Easy Baked Potato Fans {& 40+ More Potato Recipes!}

Say goodbye to boring plain baked potatoes – I bet you will love these simple baked potato fans as much as I do. They are crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside and have just a touch of cheese to make them seem special. 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 salad and you’ve got a special meal.

I think these sliced potatoes might also go by “Potatoes Anna” and other names, but we’ve always called them potato fans. They are a fun and different way to bake potatoes that creates yummy crunchy edges because of all the slices. They are also one of those super easy dishes that look fancy and make the people you serve them to feel really special (we’ll just keep between us how easy they really are, right?).

This is tasty, real food with just three ingredients, besides salt & pepper: butter, cheese (Parmesan and Habanero Jack are pictured), and potatoes. While red potatoes are pictured any potato works, so use whatever type you have.

Wonder to create the cuts in the potatoes without cutting all the way through? Here’s a trick that works really well to do it quickly:

Use a wooden spoon!

1. Place the potato on a large wooden spoon.
2. 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. 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.

How to make baked potato fans

1. 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.
2. Pour a little of the melted butter over each potato, distributing it evenly.
3. Shake salt and pepper over each potato.
4. Sprinkle on grated cheese, about a tablespoon for each potato. 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.
5. Bake for about 40-55 minutes at 400 degrees, depending on the size of your potatoes.

You can also cook them for longer at a lower temperature if you’re baking chicken at 375 degrees, for instance, or less time if you’re roasting them next to sausages at 425 degrees. I love how flexible 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. A lot good.

I’m also joining with the Ultimate Recipe Challenge this month! Get this recipe PLUS 40+ more potato recipes by clicking the arrow below: