Vegan Cuban Crushed Potatoes 🌱 These toasty & crispy mini potatoes are the perfect savory party starter, side dish or snack. Dress them up as much or as a little as you like. Have fun with this easy & healthy vegan recipe! Gluten-free.
Years ago, I ran across a recipe for Cuban Crushed Potatoes. The preparation and ingredients seemed so basic I had to give it a try. I made a batch and served them to my family. They LOVED them!
It was amazing how incredibly tasty they were just on their own, but we realized those crispy roasted potatoes were the ideal partners for toppings. Fresh herbs, vegan cheese or sour cream, diced scallions, mushrooms, pico de gallo. Anything you might put on potato skins or baked potatoes is perfect on these little taters!
If you've followed my other recipes, you may have noticed I'm a bit of a potato fan. I grew up with a mom who I affectionately refer to as the 'Spud Queen'. She created the most satisfying and delicious potato-centric dishes. Raised during the Great Depression on a small farm in Idaho, my mom swore that it was the nutrition from the potatoes they grew that kept their family alive and healthy during those bleak years.
🥕See our top tater tips for storing potatoes in the FAQ's below.
Why you will love this recipe!
- Quick & easy to prepare
- Only 3 basic ingredients!
- Kids love them
- Perfect as a party appetizer or make a meal of them!
- Healthy, delicious & satisfying
Ingredients
All you need are just 3 basic ingredients :
- Potatoes - red (aka New) potatoes, Yukon golds or any petite variety
- Olive oil
- Sea Salt - I prefer coarse
You can also add minced garlic, infused olive oil, a sprinkle of fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, or a few grinds of cracked black pepper to boost flavors while the potatoes are broiling.
🥕 See the printable recipe card below for quantities & details.
Instructions
How to make Vegan Cuban Crushed Potatoes
The main ingredients in this recipe are red (aka 'new') potatoes, oil & salt. That's it. From there, you can get as creative as you like.
- Thoroughly wash potatoes. Leave skins intact.
- Place potatoes in large sauce pan. Add water to completely cover (about 2" above potatoes) Add salt if desired.
- Cover pot. Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to a rolling simmer.
- Cook for 10 - 15 minutes, just until tender (when you can easily insert a knife).
- Remove from heat and drain.
- Preheat broiler
- Place potatoes on a cutting board. Cut a small criss-cross or X in the top of each potato. Just cut through the skin, not too deep.
- Using either the back of a spoon or the palm of your hand, gently press down on potatoes to slightly flatten. If the potatoes are too hot, use a clean dishtowel between your hand and the potatoes.
- Arrange crushed potatoes on a non-stick baking pan.
- Brush or drizzle oil on each potato.
- Sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
- Place potatoes in broiler for 3-5 minutes or until skins begin to turn golden brown.
- Serve while hot, with an assortment of toppings!
- Enjoy!
🥕Tater Topping Tips
Vegan Cuban Crushed Potatoes are perfect for parties. It's easy & fun to create a colorful and appetizing "Crushed Potato Bar" by providing a variety of toppings for you and your guests to enjoy.
I love serving these for St. Patrick's Day, by adding green herbs like rosemary, chives, maybe some shallots. Or you can assemble a festive fiesta platter with fresh guacamole, pico de gallo, and cilantro. How about a game day event - with vegan cheese, sour cream, vegan bacon bits. You get the idea!
Here's a few of my favorite add-ons:
- Fresh chives
- Green onions
- Caramelized onions
- Shredded vegan cheese
- Easy Vegan Parmesan
- Vegan sour cream
- Sliced olives
- Diced jalapeño peppers
- Sautéed veggies or mushrooms
- Diced tomatoes
- Salsas or pico de gallo
- Guacamole
- Cilantro
- Vegan bacon bits
- Vegan meat crumbles
These homemade vegan sauces are delish on top of crushed potatoes
🥕More Tater Tips
- The thin skins on red potatoes are tender and nutritious, so there's no reason to remove them. Plus they add extra color to your dishes!
