Once you make a crispy smashed potato salad, classic boiled potato salad may never feel quite as exciting again. The potatoes are cooked until tender, gently smashed, then roasted until their edges turn golden, crisp, and deeply flavorful. Tossed with creamy tzatziki dressing, salty bacon, pickled jalapeños, scallions, and plenty of fresh herbs, this salad has the perfect balance of crunch, creaminess, freshness, and tang. It is easy enough for a relaxed weeknight meal, but impressive enough to serve at barbecues, potlucks, garden parties, or any gathering where you need a reliable crowd-pleasing side dish.
My New Favorite Potato Salad
This crispy smashed potato salad is inspired by the viral smashed potato salad trend, but it gets a fresh, zesty upgrade from tzatziki. At first, it might seem like tossing crispy potatoes with a creamy dressing would make them lose their texture. Surprisingly, the roasted edges hold up beautifully, especially when the salad is served soon after mixing.
The secret is the contrast. Soft, fluffy potato centers meet crisp roasted edges, while the tzatziki brings cool cucumber, bright lemon, garlic, and thick Greek yogurt. Bacon adds salty crunch, scallions give a mild onion flavor, and pickled jalapeños add just enough tang and gentle heat to keep the salad lively without making it overpowering.
There is one extra step compared with a traditional potato salad: smashing and roasting the potatoes. That step is absolutely worth it. It turns a simple side dish into something memorable, with far more texture and character than a standard creamy potato salad. The result is light but satisfying, fresh but hearty, and perfect for serving warm, cold, or at room temperature.
This salad is especially useful when entertaining because many components can be prepared ahead. Boil and roast the potatoes, make the tzatziki, cook the bacon, and chop the herbs in advance. When you are ready to serve, simply toss everything together and bring it to the table.
Four Reasons To Love This Recipe
- It gives potato salad a crunchy twist. Roasted smashed potatoes add crisp edges and golden flavor that boiled potatoes alone cannot offer.
- The dressing is creamy but fresh. Tzatziki keeps the salad bright and light while still giving it that satisfying creamy texture.
- It works warm or cold. Serve it straight after roasting the potatoes, at room temperature, or chilled from the fridge.
- It is ideal for sharing. This smashed potato salad looks impressive, tastes bold and fresh, and is always a popular side dish.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Baby potatoes. Small potatoes are best because they cook quickly and smash easily. Try to choose potatoes that are similar in size so they roast evenly. If some are larger, cut them in half before smashing.
- Tzatziki. You can use a good store-bought tzatziki for convenience, but homemade tzatziki tastes especially fresh. It is made with thick Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, lemon, garlic, salt, and black pepper. For a dairy-free version, use a thick plant-based yogurt.
- Scallions. Scallions, also called spring onions, add a gentle onion flavor without overpowering the salad. Finely diced red onion can be used if you prefer a stronger taste.
- Bacon. Crispy bacon brings salty, savory flavor and extra crunch. Leave it out for a vegetarian smashed potato salad, or use smoky chorizo if you want a different flavor.
- Pickled jalapeños. These add a tangy, lightly spicy note that balances the creamy dressing. If you do not want any heat, chopped dill pickles are a good alternative.
- Fresh herbs. Chives are used here, but parsley, mint, basil, cilantro, or oregano can also work well depending on what you have available.
How to Make the Crispy Smashed Potato Salad
This section gives you a simple step-by-step overview. The full ingredient quantities and detailed method are included in the recipe card below.
1. Place the potatoes in a large pot of well-salted water. Boil until they are tender enough to pierce easily with a fork, then drain them well.
2. Arrange the potatoes on lined baking sheets. Use the bottom of a glass or a potato masher to gently flatten each potato, then drizzle with olive oil and season with salt.
3. While the potatoes roast, make the tzatziki dressing with grated cucumber, yogurt, lemon, garlic, salt, and black pepper.
4. Cook the bacon until crisp, then chop the scallions, chives, and pickled jalapeños so everything is ready to mix.
5. Roast the smashed potatoes until deeply golden and crisp. A few darker edges are fine and will add extra flavor.
6. Add the crispy potatoes to a large bowl with the bacon, herbs, scallions, and jalapeños. Spoon over some tzatziki and toss gently to combine.
7. Transfer the smashed potato salad to a serving bowl or platter. Finish with extra chives and serve the remaining tzatziki on the side.
