Looking for a summer side dish that feels a little more fun than the usual potato salad? These Mexican smashed potatoes are crispy, creamy, tangy, and topped with the best Mexican street corn-inspired mixture. Think golden smashed petite potatoes piled with fire roasted corn, jalapeño, cotija cheese, cilantro, lime, and chili lime seasoning.
These are the kind of potatoes I want next to everything coming off the grill. They are easy enough for a weeknight taco dinner but fun enough for a BBQ cookout or summer potluck. As a dietitian, I love a side dish that brings comfort, color, and fresh flavor to the table without making things complicated!
The frozen fire roasted corn is my favorite shortcut here because it gives you that charred street corn flavor without having to grill fresh corn first. Add a creamy Greek yogurt dressing, salty cotija, and a little jalapeño, and you have a side dish that tastes like summer in every bite.
If you're building out a cookout menu, these would be so good with my black bean corn salsa, grilled chicken tenders, or smoky peach bbq sauce for a fun Southern-inspired spread.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Fun cookout side dish: These potatoes are a little more exciting than plain roasted potatoes and fit right in with burgers, grilled chicken, tacos, BBQ, or a summer party spread.
- Ultimate crispy texture: The potatoes get crispy and golden on the outside while staying fluffy and tender in the middle.
- Creamy without being too heavy: The mayo adds classic street corn richness, while Greek yogurt keeps the topping tangy and balanced.
- Easy to customize: You can make them spicier, milder, cheesier, or more loaded depending on what your family likes.
Ingredients for Mexican Smashed Potatoes
This recipe uses simple ingredients to turn crispy petite potatoes into a fun Mexican street corn-inspired side dish.
- Petite potatoes: Petite gold or baby potatoes work best because they cook quickly, smash easily, and get crispy around the edges.
- Frozen fire roasted corn: Frozen fire roasted corn adds sweet, smoky flavor without needing to grill fresh corn first.
- Jalapeño: Fresh jalapeño adds a little heat and crunch, but you can remove the seeds and membrane for a milder flavor.
- Mayo: Mayo gives the street corn topping that classic creamy richness.
- Greek yogurt: Plain Greek yogurt adds tang and helps balance the mayo while keeping the topping creamy.
- Cotija cheese: Cotija adds salty, crumbly flavor that makes these potatoes taste more like Mexican street corn.
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro brings brightness and freshness to the creamy corn topping.
- Lime: Lime juice adds acidity and keeps the topping from tasting too heavy.
- Chili lime seasoning: Chili lime seasoning adds tangy, zesty flavor and a little kick without needing a long spice list. If you don't have it, use a mix of chili powder, lime zest, and a pinch of salt, or swap in Tajín for a similar flavor.
- Olive oil: Olive oil helps the potatoes crisp up in the oven and keeps them from sticking to the pan.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
This recipe is easy to adjust based on what you have on hand or how spicy you like your potatoes.
- You can swap plain sour cream for the Greek yogurt if you want a more classic creamy street corn flavor.
- If you can't find cotija cheese, queso fresco or feta gives the same similar salty, crumbly finish.
- Fresh grilled corn works beautifully in place of the frozen fire roasted corn if you already have the grill going.
- Add extra jalapeño, hot sauce, or a pinch of cayenne if you want to make the Mexican smashed potatoes spicier.
- You can leave out the jalapeño or use just a little if your family prefers a milder street corn topping.
- Diced avocado or a drizzle of avocado lime crema adds extra creaminess and makes the smashed potatoes feel a little more loaded.
- Tajín works well in place of the chili lime seasoning and gives the potatoes a bright, tangy flavor.
- Grilled chicken, shrimp, taco meat, or pulled pork can turn these Mexican smashed potatoes into a heartier meal.
How to Make Mexican Smashed Potatoes Recipe
Here's how to bring these crispy, creamy street corn potatoes together.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2: Add the petite potatoes to a large pot and cover them with water by about 1 inch. Bring the water to a boil, then cook the potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are fork-tender.
Step 3: Drain the potatoes well, then let them sit for a few minutes so the extra moisture can steam off.
