What are Hasselback potatoes?
Hasselback potatoes are whole potatoes sliced into thin, accordion-like sections and baked until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The cuts allow butter, garlic, herbs, and seasonings to seep between the slices, creating a flavorful potato side dish with plenty of crispy edges.
Quick look at the recipe
Ready in: 1 hour 10 minutes |Serves: 2 | Difficulty: Easy | Make-Ahead Friendly: Partially, you can prepare the butter mixture ahead
If you’re looking for a potato side dish that’s both impressive and surprisingly easy, these crispy Hasselback potatoes are the answer. Brushed with garlic-herb butter and baked until golden brown, they have crispy edges, tender centers, and enough wow factor for a holiday meal while remaining simple enough for a weeknight dinner.
Jump to:
- What are Hasselback potatoes?
- Quick look at the recipe
- From my kitchen
- Why you’ll love this recipe
- Where did Hasselback potatoes originate?
- Ingredient notes and substitutions
- What potatoes work the best in this recipe
- How to make Hasselback potatoes in the oven
- How to cook Hasselback potatoes in an air fryer
- What to serve with Hasselback potatoes
- How to store and reheat Hasselback potatoes
- Recipe FAQs:
- More potato recipes you’ll love
- Join the conversation
- Recipe:
From my kitchen
I’ve been making Hasselback potatoes for years, and they remain one of my favorite ways to dress up a simple baked potato. While I experimented with an air fryer version for a while, I always come back to the classic oven-baked method because it consistently produces the crispiest edges and the most dramatic fan-like presentation.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s family-friendly, and kids love them because they taste a little like french fries, without the fry.
- Hasselback potatoes, like my Southern Potato Salad and Old-Fashioned Creamed Potatoes, are versatile, quick, and easy to prepare.
- Like my Twice Baked Potatoes, they can be served as an amazing side dish or as a light lunch or dinner.
I’ve made these potatoes dozens of times over the years and tested them with Russet, Yukon Gold, and sweet potatoes. For the crispiest exterior and fluffiest interior, Russet potatoes consistently deliver the best results in my kitchen.
Where did Hasselback potatoes originate?
Hasselback potatoes first appeared at the Hasselbacken Restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden, sometime in the 1940s or 1950s. The unique slicing technique creates crispy edges while keeping the interior soft and fluffy, and the dish has remained popular around the world ever since.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Potatoes – I recommend using large Russet baking potatoes that are about nine ounces. Russets have sturdy skin or jackets that hold up well during cooking and crisp up beautifully. Yukon Gold has thinner skin, but they also work well.
- Butter – adds flavor and richness and helps the skin crisp up.
- Rosemary – adds its distinctive woodsy aroma and fresh taste to the garlic herb butter. You can substitute other fresh herbs, including thyme, basil, and parsley.
- Garlic – plus butter equals garlicky, buttery goodness and even more flavor.
- Kosher salt and pepper – enhance all of the other flavors and bring it all together.
What potatoes work the best in this recipe
I prefer to use Russet potatoes because I like the way their skin crisps up. However, you can use Yukon Gold, which has thinner skin, and red potatoes, which also have thin skin and less starch, so they will be a little firmer.
You can also use sweet potatoes, which take a little less time to cook. In addition, you can use fingerling, mini, or baby potatoes to make bite-sized Hasselback appetizers that take even less time to cook.
How to make Hasselback potatoes in the oven
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Place two wooden spoons or chopsticks on a cutting board. Nestle a potato between them and, using a sharp knife, slice them into very thin slices. The wooden spoon handles or chopsticks will stop your knife from cutting the potato all the way through. Repeat with the other potato.
- Combine the melted butter, garlic, and rosemary in a small bowl.
- Carefully fan out the potatoes a bit and use a pastry brush to spread on the garlic herb butter mixture, making sure to get between the slices.
- Sprinkle the potatoes with salt and pepper and place them on a baking sheet.
- Bake in a preheated 400-degree F. oven and roast for one hour or until the potatoes are done.
