Buffalo Smashed Potatoes
If you’re looking for the ultimate in vegan appetizers, look no further than buffalo smashed potatoes. This easy vegan recipe features steamed (then smashed) fingerling potatoes that are baked to crispy perfection with buffalo sauce. Serve with a side of cashew ranch dip and you’ll be the life of the vegan party!
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs fingerling potatoes washed
- 1 cup cashews
- 1 tbsp safflower oil + additional safflower oil for spraying or basting or substitute safflower oil with another heat tolerant oil like vegetable oil
- 2 tsp salt divided
- 1 cup buffalo sauce I like Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Sauce
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp dried dill
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- scallion greens sliced, as optional garnishment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425º.
- Add ~2 inches of water to the bottom of a large stock pot. Insert a steamer basket and add the fingerling potatoes to the basket. Cover the pot and bring the water to a simmer. Allow the potatoes to steam for about 25 minutes. The potatoes should be easily pierced with a fork.
- While the potatoes are steaming, put the cashews in a 2-cup glass measuring cup (or bigger) and fill with hot water. Allow the cashews to rest for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare a baking sheet by basting it with 1 tbsp of safflower oil.
- When the potatoes have finished steaming, drain the pot and allow the potatoes to cool slightly. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, spread them out on the baking sheet leaving~1-2 inches in between.
- Smash the potatoes with a potato masher or the bottom of a measuring cup. They should be about 1/2” thick after being smashed.
- Spray the potatoes with additional safflower oil using a non-aerosol dispenser or brush the potatoes with a basting brush.
- Roast the potatoes on the middle rack for 30-35 minutes until they are crispy.
- While the potatoes are roasting, drain and rinse the cashews. Combine the cashews, water, garlic, lemon juice, salt, dried parsley and dried dill in a high-speed blender. Blend until creamy. Season with fresh ground pepper and top with scallion greens as desired.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and brush the potatoes with buffalo sauce. Return the potatoes to the oven for ~10 minutes to bake the sauce into the potatoes.
- Serve immediately with cashew ranch dip and scallion greens, as desired.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!