Fancy looking potatoes, aren’t they? You’d never think how incredibly easy they are to make.
When I was leafing through Falling Cloudberries, I couldn’t help sticking a note against the recipe for Hasselback potatoes once I read the note from the author that said “Hasselback Potatoes are gorgeous: they have style and show up with beautiful crust and structure.” And from experience, you and I can both vouch for our love for all things potato, and all things crispy on the outside and comfortingly tender on the inside.
Its potatoes! Its oven roasted! And just as a bonus, you get to top it with hand pounded pesto! Okay, so my food processor bailed on me just when I wanted make the sauce, but just like all other things that result from accidents or improvisations, I’m really happy to have discovered the goodness of making chunky pesto sauce in my mortar and pestle. Try it, you will be surprised.
Next time, I’m going to sprinkle on some bread crumbs and parmesan cheese before I put them into the oven. Oh it’s going to be lovely. I can already imagine it.
In case you’re wondering about the name, it takes its name from Hasselbacken, the Stockholm restaurant where it was first served, or so goes the internet legend.
Hasselback Potatoes
Adapted slightly from Falling Cloudberries (USA | UK | India)
6-7 large potatoes
4 tbsp butter, cut into tiny cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
3-4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
salt
Pesto Sauce Recipe (I added ingredients to the mortar in the same order)
- Preheat the oven to 225C/440F
- Scrub the potatoes clean, we’re going to be leaving the skin on. Oh yes, crispy, golden skin at the end of 40 minutes.
- Boil them in salted water for 10-15 minutes. This will make sure the potatoes are absolutely clean as well as reduce the cooking time in the oven. If you’d like, you can skip this step, and cook the potatoes in the oven for 1 hour.
- Now, slice a thin layer off the base of the potato so that it won’t roll while you are slicing through.
- Cut across the potatoes at a 3mm/0.2inches interval, making sure that you don’t cut all the way through, but leave 1/3rd (about 1 cm) of an inch of potato.
- Lay the potatoes on a baking sheet.
- Place the sliced garlic in between the layers of potatoes, and push the cubes of butter in at equal intervals.
- Give it a good sprinkle of coarse salt and then drizzle the olive oil over it and put it in the oven for 40 minutes, or 60 minutes (if you haven’t parboiled them).
- While the potatoes are in the oven, baste the top of the potatoes with the olive oil from the pan to make the outside extra crispy.
- Remove from oven and eat warm spooned with some pesto sauce!
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I love the way these potatoes look! So elegant. :)
Jenn
Absolutely gorgeous potatoes!!! :-) Mmm, I’m a huge potato fan too. :-) I love that you put pesto on top! I haven’t tried that before but I sure will now! :-)
Oh those look wonderful! I remember back in 1985 when my parents bought a microwave. It came with a cookbook that had a terribly enticing photo of Hasselback Potatoes in it. Too enticing for a 9 year old to resist.
Believe me, the microwave is not the way to make these beauties! I was so disapointed with the shrivelled dessicated lumps that came out after all my careful prep. Now that I know better, and have your recipe, I think I´ll have to give it another go.
i love these kind of potatoes. perfect for all occasions.
Ooh I made these once years ago for an anniversary dinner and served them alongside burgers.
Love how elegant they look and that second photo you have there makes me wanna grab a fork and dig in!
Looks very simple to make but beautiful!! May try this over the weekend. :)
Omigod omigod omigod! Those potatoes look like works of art! I’m so thrilled to find a potato recipe I’ve NEVER heard of before. It’s going to be insanely sinful but I’m going to make this recipe. Damn, but your photos just pop out of the page! Lovely lovely lovely!
Hello Shaheen…Love what you did with this heavenly tuber.
I remember the first time I had laid eyes on the hasselback…I wanted to do back flips…OK…kidding. But, I knew that the very next potatoes I was going to prepare were going to be these.
I hadn’t followed the recipe exactly (no surprise coming from me)…I added a little Dijon mustard, ‘Fleur d’ail’, Olive oil, butter, a good pinch of salt as well as the tarragon herb. They turned out exceptional.
Hubby later put his own twist on it…Cheese!
Thanks for the memories and sharing this classic version of this recipe. Makes for great plate presentation.
Flavouful wishes, Claudia
ia m nt a pseto fan,i like terragon leaves and yes cheese will be of course heavenly! was fliiping thorugh commenst to see what alternative seasoning i can add instead of pesto and tks Claudia!
Potato in all its splendor! Makes me want to try this soon.
Oh, my delicious! Like you I’m a lover of all things potato-y.
~ingrid
These potatoes look beautiful. I’ve never seen anything like them!
Wonderful photo … they look amazing and delicious… I have heard of them before but can’t remember the history… must look them up! Thanks for the great recipe.
Wonderful photo … they look amazing and delicious… I have heard of them before but can’t remember the history… must look them up! Thanks for the great recipe.
Hmm, these sure look tasty !
I just saw these on T.S. Your’e right! They are pretty…
Thank you all for your comments! :)
foodessa: i <3 the idea of adding cheese!!
Try placing the potatoe in a spoon while cutting it, that will make sure you never cut all the way trough it!
It looks delicious and mouth-watering. I’m gonna give it a try !! Thanks for sharing !!
These are almost too pretty to eat. Absolutely delicious looking. I lot potatoes, and these are special.