- To serve, top with additional garlic herb butter if desired, and your choice of toppings and serve immediately while they are still hot.
How to cook Hasselback potatoes in an air fryer
- Prepare the potatoes as directed above, then air-fry for 30 minutes at 400°F. Remove the basket and baste them again with the garlic herb butter mixture. Air fry for an additional 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through.
- When cooking the potatoes in the air fryer, be sure to place them perpendicular to the handle, running from front to back in the basket. If you put them parallel to the handle, their rounded bottoms tend to roll over when you push the basket in or remove it.
What to serve with Hasselback potatoes
- Blackened Steak
- Reverse-Seared Ribeye Steak
- Southern Fried Chicken
- Blackened Mahi Mahi
- Oven-Baked Baby Back Ribs
Looking for more ideas? Browse all of my main dish recipes here.
How to store and reheat Hasselback potatoes
Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to five days. For the best results, they can be reheated in an air fryer for five minutes at 375 degrees F. or until they are warmed through. They can also be reheated in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees F. You can also reheat them in the microwave, but the skin won’t be as crispy.
Recipe FAQs:
Hasselback potatoes can be topped with anything you would normally place on top of a loaded baked potato. Examples include sour cream, bacon, chopped chives, shredded cheese, cheese sauce, and even chili or salsa.
Slide a sharp knife into the center of the potato. If it goes in easily, it’s done. If not, let it cook a little longer. This recipe was tested on potatoes that average nine ounces each. If yours are larger or smaller, they will take longer or less time than shown to cook properly.
For the best results, slices should be about ⅛ to ¼ inch thick.
You can make your garlic herb butter ahead, but for the best results, make this potato side dish when you want to serve it.
Hasselback potatoes are named after the Hasselbacken Restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden, where the dish was first served. In Sweden, they’re often called Hasselbackspotatis.
For crispy Hasselback potatoes, use Russet potatoes, leave space between them on the baking sheet, baste with butter at least twice, and bake until the edges fan out and turn golden brown.
Tips to ensure these Hasselback potatoes turn out perfectly
- When slicing your potatoes, be sure and not cut all the way through.
- Use Russet potatoes
- Baste with the garlic herb butter at least twice and drizzle in between the slices as much as possible.
- Let your potatoes bake until the slices fan out.
- Be sure to leave space between the potatoes when they are baking
- Wooden spoon handles or chopsticks work well to prevent you from cutting your potatoes all the way through. But if you are a gadget lover, special Hasselback potato cutters are available at kitchen specialty stores or online.
More potato recipes you’ll love
If you like this recipe, you might also like these other top-rated recipes:
Looking for more ideas? Browse all of my side dish recipes here.
Join the conversation
If you make these Hasselback potatoes, please leave a ⭐️ rating and comment below! I love hearing how y’all serve them, especially if you added a twist.
Southern Comfort with a Side of Simplicity
For over a decade, Grits and Pinecones has been serving up delicious recipes with a Southern flair-simple, flavorful, and perfect to share with family and friends
Recipe:
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Easy Hasselback Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 large Russet potatoes about nine ounces each
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 clove finely chopped garlic
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Place two wooden spoons or chopsticks on a cutting board. Nestle a potato between them and, using a sharp knife, slice them into very thin slices. The wooden spoon handles or chopsticks will stop your knife from cutting the potato all the way through. Repeat with the other potato.
- Combine the melted butter, garlic, and rosemary in a small bowl. Carefully fan out the potatoes a bit and use a pastry brush to spread on the garlic herb butter mixture, making sure to get between the slices.
- Sprinkle the potatoes with salt and pepper, then place them on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour, or until done. At the 30-minute mark, baste again with the garlic herb butter.
Alternate instructions to cook in an air fryer
- Air fry them for 30 minutes at 400 degrees F. Remove the basket and baste them again with the garlic herb butter mixture. Air fry for an additional 10 minutes or until the potatoes are done.
To serve
- To serve, top with additional garlic herb butter if desired and your choice of toppings. Serve them immediately while they are still hot.
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