An easy smoker recipe with the simplest ingredients, these Garlic and Herb Smoked Potatoes are velvety in texture and rich in flavor! Seasoned with dill, Italian seasoning, and Parmesan cheese this smoked potato recipe makes a delicious addition to any smoker recipe!
Go with me here for a minute because I want to paint you a picture. You’ve decided to break out your smoker and smoke a cut of meat, like smoked ribs or smoked chicken. You’ve cleared your day and you’re going to be monitoring your smoker in preparation for a delicious meal. Your day is planned and your agenda is set. But what are you going to serve with your meal? Have you thought about what side dishes you’re serving with your smoked meat? And are you really going to heat up your house by making side dishes on the stove or in the oven?
Queue the Garlic and Herb Smoked Potatoes! Ah…what an amazing smoker recipe! Smoking potatoes is a great way to enjoy a side dish! Let’s talk this one through. Your smoker is already prepped. You’re already smoking meat. There is PLENTY of room in that smoker…so why not smoke your side dishes? I mean, it’s a BRILLIANT concept…and super convenient, am I right? And one less mess!
Why This Recipe Works
For the love of amazing side dishes…guys!!! These smoked potatoes are just the best!
- They are easy to make with no hassle,
- Velvety in texture, zesty in flavor with the fresh garlic, and full of subtle spice with the dried dill, oregano, basil and Italian seasoning,
- And they take literally 5 minutes to prep!
I love love LOVE these smoked potatoes! Let me walk you through how SIMPLE this process is and what ingredients you’ll need.
What Potatoes To Use
Gemstone potatoes are the BEST to use for this smoker recipe.
Gemstone Potatoes are a mixture of white, red, and purple baby potatoes. They have a thin skin that has a flavorful and fresh taste. When cooked, they are extremely velvety and tender.
Ingredients You’ll Need
To start, you’ll marinate the gemstone potatoes in an extremely flavorful marinade. I’m talking CRAZY flavorful! This marinade is all about simple ingredients that I bet you already have in your kitchen! I use the following ingredients. Expert tip: If you have a flavor infused olive oil, use it for this recipe. It really enhances the flavor. I also find that when I use either kosher or himalayan salt, it adds more flavor due to the texture of the salt crystals.
Want the secret to what makes this smoker recipe so phenomenal? FRESH GARLIC! And lots of it! Oh my goodness, the garlic! It’s the KEY ingredient. This garlic based marinade gives these smoked potatoes the most delicate and amazing flavor!
Preparing The Smoker
This recipe is smoker agnostic so you can make these potatoes in any type of smoker. A lot of my readers tell me they are constantly looking for traeger side dishes to make. I’ve made these on 3 types of smokers, including my traeger, with great success. Regardless of the smoker you use, I suggest adding a water pan to help add to the moisture level in the potatoes. If you’re smoker has a water pan, wrap it with heavy-duty aluminum foil before adding the water. By doing this, you’re saving yourself a lot of mess and we all know that less cleanup is always better. If you’re using a pellet smoker, add a small aluminum foil pan filled with water and set it directly on the smoker grates.
If you’re using wood chips or chunks in your smoker, place them in the designated tray. For this recipe, I find any wood type works well. I favor a mesquite or pecan wood the most. Preheat your smoker to 225°F before placing the food in the smoker.
Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions
Start by taking all the ingredients and put them in a gallon-sized plastic bag. After you’ve washed the potatoes, put them in the Ziplock bag, seal, and shake to ensure the marinade evenly coats all the potatoes. Place the bag in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours. Expert Tip: Because there are no perishable ingredients in this recipe, the potatoes can marinate a room temperature.
Tear a big piece of aluminum foil and lay it out flat. Pour the marinated potatoes onto the large piece of aluminum foil.
You’re going to make a loose foil packet by folding the aluminum foil in half. Place the smoker potatoes and 2 Tablespoons of water in the center of the aluminum foil and then pull over one side so you can fold all the edges.