Im no cook, infact Ive been know to burn a wooden spatula or two…but these photos are mind blowing…I have to try this…
Hasselback potatoes is a big request from many clients of ours… This is a very simple yet great recipe… We have used it in the past and have received rave reviews. Thank you, we love following your posts.
These are just gorgeous. Almost too pretty to eat. I am so inlove with these potatoes. YUMM!
Hi Shaheen
The Hasselback Potatoes were lovely…next time, should try the Garlicky Baked fries !!
I made these earlier today. I have to say, I was lazy, so instead of tucking garlic and butter between the layers, I melted the garlic-butter I had already made, and just poured it over the cut, par-boiled potatoes. This didn’t do anything to encourage the potatoes to get crisp and fan out the way yours did, so I had to re-baste them while sticking a butter knife in between the cut layers to get the butter and oil in there. In an open 440F oven. Several times. Ouch.
They came out a little less fanned out and crisp than yours did, and I must say, for someone trying to save time, I only created more work for myself. They turned out tasty, though. But next time, I’ll definitely go through the trouble to tucking in the garlic and butter slivers!
Yum, I’ve been eyeing these beauties for a while now, and its on the menu chez nous. Thanks for the detailed instructions that other internet recipes failed to mention i.e. making the base straight and the pre-boiling step. Can’t wait to try them!
Hi Shaheen, since the day i stumbled upon your website i have been HOOKED to it!!!! For one i have never enjoyed cooking (the little that i have tried half heartedly) … however, after visiting your website i have decided to start with baking >>> hope i manage to make few of your recepies:) … Also, i wanted a little help on a convention oven that i must buy… i cant buy the inbuilt one… but i have seen a few in the malls and they look similar to microwaves … but are called microwave convention ovens with 17 to 32 ltrs… are those ok and can i bake in those…??? do they have any limitations ??? will i be able to make your recepies in such a one… please do let me know…:) thank you :)
ooooh these look good im going to make em asap.
i just started blog,
check it out if you have time.
or not.
thanks!
Alright, I want to eat those potatoes right now! Here is the question though, what level would you say it would take to make these? I can make potato wedges like no other, but this looks a little harder. Anyways, this looks amazing! Perfect pairing with a nice steak.
Hey, just woke up this morning to try out this recipe…I didn’t have pesto handy so i tried it out with plain corriander and its turned out to be better than i thought it would can’t wait to try it out with the pesto now :)…
Made a variation of these with a dollop of feta mixed with parsley and sage. ( instead of pesto) Used olive oil instead of butter, but it came out much dryer !Butter the next..
The father loved it though.
THis one is my favourite pic on the home page
I love potatoes, but never heard of this! Yay! Something new to do with them. Definitely trying this! Looks amazing.
do you have any recommendations on which kind of potatoes to use?
thanks! I tried the recipe with russet and the colour did not turn out like that. :(
heey there…
just wanted to tell u that u doing impressive job over here , i really like it
full of live and vibrant
all the best dear …
I am french but living in Sweden, and I can confirm, theses potatoes are so delicious. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe with us!
oooo, now this looks delicous!
The potatoes look so great! You can tell they are soft in the middle and krispy on the outside. Also, must taste delicious with the butter, garlic, and olive oil. Any chopped up herb would do for me; along with some grated cheese. I woud use the golden yukon potatoes; they are yellow and mellow in taste. It would only add to the flavor. Thanks a lot for this idea. I’m going to try them real soon……blessings….jane k
Hey PF, this stuff is golden. It looked really intimidating when I saw it, but I really wanted to make it and turns out it wasn’t so hard after all. :) I had to hand pound the pesto as well, as I hadn’t got a food processor yet, but the blend of these garlicky potatoey flavours with the aroma of the pesto was just killer. I would actually suggest not adding cheese – but to each their own, obviously. Hat tip to you, and great job on the website :)
Those look amazing!! and Falling Cloudberries is my favorite cookbook!!! :)
great recipe and pics… hint on cutting potato.. set potato in a large spoon that allows the spoon to stop the knife before slicing through the bottom of the potato.
Thanks, Bill! That’s a super idea.
These were so yum that one was squirreled away for next day’s snack – tasted as good as fresh.
Cross-hatched some & those turned out better.
Just book marked his page of recipe ! Easy and it only need a couple steps to make them.
Loved your photos. The accordian style baked potato is a recipe I have used for years as a simple one to take to a gathering of people, such as at Thanksgiving time or Easter. I usually make a few extra and they end up going home with one of the other guests at the dinner to be re-heated the next day. With Potato Lovers Month officially starting in February, it is a great one to pair with a steak for that special someone if not going out to dinner on Valentine’s Day too.
Hi, I hoe you don’t mind but I’ve linked to this recipe from my blog, and I’ve used a photo. If this is a problem, please let me know and I’ll remove them immediately. I have “sourced” the photo, but let me know if yoyu’re not happy.
You have some fabulous recipes on your blog…Yummy!
I’ve found that it’s easier to put the whole potato into a scoop-shaped dish before slicing. That way the knife can’t go all the way through the spud. (the knife stops at the edge of the dish. The oval doo-hickey that comes with a Foreman grill works awesome!)
It works for me anyway.
Awesome recipe, btw . . .
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