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Hasselback Potatoes, or Potato Fans in our house, are one of my favorite budget-friendly side dishes. Crispy on the outside and tender, buttery on the inside, they feel fancy but are easy to make, versatile enough to pair with almost any main dish, and kid-friendly while still impressing guests.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
- Crispy and Creamy Texture: While I love recipes like Twice Baked Potatoes, these potatoes get golden, crispy edges meet a soft, buttery center in every bite. Like your favorite baked potato recipe but more fun!
- Simple and Versatile: Made with just a few ingredients, these potatoes pair perfectly with almost any main dish, like Perfect Roast Chicken, Salmon Burgers or Southern Style Pork Tenderloin.
- Kid-Friendly but Crowd-Worthy: This potato side dish is approachable enough for kids, yet impressive for entertaining or holiday meals alongside a perfectly cooked Pan Seared Beef Tenderloin.
The Ingredients
- Yukon gold potatoes: Yukon golds are creamy on the inside with thin skins that crisp beautifully. Russet potatoes also work great though!
- Olive oil: Helps the potatoes crisp and adds flavor.
- Butter: Melted butter gives these potatoes that rich, classic taste.
- Kosher salt: Simple seasoning that lets the potato shine.
Variations and Substitutions
- Potato Swap: Use russet potatoes for a fluffier interior and extra-crispy edges.
- Garlic Lovers: Add minced garlic or garlic powder to the butter mixture.
- Cheesy Twist: Sprinkle grated parmesan or shredded cheddar over the potatoes during the last 15 minutes of baking.
- Dairy-Free: Swap the butter for additional olive oil or your favorite dairy-free butter alternative.
- Herbs: Finish with fresh rosemary, thyme, or parsley.
How to Make Hasselback Potatoes
- Preheat oven to 475°F. Cut a thin slice off the bottom of each potato so they lay flat.
- Using a sharp knife, make 20–30 thin slices lengthwise across the top of each potato, about ¼ inch apart, leaving about ½ inch at the bottom intact. Don’t cut all the way through!
- Mix the melted butter and oil in a bowl.
- Place the potatoes on a baking sheet, brush with half of the olive oil/ butter mixture, sprinkle with salt and bake for 30 minutes.
- Brush the potatoes with the remaining oil/butter mixture and cook for an additional 45 minutes or until skin is golden and serve.
Recipe Video
Tips and Tricks
- Prevent Cutting Through: Use a wooden spoon or chopsticks on either side of the potato when slicing so your knife stops before cutting through the potato.
- Rinse Your Knife: If starch builds up on the knife while making slices, rinse it under water to help it glide through more easily.
- Basting Matters: Brushing twice helps the butter and oil get in between the slices as the potato fans out while baking.
- Space Out: Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet so the potatoes crisp evenly.
- Tent If Needed: If potatoes brown too quickly, loosely cover with foil partway through baking.
FAQs
Why aren’t my Hasselback potatoes crispy?
Make sure your oven is hot enough, you’re basting with enough butter and oil, and the potatoes have space on the pan to crisp.
Do I need to peel the potatoes for hasselback potatoes?
Nope! Leaving the skins on helps create those signature crispy edges.
More Potato Sides
These Hasselback potatoes are proof that simple ingredients can turn into something special. Crispy, buttery, and endlessly customizable, they’re the kind of side dish you’ll come back to again and again. Let me know what you think — leave a comment and rating below!
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Hasselback Potatoes (aka Potato Fans)
Hasselback potatoes are thinly sliced, but not all the way through, so they fan out while baking. Crispy on the edges and tender inside, they're an easy, impressive side dish!
Ingredients
- 4 medium Yukon gold potatoes (russet potatoes will also work great)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 475°F.
- Cut a thin slice off the bottom of each potato so they lay flat.
- Using a sharp knife, make 20–30 thin slices lengthwise across the top of each potato, about ¼ inch apart, leaving about ½ inch at the bottom intact. Don't cut all the way through!
- Mix the melted butter and oil in a bowl.
- Place the potatoes on a baking sheet, brush with half of the olive oil/ butter mixture, sprinkle with salt and bake for 30 minutes.
- Brush the potatoes with the remaining oil/butter mixture and cook for an additional 30-45 minutes or until skin is golden and serve.
Notes
- Prevent Cutting Through: Use a wooden spoon or chopsticks on either side of the potato when slicing so your knife stops before cutting through the potato.
- Rinse Your Knife: If starch builds up on the knife while making slices, rinse it under water to help it glide through more easily.
- Basting Matters: Brushing twice helps the butter and oil get in between the slices as the potato fans out while baking, ensuring maximum flavor.
- Space Out: Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet so the potatoes crisp evenly.
- Tent If Needed: If potatoes brown too quickly, loosely cover with foil partway through baking.
Nutrition
Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 637mg | Potassium: 718mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 178IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @Weelicious or tag #weelicious!
I eat it this morning and it was great
You can also wrap the fan potato with all your spices and a little oil in tin foil like you would a baked potato.,
I have been making this potato style for over 20 years.
A helpful hint and most important.
Do not cut strip from long side of potato. You only have to place the round handle of a wooden spoon behind your potato. It allows the perfect height to slice down Into the potato and is much quicker. Try it. Perfect
I spread cuts a bit, S&P, and oil.
This is nothing new, I’ve been making these since the late 80’s. Looks good though!
P.S: Your Youtube channel and videos are really good, . You are a nature comunicator. Congrats 😉
I really like the way you explain it, clear, fun and easy. I’m not a cooking fan, but im sure im going to learn. You have a fan in Marid, Spain. Keep it up!!
That looks delicious!
I made it and it was delicious!
Hi I have a time saving tip for cutting the spuds , cut bottom as you did to allow to sit flat then use a very shallow dish such as the bottom of a butter dish that only allows you to cut down so far ,you can slice it quickly without cutting all the way through. My butter dish bottoms are about a quarter of an inch deep so there is no way to cut right down when the knife hits both sides.
Just a technique suggestion:
Take two wooden spoons or take out chopsticks (We always have many of these as I use them for everything)
Lay the parallel to one another and place the potato between.
Now slice… You will never cut all the way through accidentally.
A nice trick for those of us with less than cheffy knife skills.
I just joined this page , and I’m so happy because I can find very interesting menus for my kids ( that eat everything) and for me too.
Thanks for your ideas
45 minutes! I have not used an enclosed stone baker. Let me know how that works out!
Is the additional baking time really 45 minutes or is it 4-5? Want to plan when to start these. Also, have you ever baked them closed up in a stone baker?
I’ve pinned your wonderful idea. Also, since the air was cool this morning, I turned on the oven and baked one russet fan and one yam fan, with butter, S&P, parsley Delicious! I’d like to feature this recipe on my blog, giving you full credit and a link.
Yes!