Spanish Smashed Potato Casserole Recipe

Slice of smashed potato casserole with caramelized on a purple plate.

5 from 2 votes

Spanish Smashed Potato Casserole Recipe

This Smashed Potato Casserole recipe is full of smoky Spanish flavors. It's a unique, deliciously rich, creamy, comforting dish. A perfect fall side dish, it's great with braised meats, chicken and salads.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1

Total Time1 20

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: fall comfort food recipes, best potato sides

Servings:

Calories: 520kcal

Author: Valentina K. Wein

Equipment

Ingredients

3 pounds Baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes, washed and dried
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cups yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika
1 teaspoon Kosher salt (use half the amount if you're using table salt)
a few turns of freshly ground black pepper
1½ cups Manchego cheese, grated
1½ cups grated Spanish firm goat cheese, (f you can't find one that's Spanish, any firm goat cheese will work.)
olive oil for the pan

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Roast and Smash Potatoes

Preheat the oven to 400°F and add the potatoes in an even layer to a sheet pan.
Once the oven is ready, roast the potatoes until they're fork tender, about 25 minutes. Jiggle the baking sheet about halfway through the cooking time to turn them.
Once the potatoes come out of the oven, use a smooth meat mallet or the bottom of your smallest sauté pan to gently press down on the potatoes. They will crack and become flat on both sides. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper and set aside. Reduce the heat of the oven to 375°F, and keep the rack in the center.

Make Onion-Cheese Mixtute

While the potatoes are roasting, add the butter to a heavy-bottomed, very large (12 to 14-inch) sauté pan. Place it over low heat and let the butter melt. Using a metal spoon, remove the milk solids from the surface -- they will appear as a creamy colored foam. (This is essentially a quick way to clarify the butter.)
Turn the heat to medium-high and add the onions. During the first 15 minutes, stir them every few minutes. Once the onions are soft, sprinkle with a bit of salt, reduce the heat to medium-low and stir periodically. Caramelize the onions until they're all golden and soft, but still have a bite to them.
(Every so often the bottom and sides of the pan will begin to brown. This is flavor and what we want! Use a wooden deglazing spatula to work that back into the onions.)
Add the onions to a large mixing bowl and stir in cream, paprika, salt, and a few turns of black pepper. Let this cool to room temperature and then mix in both cheeses. Set aside.

Assemble and Bake

Add an even layer of the smashed potatoes to the bottom of an approximately 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking dish and evenly distribute half of the onion-cheese mixture over the top, being sure to get it into all of the nooks from the potatoes. Add the remaining potatoes on top -- if there are any gaps, slice some of the larger smashed potatoes in half, horizontally, and use both sides, round side up. Now add the remaining onion mixture over the top, again filling in any nooks between the potatoes.
Place the pan, uncovered, in the preheated 375°F oven and bake until it's golden brown and very hot, about 25 minutes.

Notes

Nutritional information is automatically calculated, so it should only be used as an estimate.

Nutrition