Smashed Potatoes With French Onion Dip

Crispy Smashed Potatoes with French Onion Dip are proof that a side dish can steal the show. Baby Yukon potatoes are boiled until tender, smashed then pan-fried until crispy, then served over a bed of caramelized onion dip.

As a chef, I'm always thinking about texture as well as flavor, and this recipe has both locked in. You've got crispy potato edges with fluffy soft centers, rich French onion dip, crunchy fried onions, fresh dill and chives, then drizzled with truffle oil to finish.

Once you deglaze with white wine and sherry vinegar, you get layers of flavor that cut right through the richness of the sour cream base. French Onion Dip with Truffle Oil is used as the base for this recipe but can be served as a stand alone with chips!

A Quick Glance At This Smashed Potatoes With French Onion Dip Recipe

Why This Recipe Works

• Crispy outside, fluffy inside. Boiling potatoes in heavily salted water before frying seasons them all the way through and creates a soft inside. Smashing after boiling gives you more surface area contact with the hot pan. More flat surface means more golden, crispy crust on the outside.
• Layers of texture and flavor. Crispy potatoes on a smooth dip with small bites of onion, crunchy onions, and fresh herbs give different textures in each bite.
• French onion flavor in every bite. Slowly caramelizing onions then adding thyme, garlic and white wine create a savory dip with just enough acidity to balance the mayo and sour cream.

Recipe Ingredients

• Baby Yukon Gold Potatoes - Waxy potatoes hold their shape after boiling, which is exactly what you need when you smash them. Starchy potatoes like russets tend to fall apart before they ever hit the pan. Baby size is ideal because they smash into a flat round without crumbling.
• Yellow Onion - Yellow onion has the natural sugar content to caramelize deeply over low heat. This is a 35 to 45 minute process and you cannot rush it. Low and slow is the only way to get that dark, jammy sweetness that makes the smashed potatoes with french onion dip spread so good.
• White Wine + Sherry Vinegar - These two together deglaze the pan and pull up all the brown bits packed with flavor. I use that same acidity from sherry vinegar in my Grilled Asparagus with Sherry Vinaigrette for the exact same reason - it cuts through fat and adds layers.
• Sour Cream + Mayo - Full fat works best. This combo creates a spread with body and richness. Mayo adds a slight tang and helps the spread hold together while the sour cream keeps it light.
• Truffle Oil - A very light drizzle over the finished dish is all you need. Its flavor is pungent and a heavy hand will overpower everything else you built.
• Fresh Herbs - Fresh dill and chives aren't just garnish. They add a bright, grassy freshness that lifts the whole dish. Dried herbs won't give you the same result here.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Substitutions & Variations

• No white wine on hand? A splash of extra beef broth with a little extra sherry vinegar for acidity will work in a pinch.
• Roast instead of fry. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper then heat oven to 425°F, Drizzle the smashed potatoes with a generous amount of olive oil, lay out on the lined sheet tray, then roast for 35 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Store-bought fried onions work perfectly as a topping. French's crispy fried onions are a solid choice and save you a step.

This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!

How To Make Smashed Potatoes With French Onion Dip

Step 1: Add a drizzle of olive oil to a medium skillet and transfer the diced onions to the pan. Cook over low heat for 35 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, dark and deeply caramelized.

Step 2: Add salt, pepper, garlic and thyme. Stir and cook for an additional minute.

Step 3: Deglaze the pan with white wine, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom. Add sherry vinegar and beef broth then allow the liquid to reduce until almost completely gone.

Step 4: Transfer the onion mixture to a heatproof bowl and chill in the fridge or freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. Once chilled, stir in sour cream, mayo and additional salt. Set aside until ready to use.

Step 5: Add potatoes to a pot of cold water while onions are caramelizing. Salt the water generously until it tastes like ocean water - this seasons the potatoes from the inside out. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a paring knife. The knife should slide easily into the potatoes without them falling apart.

Step 6: Drain the potatoes well and transfer to a sheet tray. Use the bottom of a mug or cup to smash each potato flat. You want them flattened but still holding together. Lightly dust with salt and pepper.

Step 7: Bring about ¼ inch of oil to 350°F in a skillet. Add potatoes in a single layer without overcrowding. Cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes per side until deeply golden and crispy. Transfer to a wire rack on a sheet tray and season immediately with salt and pepper. You may need to allow oil to reheat between batches.

Step 8: Smear the French onion dip across a serving platter. Top with crispy smashed potatoes, then finish with fried onions, fresh dill, chives and a light drizzle of truffle oil.