- Sometimes I'll boost the flavor with a citrusy zest by drizzling a lemon-infused olive oil just before roasting. After I pull them from the oven, I'll add a few springs of fresh basil.
- If you are avoiding oil and/or salt, you definitely can make these without it. I just prepared a batch without oil and they turned out absolutely delish!
FAQ's
Potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates, which our bodies require as a fuel source. They also provide many vitamins, minerals and fiber. On their own, they're low in calories, but are also very satisfying, which makes them a great choice if you're trying to lose weight (just don't load on lots of oils or fats)
According to an article in livestrong.com "The kind of potatoes that may be the healthiest are those with darker-colored flesh, such as the Purple Viking, Yukon Gold and Ruby Crescent." The article goes on to say that these colorful varieties of potatoes contain pigments - carotenoids and flavonoids - which protect cells from oxidative damage.
Isn't it annoying when you're in the mood to cook a potato only to discover all of your taters have either turned green or have grown sprouts? Have you ever had that happen only days after you bought them? I know how frustrating that is, and have some tips to help you keep your potatoes fresh until you're ready to use them.
TIP #1 Always store potatoes in a dark, cool, well ventilated place. A pantry or cabinet is a good location, as long as it is not near an oven or heat source. It's why farmers can store potatoes for weeks inside root cellars. Wonder why potatoes turn green? Exposure to light promotes chlorophyll, which is great for houseplants, but not spuds.
TIP #2
Keep potatoes in a ventilated basket or mesh bag. Never store them in the plastic bag from the store. I love re-useable mesh produce bags. They're perfect for storing potatoes, onions, and garlic. Plus they're washable.
TIP #3 Always remove and discard any potatoes that are green, sprouted, have soft spots, mold, or signs of damage.
TIP #4 Don't wash potatoes until you're ready to use them. Keep em' dry.
I always buy organic potatoes. Most produce that's not grown organically is sprayed with pesticides and the soil is often treated with fungicides. For root vegetables, like potatoes, all those toxic chemicals end up in or on the produce. No thank you. Even though many fruits & veggies are "washed" before being packaged and displayed in grocery stores, organically grown fruits and veggies, including potatoes, should still be thoroughly washed before consuming.
For potatoes, you will want to wash them just prior to cooking (not before). The easiest method is to use a vegetable brush and scrub the skins in a circular motion under running water.
If you love this recipe ★★★★★ please be sure to rate it below! Sharing your experience let's me know that you enjoyed it and helps other readers decide if they should give the recipe a try too. Thanks a bunch!🥕
Recipe
Vegan Cuban Crushed Potatoes
Equipment
- Large covered saucepan or stove top pot
- baking sheet
- basting brush
Ingredients
- 1 lb red potatoes 14- 16 small potatoes - also known as 'new' potatoes
- 2 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin - or oil of your choice
- 2 teaspoon sea salt coarse
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash potatoes. Leave skins intact.
- Place potatoes in large saucepan. Add water to completely cover (about 2" above potatoes).
- Add ¼ teaspoon salt to water, if desired.
- Cover pot, place on high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a rolling simmer.
- Cook for 10 - 15 minutes just until tender, when you can easily insert a knife.
- Remove from heat and drain water.
- Preheat broiler.
- Place potatoes on a cutting board. Cut a small criss-cross or X in the top of each potato. Just cut through the skin, not too deep.
- Using either the back of a spoon or the palm of your hand, gently press down on the potatoes to slightly flatten. If the potatoes are too hot, use a clean dish towel to protect your hand.
- Arrange crushed potatoes on a non-stick baking sheet.
- Sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
- Place potatoes in broiler for 3 - 5 minutes, or until skins begin to turn golden brown.
- Remove from oven. Serve hot with your choice of toppings or simply as-is!
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Janet Lynn Sowell
Such a beautiful article - it all looks delicious!
Connie Edwards McGaughy
I’m so glad you like it! Thanks Janet!🥕