a light and delicious dinner. We enjoy them without any dip, just with buttermilk or a cup of white coffee. You can also use them as a healthier alternative to French fries. Always serve warm.
- For best results, flip the potato wedges halfway through baking to ensure they are nicely browned on all sides.
Joanna
This is PERFECT. We absolutely loved it.
Petra Kupská
Thank you very much for your nice comment! This is my mom’s recipe, and I love it for its simplicity. Just potatoes, salt and butter, no other seasoning needed. It tastes great with a cup of buttermilk. Greetings from Bohemia, Petra