Expert Tip: Make sure you don’t seal the packet too tightly because you want some of the smoke to penetrate the potatoes. You can either poke holes in the foil packet or leave a small opening in the middle of the foil packet.
Next, place the foil packet on the smoker and let them smoke for 2 hours.
Once done, pull the foil packet from the smoker and slowly open. Pour the smoked potatoes into a bowl and you’re ready to serve!
Expert Tips and FAQs
- By adding the 2 Tablespoons of water directly into the foil packet, you’re adding direct moisture to the potatoes. This helps the potatoes have more of a velvety texture.
- A lot of people ask me how the smoke flavor gets to the potatoes when they are sealed in a foil packet. If you want a smoke flavor, make sure you don’t seal the packet too tightly. Your goal here is to let some of the smoke in so the potatoes have a smokey flavor. You can either poke holes in the foil packet or leave a small opening in the middle of the foil packet. Depending on how much of a smoke flavor you want will depend on what method to use.
- After 2 hours in the smoker, take a fork and gently press into a potato to ensure they are done.
- I love to top these smoked potatoes with fresh chopped parsley and fresh grated Parmesan cheese!
- Using a flavored olive oil really helps bring out the flavor in these Garlic and Herb Smoked Potatoes. If you don’t have a flavored olive oil, it’s ok…you can use regular olive oil.
- Let the potatoes marinate for at least 2 hours…but longer is better! Typically, I let these potatoes marinate overnight, up to 24 hours.
Smoker Cookbook
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Other Smoked Foods You’ll Love
These smoked potatoes need companions! If you want to pair these potatoes with some other amazing smoked foods, here’s some of my favorite smoker recipes you should try. A lot of people are intimidated by trying a Smoked Brisket but it’s a pretty straightforward process. I even give you some tips on how to get past the stall.
I often pair my Smoked Cherry Tomatoes with Basil and Goat Cheese with these potatoes. Both go really well as side dishes with any smoked meat, such as my Smoked Pork Tenderloin.
You should also check out my article on 16 Recipes That Will Convince You To Buy A Smoker because there are so many foods that can be smoked. Smoked lobster, smoked salmon…you name it and I cover it in this article.
I can’t wait to hear how your smoked potatoes turned out, so leave a comment below letting me know! When you make this recipe, use the hashtag #recipesworthrepeating on INSTAGRAM so I can see how yours looks!
Make sure to FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. I’m always posting recipes that I know you will love.
Garlic and Herb Smoked Potatoes
Equipment
- Smoker
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb bag of Gemstone Potatoes
- 1/4 cup Parmesan, fresh grated (optional)
- fresh chopped parsley, (optional)
For the Marinade
- 2 Tablsepoons olive oil, (use a flavored olive oil like garlic or basil if you have it on hand. It enhances the flavor)
- 10-12 garlic cloves, freshly chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 225°F. This is the temperature you'll want to keep your smoker at for this recipe.
- Rinse the gemstone potatoes and pour into a large Ziplock gallon bag.
- Next, chop the fresh garlic cloves and pour into the Ziplock gallon bag.
- Add the olive oil, oregano, basil, dill, salt, Italian seasoning and ground pepper into the Ziplock bag and seal.
- Shake the bag so the potatoes are well coated. Place the Ziplock Bag in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to marinate. Expert Tip: Because there are no perishable ingredients in this recipe, the potatoes can marinate a room temperature.
- After the smoker potatoes have finished marinating, you're going to make a loose foil packet by folding the aluminum foil in half. Place the smoker potatoes and 2 Tablespoons of water in the center of the aluminum foil and then pull over one side so you can fold all the edges. Expert Tip: Make sure you don't seal the packet too tightly because you want some of the smoke to penetrate the potatoes. You can either poke holes in the foil packet or leave a small opening in the middle of the foil packet.
- Place foil packet containing you potatoes on a rack in your smoker.
- Smoke for 2 hours.
- Once done, remove the foil packet containing your Garlic and Herb Smoked Potatoes. Slowly open and pour into a bowl.
