Hasselback Potatoes: Elegantly Seasoned Fanned Potatoes that promise to delight your palate and impress your guests! These make for an effortless, yet incredibly stunning and delicious side dish that elevates any meal.

Imagine perfectly crispy edges, a tender, fluffy interior, and every single crevice infused with rich butter, savory Parmesan cheese, fragrant herbs, and golden breadcrumbs. This culinary magic is achieved through a special slicing technique that transforms an ordinary potato into an extraordinary culinary experience.

Hasselback Potatoes on a square white plate with a sprig of thyme.

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Hasselback Potatoes: The Ultimate Crispy & Flavorful Side Dish

Are you looking to elevate your dinner table with a side dish that’s both easy to prepare and absolutely stunning? Look no further than Hasselback Potatoes. Originating from Sweden, these “fanned” potatoes are a culinary masterpiece that delivers a delightful contrast of textures and an explosion of flavor in every bite. Forget plain baked potatoes or mashed potatoes – it’s time to discover the irresistible charm of the Hasselback technique.

Why You’ll Adore Hasselback Potatoes

There are countless reasons why Hasselback Potatoes deserve a permanent spot in your recipe repertoire:

A Fun & Flavorful Alternative: Beyond being a delightful change from traditional baked or roasted potatoes, Hasselback potatoes offer a unique eating experience. Each thin slice crisps up beautifully on the outside while remaining wonderfully tender within, creating an almost accordion-like texture that’s simply irresistible.
Effortless Elegance: Despite their sophisticated appearance, these fanned potatoes are surprisingly simple to make. The special slicing technique, while looking intricate, requires minimal effort, yet results in a dish that looks like it took hours of painstaking work. They are perfect for impressing guests at dinner parties, holiday gatherings, or even just adding a touch of flair to a weeknight meal.
Made with Simple, Accessible Ingredients: You won’t need to hunt for exotic items. This recipe relies on common kitchen staples – potatoes, butter, cheese, and herbs – proving that incredible flavor doesn’t require a complex shopping list.
Highly Customizable: Hasselback potatoes are a fantastic canvas for flavor experimentation. Whether you prefer a garlicky kick, a spicy twist, or a cheesy indulgence, you can easily adapt this recipe to suit your taste and dietary preferences.
Superior Flavor Infusion: The magic of the Hasselback cut isn’t just visual. The numerous thin slices create dozens of tiny pockets and surfaces that soak up butter, seasonings, and toppings, ensuring that every morsel is bursting with savory goodness. No more bland potato bites!

It has been a beloved recipe for years, offering a refreshing and much-appreciated twist on the ordinary baked potato. While some might find the initial slicing daunting, the key to dazzling results lies in proper seasoning and technique. Just like expertly seasoned Chipotle Potatoes, ensuring salt, freshly ground pepper, and Parmesan cheese penetrate every crevice is paramount for achieving that extraordinary flavor.

hasselback potatoes ingredients with labels on a sheetpan.

Essential Ingredient Notes for Perfect Hasselback Potatoes

Success with Hasselback Potatoes starts with selecting the right ingredients and understanding how each contributes to the final delicious outcome.

Baking Potatoes (Russet Potatoes): For the best Hasselback Potatoes, I highly recommend using Russet potatoes, also known as Idaho potatoes. Their high starch content makes them ideal for baking, resulting in a wonderfully fluffy interior, while their skin crisps up beautifully. Choose medium-sized, oval-shaped potatoes that are firm and free of sprouts or green spots. Before using, ensure they are thoroughly washed and dried. Whether to peel them or leave the skin on is entirely your preference; the skin adds a rustic charm and extra nutrients, but peeled potatoes offer a more uniform texture.
Melted Butter (Salted is Best): Butter is not just a flavor enhancer here; it’s crucial for achieving that golden crispiness and helping the seasonings adhere. Using salted butter adds an extra layer of flavor from the start, but unsalted butter works fine if you prefer to control the salt content more precisely. Make sure it’s fully melted so it can easily seep into all the potato slices.
Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper: These are your foundational seasonings. Don’t be shy with them! Generously season the potatoes, making sure the salt and pepper get into every single slice. Freshly ground black pepper provides a more potent aroma and sharper flavor compared to pre-ground versions.
Fresh Thyme Leaves: Fresh herbs truly make a difference in this dish. Thyme offers a subtle, earthy, and aromatic note that pairs beautifully with potatoes. Simply strip the leaves off the stems using your fingers. If thyme isn’t readily available or you prefer other flavors, excellent substitutes include minced fresh rosemary (which has a stronger, piney aroma) or fresh oregano.
Grated Parmesan Cheese: This is where quality truly shines. For the best flavor, use genuine Parmigiano Reggiano. Its nutty, salty, and umami-rich profile is unmatched. Avoid the pre-grated Parmesan found in green cans on grocery shelves, as it often contains anti-caking agents and lacks the complex flavor of real Parmesan. Freshly grated cheese melts better and distributes flavor more effectively throughout the potato layers.
Fresh Bread Crumbs: Fresh bread crumbs provide an incredible texture, adding a delightful crunch to the top of your potatoes. To make them, simply place a slice or two of your favorite bread (even the heels work perfectly!) in a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form. Store any leftover fresh bread crumbs in a freezer-quality Ziploc bag for future batches – they’ll stay fresh for months. While store-bought dry breadcrumbs can be used in a pinch, fresh ones contribute significantly more flavor and a better texture.