Step 4: Place the potatoes on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil, then gently smash each one with the bottom of a glass, measuring cup, or potato masher.
Step 5: Season the smashed potatoes with salt, pepper, and a little chili lime seasoning.
Step 6: Roast the potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway if desired, until the edges are golden and crispy.
Step 7: While the potatoes roast, add the fire roasted corn and jalapeño to a small skillet over medium heat and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until warmed through and lightly softened.
Step 8: Transfer the warm corn and jalapeño to a bowl, then mix together the Greek yogurt, mayo, cilantro, lime juice, and chili lime seasoning.
Step 9: Spoon the street corn topping over the crispy smashed potatoes, then finish with cotija, cilantro, and extra lime juice.
Tips For Best Smashed Mexican Potatoes
A few simple tips help these smashed potatoes turn out crispy, flavorful, and party-ready.
- Let the boiled potatoes steam dry for a few minutes so the edges crisp instead of turning soft in the oven.
- Spread the smashed potatoes out on the sheet pan so they roast evenly and get crispy around the edges.
- Smash the potatoes thinner if you want more crispy bites, or leave them a little thicker if you want a fluffier, more potatoey center.
- I recommend adding chili lime seasoning to both the potatoes and the corn topping so every bite has flavor.
- Spoon the street corn topping over the potatoes right before serving so they stay as crispy as possible.
Storage
These potatoes taste best fresh, but you can store leftovers with a few simple tricks.
- Leftovers: Keep the smashed potatoes and street corn topping in separate airtight containers when possible. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days,
- Reheat: Warm the potatoes in the oven at 400°F until heated through and crisp around the edges. The microwave works in a pinch, but it will make the crispy potatoes softer. Spoon the street corn mixture over the potatoes after they are reheated, then finish with fresh lime and cilantro.
FAQ
Yes! You can air fry the smashed potatoes at 400°F for about 12 to 15 minutes, depending on your air fryer. Work in batches so the potatoes have enough space to crisp.
These are best served warm so the potatoes stay crispy. The corn topping can be chilled or room temperature, but spoon it over the warm potatoes right before serving.
Absolutely, use canned corn if that is what you have, but drain it well and sauté it with the jalapeño for a few minutes to help remove extra moisture and build more flavor.
Smashed potatoes can fall apart if they cook too long, smash too thin, or get pressed too hard, so use gentle pressure and stop once each potato flattens but still holds together.
More Recipes You'll Love!
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Did you try this recipe?
Let us know what you thought by leaving a comment below and sharing it on Instagram, Facebook, & Pinterest!
Thank you!
Jessie
Easy Mexican Smashed Potatoes
Ingredients
For the potatoes:
- 1 lb petite potatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili lime seasoning plus more for topping
For the street corn topping:
- 1 ½ cups frozen fire roasted corn
- 1 jalapeño finely diced
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro plus more for topping
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon chili lime seasoning
- ¼ cup crumbled cotija cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the petite potatoes to a large pot and cover them with water by about 1 inch. Bring the water to a boil, then cook the potatoes for 15- 20 minutes, or until they are fork-tender.
- Drain the potatoes well, then let them sit for a few minutes so the extra moisture can steam off.
- Place the potatoes on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil, then gently smash each one with the bottom of a glass, measuring cup, or potato masher.
- Season the smashed potatoes with salt, pepper, and a little chili lime seasoning.
- Roast the potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway if desired, until the edges are golden and crispy.
- While the potatoes roast, add the fire roasted corn and jalapeño to a small skillet over medium heat and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until warmed through and lightly softened.
- Transfer the warm corn and jalapeño to a bowl, then stir in the Greek yogurt, mayo, cilantro, lime juice, and chili lime seasoning.
- Spoon the street corn topping over the crispy smashed potatoes, then finish with cotija, cilantro, and extra lime juice.
Notes
- Cooking time may vary depending on the size of your potatoes, so check them with a fork and cook until they are tender before smashing.
- For the crispiest potatoes, let them steam dry after boiling and avoid crowding the sheet pan.
- Store leftover potatoes and topping separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat the potatoes in the oven at 400°F or in the air fryer at 375°F until warm and crispy.
Leave a Reply