Hasselback Potatoes Recipe (Baked Potato Fans with Cheese)

This hasselback potato recipe is an easy way to turn simple baked potatoes into something a little more special. Thinly sliced and baked until tender, these potato fans crisp up on the edges while staying soft inside, with cheese melted into every layer. In about the same time needed for baked potatoes, and with only 3 ingredients, you can have an upgraded side dish that makes any meal that much better.

Say goodbye to boring plain baked potatoes – I think you will love these simple hasselback potatoes as much as we do! The potato “fans” are crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside, and have just a touch of cheese to make them seem special. They aren’t over-the-top by any means, but just about melt in your mouth.

And they only take a few more minutes than just throwing potatoes in the oven, and those extra minutes are so worth it! The biggest issue is cutting the slices so that they are still attached at the bottom – and I have the perfect cutting tip that makes that go so quickly.

I like to serve these with lemon-garlic roasted chicken or maple-mustard baked chicken as well as things like BBQ mini-meatloaves. Add a green salad and you’ve got a special meal that is still simple.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

This is tasty, real food with just three ingredients, besides salt & pepper:

• Potatoes: You can use any potato (even sweet potatoes!). I prefer using a red or yellow (like Yukon Gold) because of their thin skins and creamy interiors. Their smaller size also fits better on the spoon for cutting. Larger russets can absolutely be used, just choose a larger spoon.
• Butter: Real butter gives the potatoes a wonderful flavor, but you can stay dairy free by choosing margarine. I haven’t tried it, but think that olive oil would also give the crispness from baking, if not the same flavor.
• Cheese: I used Parmesan and pepper jack in the photos. You can use any type of cheese you’d like, including dairy free. I do recommend a flavorful cheese, though, because we’re not using a lot.
• Options: You can make these garlic-cheese hasselback potatoes by adding a minced garlic clove to the melted butter (or even garlic powder). Try an herb or herb blend for a different flavor, too. I especially like chopped fresh rosemary.

Let’s Make Hasselback Potatoes

Step 1: Potato Cutting Tip. Here’s a trick that works really well to quickly cut the potato leaving the slices still attached at the bottom: Use a wooden spoon! Place the potato on a large wooden spoon. Then with the potato sitting on the spoon, take a long knife and cut down until it touches the edges of the spoon. Voila! Perfect slices that stop just short of cutting through the entire potato. 

Step 2: Place the cut potatoes on a lined or greased baking sheet and lightly pull the pieces apart to fan them. They won’t all look perfectly fanned, but that’s OK.

Pour a little of the melted butter over each potato, distributing it evenly.

TIP: You will have to be careful with the end pieces, since they may hang over the edge or not reach the bottom of the spoon, but using the spoon takes all the guesswork out of partially cutting the potatoes and makes it go quickly.

Step 3: Shake salt and pepper over each potato.

Step 4: Sprinkle on grated cheese, about a tablespoon for each potato.

Cheese Tip: You can leave the cheese on the tops, letting it melt into the crevices or you can push a bit more of the cheese into some of the fans if you really wanted to cheese it up.

Step 6: Bake for about 40-55 minutes at 400 degrees, depending on the size of your potatoes.

Baking Tip

Would you like to bake these along with other dishes at a different temperature?

Yes! Cook them for longer at a lower temperature, like if you’re baking chicken at 375 degrees. Or bake them for less time if you’re roasting them next to sausages at 425 degrees.

I just love how flexible recipes like these potatoes are and how easily they can fit into any menu. I also love the result: a little crispy, a little cheesy, a little creamy inside. All with just a couple more ingredients and a few more minutes than baked potatoes!

I would love to know how you feel about this hasselback potatoes recipe – please leave a rating and review so I can know!

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5 from 9 votes

Hasselback Potatoes Recipe (Baked Potato Fans with Cheese)

This hasselback potato recipe creates crispy baked potato fans with cheese for an easy, flavorful side dish made with 3 simple ingredients.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time50 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Yield: 6 servings

1x2x3x

Author: Jami Boys

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Ingredients

• 6 potatoes or enough for 1 for each person
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted (use a non-dairy option to be dairy free)
• salt & pepper
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese parmesan,sharp cheddar, jack, etc. (or a non-dairy cheese)
• Optional: 1 clove minced garlic or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh herbs (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)

Instructions

• Heat oven to 400 degrees.*
• Cut each potato into "fans" by cutting almost through the potato. TIP: Place the potato on a large wooden spoon, and with the potato sitting on the spoon, take a long knife and cut down until it touches the edges of the spoon. This allows you to evenly cut the potato into still-attached slices that you can fan out.
• Place the potatoes on a lined or greased baking sheet and lightly pull the pieces apart to fan them. They won’t all look perfectly fanned, but that’s OK.
• Pour a little of the melted butter over each potato, distributing it evenly.
• Sprinkle each with some salt and pepper to taste.
• Add about a tablespoon of grated cheese on top of each potato, pushing some of the cheese into the crevices, if you'd like.
• Bake 45-60 minutes or until tender. Total time will depend on the size of your potatoes. A knife inserted into the center of a potato will tell how done they are (it should go in smoothly with no hardness detected).

Notes

*Baking Adjustments: To bake with other menu items, you can cook the potatoes for longer at a lower temperature (if you’re baking chicken at 375 degrees, for instance) or bake for less time if you’re roasting them at 425 degrees next to sausages or veggies.

Nutrition

Serving: 1potato | Calories: 185kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 501mg | Potassium: 887mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 7mg

Did you make this recipe?Mention @anoregoncottage or tag #anoregoncottage!

More Easy Sides

• Garlic Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes Recipe
• Tasty Baked Butter Rice with White or Brown Rice
• Easy Grilled Potato ‘Planks’

This recipe has been updated, it was originally published in 2010 and updated in 2016 and 2026.