- Top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.
Notes
- A lot of people ask me how the smoke flavor gets to the potatoes when they are sealed in a foil packet. If you want a smoke flavor, make sure you don't seal the packet too tightly. Your goal here is to let some of the smoke in so the potatoes have a smokey flavor. You can either poke holes in the foil packet or leave a small opening in the middle of the foil packet. Depending on how much of a smoke flavor you want will depend on what method to use.
- By adding the 2 Tablespoons of water directly into the foil packet, you're adding direct moisture to the potatoes. This helps the potatoes have more of a velvety texture.
- After 2 hours in the smoker, take a fork and gently press into a potato to ensure they are done.
- I love to top these smoked potatoes with fresh chopped parsley and fresh grated Parmesan cheese!
- Using a flavored olive oil really helps bring out the flavor in these Garlic and Herb Smoked Potatoes. If you don't have a flavored olive oil, it's ok...you can use regular olive oil.
- Let the potatoes marinate for at least 2 hours...but longer is better! Typically, I let these potatoes marinate overnight, up to 24 hours.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published in April 2018, but was re-published with updated step-by-step instructions, pictures, and tips in September 2020. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
There’s nothing simpler and tastier than roasted potatoes with a lot of garlic and herbs! I’ll be trying this recipe out the next time I have roast beef! Well done!
Thanks! You’ll love this recipe!
I’m always looking for easy and tasty side dishes and this fits the bill! Love that their smoked! And such pretty colors 🙂
Thanks!! You’ll love the taste!
I don’t think I have ever had smoked potatoes. They sound and look awesome!!
You should try smoking them….so delish!!
I had smoked potatoes at a restaurant and loved them. I am surprised you smoke them in the foil packet, do you still get the smokey flavor I was thinking of just putting them on a vegetable pan?
Hi Gretchen!
You can put them on a vegetable pan and smoke them, yes. I chose to do the foil pocket because it traps so much more moisture while smoking so those potatoes turn out with a more velvety texture. You will probably get a little more smoke flavor with the vegetable pan, but I wanted that super moist, garlic velvety taste and I knew I’d still get the smoke flavor in the pocket. Let me know how your vegetable pan turns out though!!!
Curious about something. Do these potatoes lose all moisture if you’ve just put them out on the smoker grate? It seems odd to wrap something up in foil when you want to add a smokey flavor.
Hi Jason!
I always cook my potatoes in a foil packet for 2 reasons….1. the oil in the marinade and the water help keep these potatoes super moist and that’s what gives them the velvety and moist texture when you bite into them. 2. I poke holes in the foil packet to let the smoke seep into the packet. Typically, I’ve been smoking meat for 3-4 hours so putting my potatoes in the smoker for 2 hours to cook…they are going to take on the smoke flavor. Plus, I add liquid smoke to my water bowl and that helps add more smoky flavor. I hope that helps!
This recipe is amazing!! I have made it twice and the first time I marinated for two hours and the flavor was incredible! The second time, I only marinated for 30 minutes and it was still delicious, but definitely recommend the 2 hour time. Follow this recipe exactly and you wont be disappointed! I want to make this for Easter lunch, but a day ahead of time. Any recommendations for this? I would love to smoke them the night before and then possibly reheat them for lunch, has anyone tried this? Thank you!
I am SO glad you loved this recipe!! It’s one of my favorites! If you make it a day ahead, the potatoes may be a velvety and moist….but if you try it let me know how it turns out!!
What temperature did you cook them at?
225 degrees.
Curious as to why you refrigerate the potatoes while marinating?
I typically throw everything in the fridge to marinate for meat so it’s habit 🙂 But you can marinate them on the counter. There is nothing in there that will spoil.
Is there a way to give them a crispy coat?
Like idk blanching then before or throwing them in the oven after?
I love a really crispy crunchy skin :/
You can try to cover them in a light coating of olive oil and a lot of sea salt or kosher salt and let them smoke open and not in a pocket. Maybe that will work? Let me know if you try it!