Step-by-Step Guide: Crafting Your Perfect Hasselback Potatoes

Making Hasselback Potatoes is simpler than it looks, especially with these detailed instructions and helpful tips. Let’s walk through the process together to ensure your potatoes turn out perfectly crispy on the outside and wonderfully fluffy on the inside.

Begin by preparing your potatoes. If peeling, do so now and place them in a bowl of cold water to prevent oxidation. Once ready, place each potato lengthwise on a cutting board. The crucial step is making thin, even slices about 7/8 of the way through the potato, ensuring the base remains intact. A sharp knife is essential for clean cuts.

Expert Recipe Tips for Hasselback Potato Perfection

Achieving perfectly cooked Hasselback Potatoes involves a few clever tricks. These pro-tips will ensure your potatoes are always a resounding success:

Preventing Oxidation (and Personal Preference): If you choose to peel your potatoes, immediately place them in a bowl of cold water after peeling. This prevents them from oxidizing and turning an unappetizing gray color. However, remember my PRO-Tip: I’ve often made these with unpeeled potatoes, and they are just as delicious, offering a slightly more rustic look and added fiber! The choice is yours.
The Essential Slicing Technique (Wooden Spoon Method): The trickiest part of Hasselback potatoes is slicing them uniformly without cutting all the way through. Here’s the definitive PRO-Tip: Place a wooden spoon (or two, one on each side) along the length of the potato on your cutting board. The spoon handles will act as a natural stopper, preventing your knife from cutting completely through the potato. This simple tool ensures all slices are connected at the base, allowing them to fan out beautifully during baking. Aim for slices about 1/8 to 1/4 inch apart.
Maximizing Flavor Infusion: For the ultimate flavor experience, gently pull apart the slices of each potato before the first drizzle of butter and again before adding the bread crumb mixture. This creates more surface area, allowing the melted butter, salt, pepper, and later the cheese and herbs, to deeply penetrate into all the layers, leading to a much richer and more evenly flavored potato.
Two-Stage Baking for Perfect Texture: Begin baking your potatoes at a higher temperature after seasoning with salt and pepper and drizzling with butter. This initial high heat helps to start the crisping process. Before they are fully cooked (around 35-40 minutes), you’ll remove them to add the breadcrumb mixture. The second bake at a slightly lower temperature ensures the interior becomes wonderfully tender while the toppings turn golden and crispy.
Customizing Your Toppings: While the traditional Swedish filling often includes almonds and breadcrumbs, this recipe utilizes a delightful combination of fresh bread crumbs, real Parmesan cheese, and fresh thyme. Feel free to experiment! Beyond thyme, minced fresh rosemary, finely chopped chives, or even dried herbs like oregano and parsley would be tasty.
Elevate with Garlic Butter: Instead of plain melted butter, consider infusing your butter with garlic. Simply melt butter with a clove or two of minced garlic for a few minutes before drizzling. The garlic butter will add an incredible aromatic depth to your potatoes.
“Loaded” Hasselback Variations: Take these potatoes to the next level by adding classic baked potato toppings. Cooked, crumbled bacon bits and fresh chives can be added during the second baking stage or as a garnish after baking. For an extra cheesy version, small slices of cheddar cheese (or gruyere, mozzarella, etc.) can be inserted into the potato slices after they come out of the oven for the final time. Allow them to cool briefly so the cheese melts beautifully without disappearing entirely.
The Traditional Swedish Touch: The authentic Swedish version of Hasselback potatoes often includes finely sliced or slivered almonds in the topping, providing a lovely nutty crunch. While some family members might prefer to skip nuts, it’s a fantastic addition if you enjoy that extra textural element.
Confirming Doneness: Baking times can vary depending on potato size and oven calibration. My potatoes typically take the full hour to bake to perfection. Always give your sliced baked potatoes a gentle jab with a fork or knife towards the center to ensure they are completely tender throughout. If there’s any resistance, bake for a few more minutes.
Make Ahead and Reheating: Hasselback potatoes are best enjoyed fresh, but you can prepare them a few hours ahead and keep them warm. To reheat, place them in a moderate oven (around 350°F / 175°C) until warmed through and crisp again.
Serving Suggestions: These elegant potatoes pair beautifully with almost any main course, from roasted chicken or turkey to grilled steak, pork tenderloin, or even a simple baked salmon. They are a versatile side dish for both casual weeknight dinners and special holiday feasts.

My family, a true “meat and potatoes” crowd, consistently enjoys these Hasselback Baked Potatoes. I am confident that you will, too!

