Hot Honey Is The Finishing Touch Your Smashed Potatoes Need

Smashed potatoes are a delightfully starchy side that appeals to folks with different potato preferences. There are softer bits inside for those who like their potatoes on the mushy side, and plenty of crisp edges for the ones who need a bit of crunch in their meals. As for seasoning these potatoes, they'll take almost any potato-friendly flavor you throw at them. Gravy? Sure. Herbs? Pile them on. What about hot honey? Now that is the finishing touch smashed potatoes need.

Smashed potatoes are relatively easy to make, especially considering the outsized impression they'll make on your guests. Simply pre-cook a bunch of potatoes (usually skin-on spuds of the starchy variety), then smash them gently with a flat, heavy object so that they're somewhat flattened but still hold together. From this point, they can either be cooked in a frying pan or roasted in the oven until the edges get crispy.

As for what exactly hot honey is, the clue is in the name. It's honey that has been infused with chili peppers, giving the sweet stuff a good kick of spicy. Drizzling hot honey on smashed potatoes adds textural and flavor contrasts that will leave folks begging for more.

Hot honey has become a popular condiment in recent years, which means it's easily available in stores. Aldi even has an affordable "extra-hot" version under the Berryhill brand, ready to pipe over anything your heart desires.

While you could baste the potatoes in hot honey before leaving them in the oven to roast, it's a better idea to dress the potatoes after the roasting process. The sugars in the honey could burn quickly, resulting in your precious spuds becoming inedible char. A way to get around this is to mix the hot honey with butter or oil. The fat will keep the potatoes safe while also making it easier to coat them evenly.

There's some debate over how exactly to pre-cook these potatoes, as some folks only par-boil them before smashing, while others boil them through until soft and tender. Whichever method you choose, smashed potatoes (also known as "crash hot potatoes") are guaranteed to be a hit at the dinner table.

Now that you have a platter of smashed potatoes slathered in hot honey, what do you eat them with? Potatoes can be paired with countless dishes; in this case, you'll want to think about their flavor profile. You could head in the direction of "more is more" and have other sticky and spicy dishes on the table as well. Hot honey butter roasted chicken gives a hefty bite with similar flavors, as do chipotle-honey oven-roasted wings.

Or, you could pair hot honey smashed potatoes with contrasting, cooling flavors and textures. Think of crisp wedge salads and crushed ramen noodle salads, both refreshing enough to tamp down the spiciness of the potatoes. 

That said, these potatoes can also be served by themselves as an appetizer or snack. You'll definitely be the hit of your book club when these appear on the table.