Crispy Smashed Potato Salad FAQs
This salad is easy to customize. Add more fresh herbs such as flat-leaf parsley, cilantro, basil, oregano, mint, or extra chives. You can also stir in finely diced red onion, chopped sundried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, capers, jarred artichokes, or crumbled feta. If you prefer less heat, replace the pickled jalapeños with dill pickles.
This salad is a great side dish for barbecues, summer lunches, garden parties, and casual dinners. It works well alongside grilled meats, burgers, lamb koftas, chicken, fish, or a larger spread of fresh salads. Because it is creamy, tangy, and crunchy, it pairs especially well with smoky or chargrilled main dishes.
Yes. The salad keeps well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and tastes good cold. For the crispiest result, prepare the potatoes, dressing, bacon, and chopped ingredients separately, then combine everything just before serving. The tzatziki can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to a week.
Watch How to Make the Salad
This crispy smashed potato salad is simple to assemble once the potatoes are roasted. Prepare the dressing and toppings while the potatoes are in the oven, then toss everything together just before serving.
Like This Recipe? Here Are More Easy Salads to Try
If you make this crispy smashed potato salad with tzatziki, leave a rating and comment below. It is a fresh, crunchy, creamy potato salad recipe that is perfect for sharing, and it is a great option when you want a side dish that feels familiar but a little more special.
Crispy Smashed Potato Salad with Tzatziki
- Author: Kate Phillips
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Diet: Low Calorie
Description
This crispy smashed potato salad with tzatziki is golden, crunchy, creamy, and fresh. Roasted smashed potatoes are tossed with cool cucumber yogurt dressing, crispy bacon, scallions, pickled jalapeños, and chives for an easy potato salad that works beautifully as a barbecue side, potluck dish, or summer salad.
Ingredients
For the salad
- 2 pounds (1kg) baby potatoes, preferably small and evenly sized
- Salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 slices bacon
- 4 scallions, also called spring onions
- Small bunch of chives
- 1/4 cup pickled jalapeños
For the tzatziki dressing
- 1/2 large cucumber
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup thick Greek or Greek-style yogurt
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C fan). Add the baby potatoes to a large pot and cover them with cold water. Add at least 1 tablespoon of salt, set the pot over high heat, and bring to a boil. Cook for about 12 minutes, or until the potatoes can be pierced easily with a fork. Drain well.
- Smash the potatoes. Drizzle two baking sheets with olive oil. Arrange the drained potatoes on the trays with space between each one. Use the bottom of a glass or a potato masher to gently press each potato flat. Drizzle with more olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Roast the potatoes. Roast for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the potatoes are crisp, golden brown, and crunchy around the edges.
- Make the tzatziki dressing. Grate the cucumber into a colander set over a bowl. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt and toss. Press with the back of a spoon to remove as much liquid as possible. In a separate bowl, mix the drained cucumber with the yogurt, crushed garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and black pepper. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Prepare the salad ingredients. Cook the bacon in a small pan over medium-high heat until crisp. Finely chop the pickled jalapeños, scallions, and chives.
- Mix the salad. Add the crispy potatoes, bacon, jalapeños, scallions, and chives to a large mixing bowl. Tear any large potato pieces into smaller bites if needed. Add a few generous spoonfuls of tzatziki and toss gently. Add more dressing if you prefer a creamier salad.
- Serve. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl or platter. Serve with the remaining tzatziki on the side.
Notes
Ingredient notes: Leave out the bacon for a vegetarian version, or replace it with smoky chorizo. Chives can be swapped for mint, basil, flat-leaf parsley, or cilantro. Homemade tzatziki gives the freshest flavor, but a good store-bought version can be used for convenience.
Storage instructions: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. The salad is good cold, although the potatoes will be crispiest when freshly roasted. If making it for a party, keep the dressing separate and mix just before serving.
Serving suggestions: Serve this crispy smashed potato salad as a summer side dish, barbecue salad, or potluck recipe. It pairs well with grilled chicken, lamb, fish, burgers, or a fresh salad spread.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Salads
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 300g
- Calories: 328
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 1005.7mg
- Fat: 18.4g
- Saturated Fat: 5.6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11.8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30.8g
- Fiber: 4.5g
- Protein: 11g
- Cholesterol: 24.7mg