Hot Honey Butter Smashed Potatoes Hit All the Right Notes

These potatoes taste like a warm, fiery hug. (Joe Lingeman/TNS)

I could probably make smashed potatoes several times a week and never get bored of them. Tiny, parboiled potatoes that are crushed into a smattering of crispy deliciousness? Sign me up. I am an artist and smashed potatoes are my preferred medium.

This hot honey variation, in a lot of ways, speaks to my personality. In fact, I would hope that if a friend saw them while scrolling on Instagram, they might think, “Hmm, Sara would like these potatoes,” before realizing I am the mastermind behind them. Is that vain? Just being honest here.

After boiling the potatoes, you toss them in a mixture of melted butter, honey, hot sauce, and red pepper flakes; then smash them; roast them; and brush them with more spicy butter before serving. They taste like a warm, fiery hug, and I guarantee you’ll eat them all straight off the sheet pan.

Making the Hot Honey Butter Sauce

A classic hot honey butter is typically made with softened, room-temperature butter, making it the perfect spreadable consistency for cornbread or a fresh batch of biscuits. But here, we’re melting the butter to make a dreamy sauce for the smashed potatoes. Once melted, you’ll stir the honey and hot sauce directly into the saucepan.

When it comes to hot sauce, I prefer Frank’s RedHot. To me, it has the perfect balance of heat, acidity, and saltiness, and it’s only made more delicious in a buttery, honey-laden sauce. If you don’t have Frank’s or there’s a different hot sauce you prefer (I’ll cover my ears, don’t worry), that will certainly work, too.

4 Tips for the Best Smashed Potatoes

Here are a few things to keep in mind for the smashed potato success.

1. Start the potatoes in cold, heavily salted water. This promotes even cooking.

2. Don’t drain the potatoes until they’re extremely knife tender. If they’re not super soft, it’s going to be pretty hard to smash them.

3. Don’t crowd the sheet pan. If the potatoes are on top of each other, they’ll never get golden-brown and crispy. If you need to split them between two pans, go ahead and do so.

4. Remember that they’re supposed to be rustic. If you have some loose potato shards or your potatoes don’t smash to absolute perfection, don’t sweat it. The uneven edges and crispy bits are what make them so tasty.

Hot Honey Butter Smashed Potatoes

Serves 4

• 1 1/2 pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes (10 to 14)
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives (optional)
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot
• Pinch of red pepper flakes

Scrub the potatoes clean and place in a large saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover potatoes by about 2 inches. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the kosher salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, finely chop fresh chives, if desired, and reserve for garnishing.

When the water is boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are very tender and can be easily pierced with a sharp knife with no resistance, 18 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 450 degrees F.

When the potatoes are ready, drain and set aside. Melt the unsalted butter in the now-empty pot over low heat. Stir in the honey, hot sauce, red pepper flakes, and remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt.

Remove from the heat, add the potatoes, and toss to coat. Using tongs, transfer the potatoes to a rimmed baking sheet and space them evenly apart. Reserve the remaining melted butter mixture. Using the bottom of a lightly greased mug or measuring cup, press down on each potato until it splits open and is flattened to 3/4-inch thick.

Roast until the bottoms are golden-brown, about 20 minutes. Carefully flip the potatoes with a flat spatula. Rotate the baking sheet and roast until the second side is browned and crispy, 10 to 15 minutes more. Brush the potatoes with the remaining melted butter mixture and top with the chives if using.

Recipe Notes

The potatoes can be boiled and refrigerated for up to two days before roasting.

Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to four days.

Almost any size potato can be used. See below for specific cooking instructions:

• Micro potatoes (about 36): Boil 7 to 10 minutes
• Baby red potatoes (12 to 16): Boil 12 to 17 minutes
• Red potatoes (about 6): Boil 25 to 30 minutes
• Yukon Gold potatoes (about 4): Boil 30 to 35 minutes

Sara Tane is a contributor to TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to [email protected]. Copyright 2021 Apartment Therapy. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.