Batatas a Murro (Portuguese Smashed Potatoes)

Portugal • Regional Dish • Side Dish

Batatas a Murro (Portuguese Smashed Potatoes)

Crisp-edged Portuguese smashed potatoes with garlic, olive oil, and salt. Rustic, simple, and far more addictive than potatoes have any right to be.

Servings4
Prep Time10 min
Cook Time55 min
DifficultyEasy
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Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 220°C. Line a baking tray or lightly oil a shallow baking dish.
  2. Put the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until just tender when pierced with a knife. Drain well, then let them steam-dry for 5 minutes.
  3. Transfer the potatoes to the prepared tray. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with half the salt. Roast for 20 minutes until the skins begin to dry and turn lightly golden.
  4. Remove the tray from the oven. Using the base of a glass, a potato masher, or your palm with a folded kitchen towel, press each potato firmly to crack and slightly flatten it without breaking it apart.
  5. Scatter the garlic over the potatoes. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and a little extra if needed. Return to the oven and roast for 15 to 20 minutes more until the edges are crisp and the centers are fluffy.
  6. Sprinkle with the remaining salt and the parsley. Add the white wine vinegar, if using, in a very light drizzle just before serving.
  7. Serve hot while the edges are still crisp, and the middles stay soft.

Cultural Context

Batatas a murro is a classic Portuguese potato side dish made by roasting or baking potatoes, then “punching” or smashing them so the skins split and the rough edges catch oil, salt, and extra heat. The name literally points to that rough treatment, which is part of the charm.

The dish often appears alongside bacalhau and other hearty Portuguese mains because it does exactly what a good potato side should do: it soaks up flavor, adds texture, and makes the plate feel complete without turning into a performance piece. Rustic food, no nonsense, excellent results.

Fun Fact

Some Portuguese versions finish batatas a murro with chopped garlic, olive oil, and even a little wine vinegar after smashing, which gives the potatoes a sharper, punchier finish than standard roast potatoes.

Cook’s Tip

Small waxy potatoes work best here because they hold together when smashed and crisp nicely at the edges. Floury potatoes can still taste good, but they tend to collapse and lose some of that lovely rough texture. A little white wine vinegar is traditional in some versions and gives the potatoes a sharp lift. Keep it light. You want a nudge, not a potato ambush.

Trivia

In Portuguese, murro means a punch or blow, which is why the potatoes are cracked open before the final roasting.

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