Extra Cheesy Hasselback Potatoes Recipe

The humble potato is the ultimate culinary chameleon. You can bake it, fry it, mash it, or puree it. Potatoes lend themselves to unlimited seasonings and flavors, as well as show-stopping presentations like duchess potatoes or fondant potatoes. In essence, potatoes are the ultimate comfort food, and the comfort level is taken to the next level when they're combined with gooey melting cheese. Recipe developer Julie Kinnaird gives us the best of both worlds with these impressive extra cheesy Hasselback potatoes. With their signature accordion-cut presentation, Hasselback potatoes are beloved for their crispy edges and tender, fluffy interior. They might seem like they require impressive knife work, but although they look challenging, Kinnaird shares pro tips for easily achieving this elegant look.

With their multitude of nooks and crannies, Hasselback potatoes are perfect for infusing with a variety of flavors and toppings. Kinnaird stays true to the Scandinavian origin of this dish by using Jarlsberg cheese, which has a nutty flavor and lovely melting quality. This cheese, in addition to fresh thyme, chives, garlic, grated Parmesan, and a blend of butter and olive oil, creates a rich and savory flavor combination that is delicious to pair with a variety of meats or vegetables.

This recipe calls for russet potatoes, however, Yukon gold or even baby potatoes for bite-sized Hasselback potatoes will yield delicious results. You will make a basting mixture of melted butter, olive oil, chopped garlic, fresh thyme leaves, chopped chives, and white pepper. This baste seeps into the potato slices and helps achieve the crisp edges while seasoning the interior of the potatoes. You will need some sea salt for sprinkling on the tops, and then plenty of Jarlsberg to slice up and insert between the potato slices. Grated Parmesan adds the "extra" part of the cheesiness. Additional thyme and chives are added just before serving. The key to this recipe is to have the best quality and freshest ingredients so that all the flavors sing together.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Cut a thin horizontal slice off one side of each potato so that it can lay flat.

Place one potato between 2 wooden spoons or chopsticks. This will help prevent cutting all the way through the potato.

Cut thin slices vertically, about ⅛-inch apart, starting in the center of the potato.

Repeat for the remaining potatoes, fanning out the slices when finished.

Stir together the melted butter, olive oil, garlic, 1 tablespoon each thyme and chives, and white pepper in a small bowl.

Place the potatoes flat-side-down in a baking dish or parchment-lined baking sheet with enough space to keep the potatoes at least an inch apart.

Use a pastry brush to coat each potato with the melted butter mixture, making sure that it seeps in between the slices.

Sprinkle the potatoes with the sea salt.

Bake the potatoes for an hour to an hour and 15 minutes, basting 2 or 3 times. The edges should be crispy and the insides very tender.

Place the cheese slices in the potato slits, distributing them evenly between all of the potatoes.

Sprinkle the tops of the potatoes with the Parmesan.

Return the pan to the oven until the cheese has melted (about 10 minutes).

Remove the potatoes from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining herbs.

Serve the extra cheesy Hasselback potatoes immediately.

The Hasselback potato was thought to have come from a restaurant with the same name, Hasselbacken, in Stockholm, Sweden. According to the restaurant itself, Leif Eliasson, a trainee chef at the restaurant, devised the method in 1953. However, there is a recipe for Hasselback potatoes in "Prensessornas Kokbok," a classic Swedish cookbook from 1934, so the origin story seems to start a bit earlier. Newspapers from the 40s also mention the dish, so though Eliasson didn't invent the recipe, he may have revived and popularized the existing dish in that establishment. The recipe is still thought of in connection to the restaurant in some form, if only because they share the same name.

Some early recipes called for slicing the potatoes all the way through, then stacking them against the sides of a pan to fan out and hold their shape. Eliasson may have been the first to develop the Hasselback technique, which involves using spoon handles, chopsticks, or other wooden dowels on the sides of the potatoes to prevent cutting all the way through. This keeps the potatoes intact and fan-like after baking. 

If you want to use ingredients you have on hand or just switch things up a bit, you can start with the potatoes themselves. Kinnaird recommends using russet potatoes. This reliable all-purpose variety is a nice size for Hasselback potatoes and is great for baking. You'll end up with the desired fluffy interior due to russets' high starch content. Yukon Gold potatoes are another of her favorite varieties. These potatoes fall in between low-starch, high-water-content waxy potatoes (such as red bliss) and the drier, starchier russets. 

For the flavorings, try switching out the thyme with rosemary, marjoram, dill, Italian parsley, or chervil to add distinctive personality to your baked Hasselbacks. Spices like smoked paprika, fennel seed, or caraway will also harmonize with the cheese and potatoes. You can also add to or substitute for the Jarlsberg and Parmesan, and use your favorite melting varieties like fontina, Gouda, cheddar, or Gruyère. Adding some chopped cooked bacon on top or thin slices of ham with the cheese would further elevate these cheesy beauties.