Crispy Smashed Potato Cups with Roasted Garlic Pesto Cream Cheese and Tomato Bruschetta
These crispy smashed potato cups might be the best appetizer you’ll ever make. Baby potatoes get boiled, pressed into a muffin tin to create little cup shapes, then baked until they’re golden and crispy on the edges. Fill them with a creamy roasted garlic pesto filling and top with a fresh cherry tomato bruschetta, and you’ve got something that disappears in minutes.
They’re the kind of bite-sized appetizer that looks like it took way more effort than it actually did. Perfect for parties, game day, holidays, or honestly just a really good snack. Completely vegan and absolutely crowd-pleasing.
Why You’ll Love These Crispy Smashed Potato Cups
- Crispy baked potato cups with golden, crunchy edges and a soft center
- Roasted garlic pesto cream cheese filling that’s rich, creamy, and packed with flavor
- Fresh tomato bruschetta topping with basil, balsamic, and oregano
- 100% plant based and vegan
- Perfect finger food for parties, game day, and holidays
- Made in a muffin tin so every cup is perfectly shaped
How to Make Crispy Smashed Potato Cups
Full recipe in the card below. Here’s the step by step.
Slice the tops off, drizzle with olive oil, cover with foil, and roast at 400°F for 35 to 40 minutes until golden and soft.
Press each boiled potato into a greased muffin tin with a shot glass. Drizzle with oil, season, and bake until deeply golden and crispy.
Mix vegan cream cheese with basil pesto and squeezed roasted garlic until smooth and creamy.
Toss quartered cherry tomatoes with fresh basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red pepper flakes, and oregano.
Spoon the pesto cream cheese into each crispy cup and top with the cherry tomato bruschetta.
These are best served right away while the cups are still warm and crispy.
Tips for the Best Crispy Smashed Potato Cups
- Use baby or new potatoes. They’re the right size to fit in a standard muffin tin and have thin skins that crisp up beautifully
- Don’t overcook the potatoes. You want them fork-tender but not falling apart. They still need to hold their shape when you press them into cups
- Use a shot glass or small jar to press the potatoes down. It creates the perfect cup shape every time
- Roast the garlic while the potatoes boil so everything is ready at the same time
- Make the tomato topping ahead. It actually tastes better after sitting for 15 to 20 minutes so the flavors come together
Storage and Make Ahead
- Potato cups: Boil the potatoes a day ahead and store in the fridge. Shape, season, and bake right before serving for the crispiest result
- Filling: The pesto cream cheese can be made 2 to 3 days ahead and stored in the fridge
- Tomato topping: Best made fresh, but holds up for a few hours at room temperature
- Leftovers: Store assembled cups in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer to crisp them back up
Frequently Asked Questions about this Crispy Smashed Potato Cups
Baby potatoes or new potatoes work best. They’re small enough to fit in a muffin tin and have thin skins that crisp up nicely. Yukon Gold baby potatoes are a great choice.
Yes. Boil the potatoes and make the filling ahead of time. Bake the cups and assemble right before your guests arrive for the best texture.
You can smash the potatoes flat on a baking sheet instead and bake until crispy. Then top each one with the filling and tomato topping. They’ll be more like loaded smashed potatoes, which are just as delicious.
Absolutely. Just make sure it’s vegan if that’s important to you. Mix it right into the vegan cream cheese with the roasted garlic.
Cashew cream, silken tofu blended until smooth, or even a thick hummus would work as the base for the filling.
Yes, this recipe is naturally gluten free. Just double-check the labels on your pesto and cream cheese.
The muffin tin method works best in a regular oven. But if you want to skip the cups, you can smash the potatoes flat and air fry them at 400°F for about 15 to 20 minutes until crispy, then top with the filling.
More Vegan Potato Recipes
If you loved these crispy potato cups, try our Loaded Smashed Potato Cups with mushrooms, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes. A completely different filling but the same irresistible crispy cup concept.
Browse more recipes at Dr. Vegan Blog.
Crispy Smashed Potato Cups with Roasted Garlic Pesto Cream Cheese
Equipment
- 12-cup muffin tin
- Small baking dish or foil for garlic
- Large Pot
- Shot glass or small jar (for pressing)
- Mixing bowls
Ingredients
For the Potato Cups:
- 12 small baby or new potatoes
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
For the Roasted Garlic:
- 3 whole garlic heads
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the Pesto Cream Cheese Filling:
- 200 g vegan cream cheese
- 2 tbsp basil pesto
For the Tomato Bruschetta Topping:
- 250 g cherry tomatoes quartered
- 2 tbsp fresh basil chopped
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 pinch flaky salt
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a pot of salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork-tender but not falling apart, about 15 to 20 minutes depending on size. Drain and let cool slightly.
- Roast the garlic. While potatoes boil, preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice the tops off the garlic heads to expose the cloves. Place in a small baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, and cover tightly with foil. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes until golden and soft. Squeeze out the cloves once cool enough to handle.
- Shape the potato cups. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with a little oil. Place each boiled potato into a muffin cup. Using a shot glass or small round object, press down firmly into each potato to create a cup shape. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Bake the potato cups. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 25 to 30 minutes until deeply golden and crispy on the edges.
- Make the pesto cream cheese filling. In a bowl, mix together the vegan cream cheese, pesto, and squeezed roasted garlic cloves. Stir until smooth and well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Make the tomato bruschetta. In a separate bowl, toss the cherry tomatoes with fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red pepper flakes, oregano, and a pinch of flaky salt. Mix gently and set aside.
- Assemble. Spoon a generous amount of the pesto cream cheese filling into each baked potato cup. Top with the cherry tomato bruschetta. Serve immediately and enjoy!