Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Thoroughly wash, scrub, and pat dry all potatoes to remove any dirt and excess moisture.
- Place one potato between two wooden spoon handles (the handles act as a guide to prevent cutting all the way through). Using a sharp knife, carefully cut vertical slices 1/4-inch apart from one end to the other, allowing the spoon handles to stop your knife.
- Repeat with remaining potatoes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper to create the oil mixture.
- Using a pastry brush, generously coat the top and sides of each potato with the oil mixture, working the seasoning between the slices as much as possible.
- Place potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 50-55 minutes until they are very tender when pierced with a fork and the edges are golden and crispy.
- Remove from oven, sprinkle cheddar cheese evenly over the top of each potato, and return to oven for an additional 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Top each potato with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of crumbled bacon, and fresh green onion or chives.
- Serve immediately while the cheese is still warm and the exteriors are at their crispiest.
Nutrition
Notes
- Use the spoon handles — Two wooden spoon handles, one on each side of the potato, stop your knife before it cuts through. No handles? A butter knife laid flat on each side works just as well. Get the cut right and the potato fans open cleanly in the oven.
- Slice uniform, slice even — Consistent 1/4-inch cuts mean the whole potato cooks at the same rate. Uneven slices give you some edges done, some still soft — fix that with a steady hand and a sharp knife.
- Work the oil into the gaps — Brush the garlic oil into the slices while the potato is still fresh-cut and slightly open. That's your window to get seasoning deep into the flesh, not just on top of it.
- Make ahead without losing quality — Cut and oil the potatoes up to 4 hours ahead, cover, and refrigerate. When you're ready to cook, add 10–15 minutes to the bake time to account for the cold start.
- Finish with something cold — Sour cream mixed with a pinch of smoked paprika or fresh dill changes the whole flavor profile. Put it on cold right before serving. The temperature contrast against a hot, crispy potato is the point.
- These work best next to something with real weight to it. Pair with herb-roasted chicken, grilled steak, or prime rib and let the potato hold its own flavor rather than disappear into the plate.
- For a dinner party setup, serve them straight from the baking sheet — the sizzle from the oven is part of the presentation. Put toppings out separately and let guests finish their own. Extra crispy bacon, sour cream, caramelized onions, and fresh chives all work.
- A crisp arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette alongside cuts through the richness — the acid and bitterness balance the fat in the potato and cheese.
- For a standalone appetizer, scale up the bacon and swap the cheddar for crumbled goat cheese. The fanned presentation holds toppings in the slices, which makes them easier to pass.
- Cover leftover hasselback potatoes and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 300°F oven for 10–15 minutes to bring back the crispiness. The microwave will soften the exterior — skip it.
- If you want to freeze them, do it before adding toppings. Bake fully, let cool completely, freeze on a sheet pan, then transfer to a bag or container. They'll keep up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in the oven.
- The sour cream, bacon, and chives always go on fresh, right before serving.