Golden-Fan Hasselbacks

Introduction

Hasselback potatoes trace their origins to 1953 at Stockholm’s Restaurant Hasselbacken, where chef trainee Leif Elisson first served the now-iconic “accordion” spuds. By cutting thin, even slits most of the way through each potato and roasting with plenty of fat, the kitchen achieved a side dish that married the crisp edges of a chip with the fluffy center of a baked potato—a technique that quickly spread from Sweden to holiday tables worldwide.

What is it?

A Hasselback potato is a whole potato (typically starchy russet or Yukon Gold) sliced at 2–3 mm intervals without severing the base. During roasting, hot fat—in most recipes butter or olive oil—seeps between the fanned “petals,” yielding hundreds of crunchy ridges while the core steams to tenderness. Toppings range from simple garlic-butter to cheese, herbs, or breadcrumb crusts.

When is it served?

Because the dish is both dramatic and hands-off, Hasselbacks appear everywhere from Swedish Midsummer feasts to American Thanksgiving spreads and upscale steak dinners. They shine as a make-ahead side for holidays: slice and soak potatoes early in the day, then roast just before service.

What makes a good choice to cook?

Choose uniformly sized russet or Yukon Gold potatoes; their high starch gives the coveted creamy interior and crisp shell. A sharp chef’s knife (or mandoline with guards) and two chopsticks ensure safe, even cuts, while clarified butter or high-smoke-point olive oil promotes golden ridges without burning.

Today, we’ve identified and evaluated recipes from the following sources:

• Spend With Pennies
• A Spicy Perspective
• Taste of Home
• Love and Lemons
• Good Food
• Kevin Is Cooking
• Allrecipes

Recipe Similarities

Most blogs begin with medium-large russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced ⅛ in (3 mm) thick with chopsticks or wooden-spoon handles as guards. Each site bastes repeatedly: Allrecipes melts butter with olive oil, while Love & Lemons and Kevin Is Cooking favor straight olive oil for vegan friendliness. All seven recipes roast between 400 °F and 450 °F for ~60 minutes, brushing fat midway to guarantee crispy petals while keeping interiors moist. Garlic, fresh herbs (parsley, rosemary, thyme), and kosher salt appear in nearly every version, echoing Hasselbacken’s original flavor trio.

Parmesan or similar hard cheese is a second unifier. Spend With Pennies showers grated Parm during the final 10 minutes for a bronzed crust, and A Spicy Perspective tucks cheese into the slits just before serving. Even low-review Taste of Home finishes with butter-garlic drizzle and optional cheddar, underscoring a shared goal of pairing umami richness with textural crunch.

Recipe Differences

Fat choice & frequency: BBC Good Food leans on pure rapeseed oil, brushing only twice, whereas Kevin Is Cooking bastes every 15 minutes with bacon grease for smoky depth. Love & Lemons stays entirely plant-based, substituting vegan butter and skipping cheese, while Allrecipes blends butter with olive oil for a balanced smoke point.

Enhancements & shortcuts: Spend With Pennies adds a 10-minute “rest” under foil to steam-finish dense centers, A Spicy Perspective parboils potatoes 5 minutes before roasting to guarantee tenderness, and BBC Good Food inserts bay-leaf shards between slices for subtle aromatics. Temperature strategy diverges too: Love & Lemons starts at 425 °F then drops to 375 °F to avoid burning herbs, while Taste of Home opts for a skillet method that crisps the base in butter first.

Potential Improvements

1. Starch removal soak: A 30-minute cold-water soak pulls surface starch so petals separate more cleanly, boosting crunch beyond any blog’s results.
2. Clarified butter first, flavored butter last: Starting with ghee prevents milk-solid scorching at 450 °F; basting with herb-garlic butter during the final 20 minutes preserves fresh aromatics.
3. Two-stage heat: Steam-cover at 375 °F for tenderness, then uncover and roast at 450 °F for lacquered edges—marrying Spend With Pennies’ rest and BBC Good Food’s high heat without dryness.
4. Micro-grate Parmesan into slits at the 45-minute mark: The cheese melts within layers, echoing A Spicy Perspective’s flavor but keeping surfaces crisp.

Why these ingredients?

Russets provide starch for fluffiness; soaking removes exterior starch for maximal separation and crunch. Ghee withstands high heat, while finishing with whole-butter garlic keeps aromatics vibrant. Parmesan’s umami boosts browning via the Maillard reaction, and dual herbs supply fresh, piney complexity without overpowering the potato flavor.

Golden-Fan Hasselbacks

Crispy, buttery Hasselback potatoes with Parmesan and herbs—an easy, show-stopping side perfect for holidays or special dinners.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Swedish

Servings 6 people

Calories 315 kcal

Equipment

• Large Bowl
• Sharp chef’s knife
• Chopsticks or wooden spoons (for slicing guard)
• Rimmed baking sheet
• Parchment Paper
• Aluminum foil
• Pastry Brush
• Small Saucepan
• Instant-read thermometer

Ingredients

  

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Main Ingredients

• 6 medium russet potatoes 8–9 oz each, scrubbed
• 2 qt cold water for soaking
• 1 Tbsp kosher salt for soaking
• 4 Tbsp clarified butter (ghee) melted
• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
• 3 cloves garlic micro-planed
• 2 Tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary finely chopped
• 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese finely grated
• Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Slice each potato using chopsticks as guides, cutting thin slices (about ⅛ inch) without going all the way through.
• Soak potatoes in 2 qt cold salted water for 30 minutes to remove excess starch. Drain and pat dry thoroughly.
• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Toss potatoes in melted ghee and olive oil, season lightly with salt and pepper. Place slit-side up on the prepared sheet and cover tightly with foil.
• Bake for 30 minutes covered to steam-tenderize the centers.
• Uncover, raise oven temperature to 450°F (232°C). In a saucepan, mix melted unsalted butter, garlic, parsley, and rosemary.
• Brush half the garlic-herb butter over potatoes, getting between the slices. Roast for another 25 minutes, basting halfway through.
• Sprinkle Parmesan between slices and on top. Brush remaining garlic butter over each potato.
• Roast an additional 10–15 minutes until the tips are crispy and golden. Internal temp should reach 205°F (96°C).
• Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra herbs and flaky salt if desired.

Notes

Use chopsticks to prevent cutting through the potato. For extra crispy edges, parboil for 5 minutes before roasting. Leftovers reheat well at 425°F for 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 315kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 6gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 520mgPotassium: 870mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 450IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 120mgIron: 2mg

Keyword Crispy Potatoes, Hasselback, Holiday Side, Potatoes

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