These aren’t your average Mexican inspired potato! Taco seasoned smashed potatoes are seasoned with a spice blend then topped with a spicy chipotle aioli and cool crumbled queso fresco. Eat these as a side dish or as an appetizer!
Recipe at a Glance
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Notes: You’ll probably have extra spice blend left over, you can use this on tacos, rice, or beans!
Ultimate Smashed Potatoes
I love these potatoes because they are hearty enough where they don’t just have to be a side dish! These are vibrantly seasoned, crispy exterior, and that perfect combination of the heat from the chipotle sauce and the cool queso fresco. Couldn’t you image these as an appetizer? A few margaritas and a big plate of these taco smashed potatoes sounds pretty good to me. You can cover them with the sauce, or serve the sauce on the side and dip them.
FAQ
What kind of potatoes should I use? I used peewee potatoes and strongly recommend sticking with this size. They are adorably tiny, and are the perfect size for a smashed potato. I found them in the same area as the other bagged potatoes. If you can’t find them, use the smallest potato you can find, but keep in mind you’ll probably need to boil them and bake them longer then in the recipe below.
Where do I find adobo sauce? The chipotle aioli gets its heat from the adobo sauce. This is the sauce from the can of chipotle peppers, the can should say “Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce“. They are usually small cans, found near the taco seasoning and taco kits. If you can only find chipotle peppers but nothing in adobo sauce, you can puree the peppers and use that, but use a smaller amount in the recipe since the pepper itself is spicier than the sauce.
Can I substitute the queso freso for another cheese? I really really recommend going with queso fresco. It has a unique texture and mild cool flavor that really makes this dish unique. If you can’t find it, you can us a Mozzarella instead.
Can I substitute a taco seasoning packet instead of mixing my own spices? When I tested these, I made a version using taco packet spice blend and a version where I mixed my own spices. My husband and I both picked the potato with the homemade spice blend. It wasn’t that the other potato was bad, it’s just that the homemade spice version was a little bit better. That being said, if you find yourself out of one of the spices or are in a pinch, you can try the seasoning packet. The flavor will be a little more intense but will get you a taco seasoned potato.
If you like Mexican inspired dishes you’ll love these recipes:
Crunchy Taco Meatballs
Creamy Mexican Corn Chowder
Walking Taco Casserole
Taco Smashed Potatoes
A spicy twist on a smashed potato, these taco seasoned smashed potatoes are packed with Mexican spices then drizzled with a chipotle aioli and crumbled queso fresco. Would be a great side dish or just eat on their own dipping into the chipotle sauce!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: About 40 mini potatoes
- Category: Mexican
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
For the Potatoes
2 – 2 1/2 cups Peewee potatoes, or other small potato (you want about 40 mini potatoes)
1/2 tablespoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 and 1/4 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Olive Oil
For the Garnish and Sauce
1/4 cup mayo
1 and 1/2 tablespoons adobo sauce (from the can of chipotle peppers)
Queso Fresco
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 425, and lightly oil your baking sheet. Bring a pot of salted water to boil and boil your potatoes for 20-22 minutes until they pierce easily with a fork.
2. While the potatoes are boiling, make your spice blend. In a small bowl mix together the cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, paprika, chili powder, salt, pepper, and brown sugar. You can also make the chipotle aioli now. In another small bowl mix together the mayo and the adobo sauce. Put in the fridge until you’re ready to serve the potatoes.
3. After the potatoes are done boiling, pour them into a strainer and let them cool slightly until you can carefully spoon them onto the baking sheet. Arrange them in rows so that no potatoes are touching each other. Using a masher or a large fork, gently smash down each potato. I found it helps if you spray your masher or fork with cooking spray, it prevents it from sticking to the potatoes as you smash them!
4. Once all the potatoes are smashed, brush each with olive oil, season with as much of the spice blend as you want, rebrush with a little oil again, then season one more time to cover any areas that need seasoning. You probably will have extra spice blend which you can save for tacos or rice. Bake for 30 minutes. After the come out of the oven sprinkle with a little salt over the whole baking sheet.
5. To serve, drizzle with the chiptole aioli and cover with crumbled queso fresco. Enjoy!
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