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Hasselback Potatoes

4.8

(4)

Sliced Yukon Gold potatoes with melted butter fresh parsley and grated Parmesan.
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Sean Dooley

A good Hasselback potato recipe has the power to transform a humble spud into a showstopping holiday side dish that can upstage even the most dramatic main. The crisp-yet-tender potatoes with their signature lobster-tail-like fanning simply demand attention. 

Don’t let their (stunning, impressive) appearance fool you. Hasselbacking a potato is not just for looks; it creates a contrast in textures that is undeniably delicious. The trick is to place the potato between two chopsticks while cutting the slits; they will act as guardrails to prevent you from accidentally cutting all the way through the potatoes. The other trick is to make the slits as thin as you possibly can, ⅛" or thinner is ideal. Creating thin slices results in potatoes with creamy and tender centers and edges that crisp into potato-chip-like scales. 

A simple garlic butter flavored with chopped parsley brightens up this potato dish and gives the spuds a pop of savoriness (you can easily swap the butter for olive oil). Dress them up with grated Parmesan, flaky sea salt, additional herbs, or any other accompaniments you typically enjoy with your potatoes. However you serve them, these Hasselback potatoes are sure to steal the show.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    1 hour 45 minutes

  • Yield

    6 servings

Ingredients

3 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes (8–12, depending on their size), scrubbed
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 2¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, divided
1½ tsp. freshly ground pepper, divided
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley, divided
Finely grated Parmesan (for serving; optional)
Flaky sea salt (optional)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place a rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 425°. Place a potato from 3 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes (8–12, depending on their size), scrubbed, on a cutting board so a long side is facing you and arrange a chopstick along each long side. Using a long, thin knife, cut potato crosswise into ⅛"-thick slices, stopping at chopsticks (you don’t want to cut all the way through). Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with remaining potatoes.

    Step 2

    Drizzle ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil over potatoes, then sprinkle 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 2¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper over. Using your hands, massage oil and seasonings into slits in potatoes.

    Step 3

    Transfer potatoes to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and arrange in a single layer, slit side up, spacing at least 1½" apart. Tightly cover with foil and bake potatoes until just barely tender, 30–35 minutes.

    Step 4

    Meanwhile, mix together 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped, ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, remaining 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and remaining ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper in a small bowl.

    Step 5

    Uncover potatoes and brush about half of butter mixture evenly over tops, taking care to work some into slits. Continue baking potatoes, uncovered, until tops are golden brown and crisp to the touch, 45–55 minutes longer.

    Step 6

    Using a thin spatula, transfer potatoes to a platter. Mix 2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley into remaining butter mixture and brush over potatoes. Scatter remaining 1 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley on top, then sprinkle finely grated Parmesan and flaky sea salt over if desired.

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