Smashed Buffalo Potatoes Recipe
Over 60 years ago when the owners of Anchor Bar in Buffalo New York got creative with late night snacks and added hot sauce and butter to chicken wings, Buffalo flavor was invented. The spicy wings took off, and Buffalo sauce now shows up in everything from pizza to cauliflower.
- 2 pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes
- 2 teaspoons salt, divided
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup Frank's Red Hot Original hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ cup crumbled blue cheese
- 3 scallions, sliced
- Add the potatoes and 1 teaspoon salt to a large pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low for about 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender but the skins are still intact.
- Preheat the oven to 450 F while the potatoes cook.
- Drain the potatoes and let them sit in the colander for 5 minutes so the steam escapes and the skins look dry.
- Brush or drizzle 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over a large rimmed sheet pan
- Arrange the potatoes on the pan with about 2 inches between each one and press each potato with the bottom of a sturdy glass to break the skin and smash.
- Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the tops and sprinkle with the remaining salt and the black pepper.
- Roast for 25 minutes, until the potatoes are golden brown with crisp edges.
- While the potatoes roast, melt the butter with the hot sauce, garlic powder, and smoked paprika in a small saucepan over low heat.
- Whisk until the sauce is smooth and glossy, then take it off the heat. (Don't let it boil, or it can separate.)
- Brush the Buffalo sauce generously over the hot potatoes right on the pan.
- Return the pan to the oven for 3 minutes, just until the sauce looks set and shiny instead of wet.
- Transfer the potatoes to a platter and add the blue cheese and scallions over the top before serving.
I love the versatility of this dish. Smashed Buffalo potatoes are a perfect fit for game day, but also make a leveled-up side dish with grilled chicken, baked tofu, or burgers. It's yet another wonderful, creative way to dress up the humble and budget-friendly potato.
Gather the ingredients for smashed Buffalo potatoes recipe
To make this recipe, pick up some small Yukon Gold potatoes. The best option is a bag of baby Yukon Golds that are about the size of a golf ball. If those aren't available, just grab some from the loose bin that are about that size. Baby Dutch yellow potatoes will also work great if you see those. Hit up the dairy aisle for unsalted butter and blue cheese crumbles. Then you'll need a straight hot sauce like Frank's Red Hot Original. We are adding the butter to it to create the Buffalo sauce. If you want to skip making the sauce by hand, look for a bottled Buffalo or wing sauce, which already contains butter. Pick up some fresh scallions, then check your pantry for olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
