Smoked Rosemary Garlic Potatoes are an easy, flavorful side dish that turns simple ingredients into something special. Creamer potatoes are tossed with herbs and garlic, then slow-smoked until tender and infused with rich, earthy flavor.
Perfect with grilled meats and seafood, or served with a side of lemon-garlic mayo for dipping.
Before You Start Cooking
Method: Pellet Grill/Smoker Skill: Easy
- Pellets/Wood: For smoked potatoes, hickory will give you a big, bold flavor, while applewood, cherry, or maple add a milder, slightly sweet smoke. Cooking more than just the potatoes? Go with a blend (I like Lumberjack's Competition Blend with hickory, cherry, and maple) for an all-around win.
- Herbs: This recipe uses fresh rosemary, but feel free to switch it up depending on what you're serving. For example, if I'm making these to serve with Smoked Chicken Souvlaki, I swap in oregano and/or thyme.
- Par-Cooking Option: Smoking potatoes low and slow can take a while, and cook times can vary. To speed things up, microwave them with a splash of water first-they'll still soak up plenty of smoky flavor.
This recipe was developed and tested on a Recteq B380 Bullseye Wood Pellet Grill and a Recteq Backyard Beast 1200.
How to Make Smoked Potatoes
Prep the Potatoes
Start by prepping your creamer or baby potatoes-red, golden, or a mix. Give them a good wash and dry, then cut them in half. No need to peel. If any are on the larger side (over 1½ to 2 inches), quarter them so they'll cook evenly.
At this point, you have an option: par-cook the potatoes or go straight to the smoker. Smoking times for raw potatoes can vary a lot depending on the potatoes and your smoker's heat retention. Par-cooking can take some of the guesswork out of timing and ensure a tender texture.
To par-cook: Place the cut potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl with ¼ cup of water. Cover with a microwave-safe lid and microwave on High for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring halfway through. You're looking for potatoes that can be pierced with a knife but still meet some resistance-they shouldn't be soft or mashable.
If they're still too firm, continue microwaving in 1-minute increments until they reach the right texture. Drain the potatoes carefully (they'll be hot), then proceed with the recipe.
Toss the potatoes into a large mixing bowl with olive oil, chopped fresh rosemary, and a few cloves of minced garlic. Season with a few pinches of salt and freshly ground black pepper, then mix everything until the potatoes are well coated.
Transfer the potatoes (and any extra oil in the bowl) to a grill-safe pan. For easy cleanup, use a disposable foil pan. If you're using glass, make sure it's heat-safe, such as Pyrex made from borosilicate glass.
Keep in mind that glass and other non-disposable pans will come off the smoker looking pretty smoky and browned. We like using liquid Bar Keepers Friend with a non-abrasive scrubber to clean them up, but it'll still take some elbow grease.
Smoke the Potatoes
Preheat your pellet grill or smoker to 250-275°F and set it up for indirect heat, if needed. Once it's up to temp, place the pan of seasoned potatoes directly onto the grates.
Smoke the potatoes for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring every 30 to 45 minutes to help them cook evenly and soak up that smoky flavor. You'll know they're ready when they're fork-tender-soft in the center, with some browning on the edges.
Keep in mind: Cooking times can vary, especially if you're starting with raw potatoes. Depending on their size and your smoker's temperature consistency, raw potatoes could take up to 3 hours to become fully tender. Start checking early, and adjust the time as needed.
Make the Garlic Mayo Dipping Sauce
While the potatoes are smoking, make your garlic mayo dipping sauce for serving. In a small bowl, whisk together:
- Mayonnaise: Go with a good-quality mayo, like Duke's or Hellmann's. You can use reduced-fat if you want to lighten things up a bit-just know the sauce might turn out a little thinner.
- Garlic: Mince, press, or grate fresh garlic cloves so they mix into the sauce smoothly. No big chunks-you want that garlicky punch without biting into it.
- Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed for the best flavor, and adjust the quantity to taste after mixing.
- Dijon Mustard: I like to use Maille, but any smooth Dijon will work.
- Smoked Paprika: Adds a little warmth and smokiness to the sauce.
Once everything's mixed, slowly drizzle in the olive oil (regular or extra-virgin, depending on how robust you want the olive oil flavor) while whisking. You're looking for a smooth, slightly glossy appearance.
Taste the sauce and tweak the seasonings as needed with salt, pepper, and a pinch (or more) of ground cayenne for a spicy kick. If needed, you can also add a little more lemon juice for extra zing. Cover the bowl and pop it in the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes so the flavors can meld.
Serving and Storing Smoked Potatoes
These smoked potatoes are very versatile and pair well with just about anything coming off the grill-steak, chicken, ribs, burgers, sausages, or grilled seafood like salmon or shrimp.
They also make a great appetizer or snack on their own, especially with the garlic mayo for dipping. Want to mix things up? Try using them in your favorite potato salad recipe for a smoky twist.
Leftovers? Store any extra potatoes and dipping sauce in separate airtight containers in the fridge. They'll keep well for 3 to 4 days. To reheat the potatoes, toss them in a hot skillet or on a grill pan to warm them up and crisp their edges. The garlic mayo is best served cold.
More Pellet Grill and Smoker Recipes
⏲ Recipe
Smoked Potatoes with Rosemary and Garlic
Ingredients
- 1-½ pounds creamer or baby potatoes, red, gold, or medley
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped (2-3 teaspoons)
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced, pressed, or grated
- ½ teaspoon salt, (Diamond Crystal kosher or fine sea salt)
- ½ teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
Garlic Mayo Dipping Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise, (such as Duke's or Hellmann's)
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed (see note)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- pinch ground cayenne, more or less to taste (optional)
- kosher or fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
Prep and Smoke the Potatoes
- Prep the Potatoes: Wash and dry the potatoes. Halve them (or quarter if larger than 1½-2 inches). No need to peel.
- Optional - Par-Cook: To reduce smoker time and ensure tender centers, place the cut potatoes and ¼ cup of water in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with a microwave-safe lid and cook on High for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring once halfway through. (See note below.)The potatoes should be just starting to soften-you should be able to pierce them with a paring knife, but still feel a little resistance. They shouldn't be so soft that they're falling apart. Carefully drain the hot potatoes before continuing.
- Season: Toss the raw or par-cooked potatoes with olive oil, rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
- Transfer to Pan: Spread the potatoes in a grill-safe baking dish. For easy cleanup, use a disposable foil pan. If using glass, ensure it's heat-safe (like Pyrex made from borosilicate glass).
- Smoke: Preheat your smoker to 250-275°F with indirect heat. Place the pan on the grates and smoke for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring every 30-45 minutes, until fork-tender with golden edges. Raw potatoes may take up to 3 hours to cook.
Make the Dipping Sauce
- While the potatoes are smoking, whisk together the mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and paprika. (See note below.) Slowly whisk in olive oil until the sauce is smooth and slightly glossy.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper (we like ¼ to ½ teaspoon of each) and optional cayenne pepper. Add additional lemon juice to taste if needed. Chill for 15-30 minutes before serving.
- Serve smoked potatoes warm as an appetizer or snack, with garlic mayo on the side for dipping, or alongside your favorite grilled meats and seafood.
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