Chef Tips

• Don't rush the onions. Low heat and time are what create deep, jammy sweetness. Turning up the heat will burn them before they caramelize. I use that same low-and-slow onion technique in my French Onion Pasta, which is why both recipes hit so hard on flavor.
• Don't overcook during the boil. If the potatoes are too soft, they'll fall apart when you smash them. You want fork tender, not crumbling. The fork should slide in with no resistance and the potato should hold its shape.
• Smash with even pressure. The goal is a flat round potato, not a broken pile. A few cracked edges are fine - those get extra crispy. Use a glass cup, mug or measuring cup to smash potatoes.
• Use a neutral olive oil and keep a steady oil temp. Peanut oil or avocado oil for frying. Skip extra virgin olive oil, that's better used for salads and cold dishes as it has a distinct flavor.
• Use truffle oil sparingly. Start with less than you think you need and add from there.
• Chill the onion mixture fully before stirring in the sour cream and mayo. Adding them to warm onions can break the spread and make it watery.

What To Serve With Crispy Smashed Potatoes

These potatoes are rich, savory and bold so they pair best with something that can stand up to them or contrast flavors.

A Bone-in Ribeye is the most natural pairing. The deep savory flavors in the onion spread mirror the richness of a well-seared steak, and the crispy potatoes hold their own right alongside it. Red Wine Braised Short Ribs are another great match. The braise has that same low-and-slow depth as the caramelized onions, so the two dishes feel like they were built for each other.

For something that contrasts the richness, my Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad adds a crisp, slightly bitter edge that cuts right through the onion spread in the best way.

Browse more ideas over in the side dish recipes for more inspiration on what to serve alongside these.

Side Dish Recipes You'll Love

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📖Recipe

Smashed Potatoes With French Onion Dip

Krista Stechman

These crispy smashed potatoes are served over a generous layer of homemade French onion dip, then finished with truffle oil, fresh dill and crunchy fried onions. Crispy, creamy and packed with savory onion flavor!

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course appetizer, side dish

Cuisine american

Servings 8 servings

Calories 288 kcal

Ingredients

  

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French Onion Spread

• ▢ 1 drizzle olive oil I use Graza Sizzle
• ▢ 1½ yellow onions small dice
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt Diamond Crystal
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper coarse ground
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh thyme stemmed & chopped
• ▢ 2 tablespoon white wine
• ▢ 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• ▢ ¼ cup beef broth
• ▢ ½ cup sour cream full fat
• ▢ 2 tablespoon mayo Hellmans or Dukes
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Potatoes

• ▢ 2 lb baby yukon potatoes
• ▢ tt kosher salt Diamond Crystal
• ▢ tt black pepper
• ▢ 2 cups olive oil approximately - used for frying

Toppings

• ▢ ¼ cup fried onions store-bought or homemade
• ▢ ¼ cup fresh dill torn
• ▢ 2 tablespoon chives fine cut
• ▢ 1 drizzle truffle oil

Instructions

 

French Onion Spread

• Add a drizzle of olive oil to a medium sized skillet then transfer onions to pan and cook over low heat for 35-45 minutes, stirring occasionally until onions are soft, dark and caramelized
• Add salt, pepper, garlic and thyme. Stir and allow to cook an additional minute
• Deglaze the pan with white wine, scraping the brown bits from the bottom. Add sherry vinegar and beef broth then allow to reduce until almost all liquid is gone
• Transfer onion mixture to a heat proof bowl then allow to chill in the fridge or freezer for 10-15 minutes. After chilling, mix in sour cream, mayo and additional salt then set aside until needed

Potatoes

• Add potatoes to a pot of cold water. Add enough kosher salt to make the water taste like ocean water, this will help season the potatoes from the inside out. Bring pot to a boil for about 10 minutes. Test potatoes by inserting a paring knife to see if it goes in with little to no resistance and slides back out
• Drain potatoes well then transfer them to a sheet tray. Use the bottom of a cup or mug to smash them. Smash them just enough that they flatten but don't start to break apart. Lightly dust with salt and pepper
• Bring approximately ¼ inch of oil to 350°F then add potatoes, keeping them spaced out and not over crowding the pan. Allow them to cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes per side then transfer them to a paper towel lined sheet tray to absorb any extra oil and sprinkle with additional salt and pepper
• Smear onion spread over a serving platter, top with fried smashed potatoes, then top with fried onions, dill, chives and a drizzle of truffle oil

Notes

Don't forget to salt the water you boil the potatoes in. It should taste like salty ocean water. This helps season the potatoes from the inside out.

It's important not to overcook the potatoes. If they're too soft they will fall apart when you smash them.

Use a neutral olive oil, peanut oil or avocado oil. These oils all have a high enough smoke point that they won't burn when pan frying. 

If using olive oil, be sure you don't reach for extra virgin olive oil as it has a lower smoke point and will burn when pan frying. It also has a much stronger taste.

A very light drizzle of truffle oil will go a long way. It's pungent flavor can be overpowering.

Nutrition

Calories: 288kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 3gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 369mgPotassium: 557mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 284IUVitamin C: 27mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 1mg

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