Fanned Potatoes on square white ceramic plates with bamboo forks.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hasselback Potatoes

What Exactly Are Hasselback Potatoes?

Hasselback Potatoes are a classic Swedish variation of baked potatoes, renowned for their distinctive appearance and incredible texture. They get their unique name, “Potato à la Hasselbacken,” from the Hasselbacken Hotel Restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden, where they are believed to have first debuted in the 1700s. These potatoes are thinly sliced almost all the way through, creating an “accordion” or “fanned” effect, while remaining connected at the base. Typically, they are brushed with butter and seasoned, then baked until beautifully golden and crispy on the edges, with a soft, fluffy interior. The fanned cuts allow butter, seasonings, and other delicious toppings (like breadcrumbs and sometimes almonds) to penetrate deeply into the potato, ensuring every bite is packed with flavor.

What’s the Best Way to Slice Hasselback Potatoes?

The key to perfectly slicing Hasselback Potatoes without cutting all the way through is a simple, clever trick. Place the handles of two wooden spoons (or chopsticks, or any similar thin, firm objects) parallel to each other on either side of the potato, running along its length on your cutting board. As you slice the potato thinly from top to bottom (aiming for about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness), the wooden spoons will act as a stopper, preventing your knife from going completely through the potato. This ensures the slices remain connected at the bottom, allowing them to fan out beautifully during baking. Always use a sharp chef’s knife for clean, even cuts.

Can I Prepare Hasselback Potatoes Ahead of Time?

While Hasselback Potatoes are best enjoyed fresh out of the oven for optimal crispiness, you can do some prep work in advance. You can wash, peel (if desired), and slice the potatoes a few hours before baking. If slicing ahead, immediately submerge the sliced potatoes in a bowl of cold water to prevent them from browning, then pat them completely dry just before baking. You can also prepare your butter and seasoning mixture in advance. Baking them completely ahead and reheating can sometimes diminish their crispy texture, but they will still be delicious.

Can I Use Different Types of Potatoes?

Yes, while Russet potatoes are highly recommended for their fluffy interior and crisping ability, you can experiment with other varieties. Yukon Gold or other waxy potatoes will yield a creamier, denser interior, and their skin will crisp up nicely. Sweet potatoes are also a fantastic option for a different flavor profile; just adjust baking times as they may cook slightly faster. The key is to choose potatoes of similar size to ensure even cooking.

Explore More Delicious Potato Recipes!

If you loved these Hasselback Potatoes, you’ll surely enjoy these other fantastic potato dishes:

For a creative twist, try my fun Hasselback Potato Casserole, a recipe that always gets rave reviews at my dinner club.
My family also adores these incredibly flavorful and texture-rich Crispy Smashed Potatoes.
Indulge in the classic comfort of Twice Baked Potatoes, perfect for a hearty meal.
Discover the elegance of a Cheesy Potato Galette, a beautiful and savory dish.
Savor the rich flavors of Gruyere Potato Cakes, an excellent appetizer or side.
Learn the secrets to making Perfect Baked Potatoes from Spend with Pennies for a reliably delicious result every time.

Stay in touch through social media @ Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Don’t forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes! And if you love the results, please give it a 5-star rating in the recipe card.

The Recipe:

Hasselback Potatoes Recipe

Prep Time
20 minutes

Cook Time
1 hour

Total Time
1 hour 20 minutes

Yield
4 servings

A delicious fanned potato recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

4 baking potatoes
2+ tablespoons butter, melted
Salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Fresh thyme to taste
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon fresh bread crumbs
Thyme leaves, optional (for garnish)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425ºF (220ºC).
Peel potatoes if desired. Place them in a bowl of cold water to prevent browning. One at a time, remove a potato and pat it dry. Place it lengthwise on a cutting board.
Place a wooden mixing spoon lengthwise along each side of the potato. This acts as a guide to prevent cutting all the way through.
Using a sharp knife, cut thin slices across the short side of the potato, about ⅛ inch apart. The wooden spoons will stop the knife, ensuring the potato remains connected at the bottom.
Repeat this slicing technique with the remaining potatoes.
Place the sliced potatoes cut-side up in a baking dish. Drizzle with half of the melted butter, gently opening the slices to ensure the butter gets deep into the potato layers.
Generously season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, making sure to get into the crevices.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the slices begin to fan out and lightly crisp.
Remove from oven. Drizzle with the remaining melted butter. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, fresh bread crumbs, and fresh thyme leaves, again gently opening the slices to distribute the toppings.
Bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are nicely browned, tender when pierced with a fork, and the topping is golden and crispy.

Notes

You may use minced fresh rosemary or oregano instead of thyme for a different flavor profile.

For an extra layer of flavor, substitute plain melted butter with garlic butter (melt butter with minced garlic).

For a traditional Swedish touch, you can add slivered almonds to the breadcrumb mixture during the second bake.

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Crispy Parmesan Thyme Hasselback Potatoes