Creamy Smoked Potatoes (Works With Any Variety of Potato!)

Creamy smoked potatoes loaded with fresh garlic, thyme, butter, olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper. This smoker potatoes recipe can easily adapt to become smoked sweet potatoes or even smoked mashed potatoes, with a few extra steps.

Serve it with Smoked Chicken Thighs, Smoked Whole Chicken, Smoked Chicken Legs or Smoked Chuck Roast!

This inexpensive recipe is perfect for a summer BBQ, potluck or even as a holiday side dish! Smoker side dishes are easy to cook up while you’re smoking your main protein.

Throw potatoes on the smoker when you’re grilling Bavette Steak, Smoked Turkey Breast, Smoked Tri Tip, Picanha, Pork Belly Burnt Ends, Smoked pork Chops, Coulotte Steak, Smoked Rack of Lamb, Smoked Prime Rib, or Smoked Beef Tenderloin for a winning combination.

Best Potatoes To Smoke

You can use a variety of potatoes to make smoker potatoes. We used a medley of gemstone potatoes, when making this Smoked Potato recipe, as they were on sale and gorgeous! But you can’t lose using any of these:

Baby Red Potatoes 
Fingerling
Yukon Gold
Russet

Potato Seasonings

Making potatoes in a smoker is ridiculously easy. The best part? You can season with your favorite herbs and spices. You can even do multiple foil packets, each with its own flavor combination. Here are some popular potato seasonings to get you thinking:

• Fresh Garlic (or Garlic Powder)
• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Oregano
• Onion Powder
• Italian Seasoning
• Basil

Many of these seasonings are used in our other potato recipes: air fryer baby potatoes, instant pot baked potatoes, sous vide potatoes, garlic mashed potatoes, slow cooker mashed potatoes.

Potatoes In A Smoker Ingredients

• Potatoes – diced or sliced, in equal size
• Olive Oil – You can even use flavored olive oil
• Butter
• Spices – Your favorite herbs, spices, kosher salt, and pepper

Topping Ideas

Just like smoked baked potatoes, once they’re cooked you can load them up with even more good stuff. Here are some potato topping ideas:

• Butter
• Sour Cream
• Green Onions
• Cheddar Cheese or Smoked Queso
• 4-Ingredient Guacamole
• Horseradish Sauce for Prime Rib

How to Smoke Potatoes

When it comes to smoking taters, the steps are simple: Prep, Season, Cook Potatoes, and Dive In! 

Prep the Smoker – Preheat your smoker or grill to 225°F.
Prep the Spuds – Toss the taters, spray the aluminum foil with cooking spray and add the potatoes before closing.
Cook – Place the foil packet directly on the grill and cook for approx. 75 minutes, or until they’re soft and cooked through out.

Best Wood to Smoke Potato

Potatoes are a blank canvas so any type of wood would work. Pecan and mesquite are ideal, while Cherry wood and apple wood lend a light smoker flavor. 

How Long Do Potatoes Take To Smoke?

It takes about 75 minutes once placed on the smoker. There are quite a few factors that affect the total time, including the potato variety you’re using, how big the diced potatoes are and even the wind and humidity.

Cook for 75 minutes and check the firmness. If they’re not quite tender, keep cooking for another 15 minutes and re-test. If using russet potatoes, those do take longer to cook, in general. 

Supplies

• Energy Source – Make sure to stock up on your selected energy source: charcoal, pellets, propane, gas, etc.
• Smoking Wood –   Chunks, wood chips or pellets.
• Aluminum Foil – You could also use a disposable aluminum pan.
• Smoker Box – You’ll need one to impart the smoke flavor if using a gas grill.

Recipe Variations

Smoked Sweet Potatoes

To make this recipe using sweet potatoes, no edits to the below recipe are needed. Other seasoning options, perfect for sweet potatoes include: sage, cinnamon, and honey.

Smoked Mashed Potatoes 

To make mashed potatoes, add the following ingredients after the foil package has been removed from the smoker and drained: 2.5 tablespoons butter, 2.5 tablespoons cream cheese or sour cream, 2 tablespoons heavy cream and salt to taste. Add more heavy cream, if more thinning is needed (depends on the variety of potato you used).

Potatoes and Smoked Sausage

Toss a few links of sliced sausage in the foil packet before closing up. No edits to the cook time or temp are required. Adding sausage takes this smoker side dish to a main meal.

Smoked Potatoes and Onions

Thickly slice a few yellow or white onions and throw in the foil packet. No edits to the cook time or temp are required.

Smoked Cheesy Potatoes

When the foil packet is pulled off the smoker, immediately add a mixture of shredded cheeses so it melts over the diced potatoes. Cheese options: grated parmesan cheese, cheddar, pepper jack, American cheese or even mozzarella.

Recipe Tips

• The taters can marinate for up to 24 hours.
• If using a disposable aluminum pan, place a small bowl of water in the smoker to help keep moisture in the spuds.
• If you use heavy duty aluminum foil you can get away with one layer vs. two.
• Leftover potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Cut the potatoes in even size so they cook at the same rate. You can dice the potatoes or slice them. Russet potatoes especially need to be of similar size.
• Use leftover taters to make Ensalada de papa. 

More Smoker Recipes 

Smoked Ham
Smoked Turkey Wings
Smoked Turkey
Smoked Salsa
Smoked London Broil
Smoked Baked Potatoes – Coming Soon!