Description
This Cheesy Hasselback Potato recipe features perfectly sliced russet potatoes brushed with a flavorful garlic butter mixture, baked until tender and crispy, then generously filled with melted cheddar cheese and topped with savory crumbled bacon. Served with optional sour cream and green onions, this dish makes a comforting and impressive side perfect for gatherings or any cozy meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Potatoes
- 6 medium russet potatoes (about 2 ½ lbs. total)
Garlic Butter Sauce
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons oil (olive or avocado)
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Fillings & Toppings
- 6 ounces sliced cheddar cheese, cut into 1-inch squares
- 4 ounces cooked bacon, crumbled
- Sour cream (optional)
- Green onions (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) to prepare for baking the potatoes.
- Prepare the Potatoes: Wash, scrub, and dry the russet potatoes thoroughly. Place two chopsticks parallel on a cutting board and set one potato between them lengthwise. Make thin cuts approximately ⅛-¼ inch apart along the potato, stopping once the knife hits the chopsticks to keep the base intact. This method ensures the potato unfolds like a fan but stays connected at the bottom. Repeat for all six potatoes. Arrange the sliced potatoes on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Brush with Garlic Butter Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, oil, crushed garlic, salt, and black pepper. Use a pastry brush to coat half of this mixture over all the potatoes, making sure to brush between the slices by gently spreading them apart with fingers or a fork, so the sauce seeps inside.
- Bake Covered: Cover the baking sheet loosely with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. This step steams the potatoes to cook them through while keeping them moist.
- Bake Uncovered: Remove the foil and brush the remaining garlic butter sauce over the potatoes. Return the baking sheet to the oven, uncovered, and bake for another 20-25 minutes. This helps the potatoes get crispy and golden on the edges.
- Add Cheese: Take the potatoes out of the oven and let them cool slightly until they are safe to handle. Carefully insert 1-inch cheddar cheese squares between each slice of potato. Fill all gaps with cheese evenly across all six potatoes.
- Melt Cheese: Return the potatoes to the oven and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until the cheese melts and becomes creamy.
- Serve: Remove from oven, sprinkle with crumbled cooked bacon, and add optional sour cream and green onions as desired. Serve warm and enjoy the crispy, cheesy, and flavorful Hasselback potatoes.
Notes
- Use chopsticks or wooden spoons when slicing to prevent cutting through the potato completely, ensuring the fan effect.
- Russet potatoes work best for their starchy, fluffy texture after baking.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon and opt for additional toppings like chives or sautéed mushrooms.
- Try different cheeses such as gouda or mozzarella for variation in flavor and meltiness.
- Store leftover potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat in the oven to maintain crispiness.
