Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Molten Raclette Cheese Skillet Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Before starting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the potatoes. Mince the garlic and rosemary, and have them ready near the stove. Grate the raclette cheese on a box grater and set it aside.

Chop the scallions and have the flaky salt within reach. Make sure the cast iron skillet is clean and dry. The entire process moves quickly once the potatoes are boiled, so having everything prepped ensures smooth cooking.

Instructions

Boil and smash

1. 1Prepare the potatoes and aromatics
   Place the golden potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly. While the potatoes cook, mince the rosemary and garlic, and grate the raclette cheese on a box grater into a pile.
   Look for Potatoes are tender but not falling apart; cheese is shredded and ready.
   Tip Start checking potatoes at 15 minutes; a paring knife should slide in with little resistance.
2. 2Smash the potatoes flat
   When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, place them on a cutting board. Using the broad side of a chef's knife, gently press down on each potato to smash it flat, keeping the pieces in large, uneven chunks. Pat the smashed potatoes dry with paper towels.
   Look for Potatoes are flattened but still in large pieces, with craggy edges.
   Tip Smash gently to avoid breaking the potatoes into small bits; you want large surfaces for crisping.

The potatoes are fork-tender but still intact. After smashing, they should be flat, craggy, and dry on the surface. The aromatics are minced and the cheese is shredded. The kitchen smells of fresh rosemary and garlic, and the potatoes are ready for the hot skillet.

Crisp in butter

3. 3Pan fry in garlic-rosemary butter
   Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and let it foam. Add the minced garlic and rosemary, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Carefully place the smashed potatoes in the skillet in a single layer, cut side down. Cook without moving for 4 to 5 minutes, then flip and cook the other side until both sides are deeply golden and shatteringly crisp.
   Look for Potatoes are golden brown and crisp on both sides, with edges that crackle when pressed.
   Tip Don't crowd the skillet; cook in batches if needed to keep the potatoes crisp.

The butter is foaming and golden, and the garlic-rosemary fragrance fills the air. The potatoes are sizzling and turning deep brown with crisp edges.

When you press a spatula against a potato, it crackles. The surface is glossy with butter and the edges are visibly crunchy.

Melt cheese and finish

4. 4Blanket with raclette cheese
   Reduce the heat to low. Sprinkle the shredded raclette cheese evenly over the crispy potatoes. Cover the skillet with a lid or a sheet of foil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling around the edges.
   Look for Cheese is melted, bubbly, and starting to brown in spots.
   Tip Covering traps steam and helps the cheese melt evenly without burning the potatoes.
5. 5Finish and serve
   Scatter the chopped scallions and flaky sea salt over the bubbling cheese. Use a spatula to pull out a portion, stretching the melted cheese into long strands. Serve immediately from the skillet while the cheese is molten and the potatoes are crisp.
   Look for Scallions are bright green, salt crystals glisten, and cheese stretches as you pull.
   Tip Serve right away; the cheese will set as it cools.

The cheese is a bubbling, golden blanket over the potatoes. The edges are lacy and crisp in spots, and the center is molten and stretchy. Scallions and flaky salt add color and sparkle. When you lift a portion, the cheese pulls into long, silky strands.

Common mistakes

One common mistake is not drying the potatoes well after boiling; excess moisture prevents crisping. Another is overcrowding the skillet, which traps steam and makes the potatoes soggy instead of crisp.

Be patient and cook in batches if necessary. Also, resist the urge to move the potatoes too soon; letting them cook undisturbed creates a better crust. Finally, don't skimp on the cheese—use enough to fully blanket the potatoes.

How to tell it’s done

The potatoes are done when they are deeply golden brown and crisp on both sides, with a texture that crackles when pressed with a spatula. The cheese is ready when it is fully melted, bubbling around the edges, and lightly browned in spots.

To check, lift a potato with a spatula and see if the cheese stretches and pulls. The dish should be served immediately, while the cheese is still molten and the potatoes are at their crispiest.