Meet the jacket potato’s prettier and tastier brother – the hasselback potato.
If you’re a fan of jacket potatoes and haven’t tried a hasselback potato, then you really should. Here’s why…
- They’re really easy to make
- They taste 100 times better than a regular jacket potato
- LOOK AT THEM!! They’re so so so so pretty
Isn’t that the prettiest potato you’ve ever seen? OK, OK, I know it’s just a potato and there are many other prettier things in the world, but by potato standards, I think they look good.
Hasselback potatoes v jacket potatoes
The main reason why I prefer these hasselback potatoes is the flavour. Before they’re baked you smother them in a mix of butter and olive oil, which both add a delicious flavour. However, you could do this to a jacket potato. The big thing here is the slits. By cutting slits before baking it allows the butter and olive to permeate the potato and add flavour throughout. The other advantage is that it allows the heat into the middle of the potato more easily, making sure that it’s well cooked all the way through.
I tend to use these as a side dish. However, if you want to add a jacket potato-style filling then this would work brilliantly too.
Hasselback Potatoes
Meet the jacket potato’s prettier and tastier brother – the hasselback potato.
Ingredients
- 4 medium baking potatoes approximately 175g - you can use larger potatoes if you like but cooking times will be longer
- 20 ml olive oil
- 20 g butter
- Salt
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 220ºC/200ºC fan.
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Use a sharp knife to cut slits into the baking potatoes. These should be about half a centimeter apart and go about two-thirds of the way through the potato - it's important that the slits do not go all the way through otherwise the potato will fall apart (although don't panic if you do accidentally, the recipe will still work).
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Add 5g butter to the top of each potato and then pour over 5ml olive oil.
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Season with salt.
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Place into the oven and cook for 1 hour 10 minutes (exact cooking time depends on the size of potatoes used). About every 20 minutes use a pastry brush to baste the potatoes in the butter and olive oil mix that they will be sitting in. When you're basting, you might notice that the ends are going quite crispy. To stop this, after 40 minutes I loosely cover the potatoes with a square of aluminium foil.
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After 1 hour 10 minutes, use a knife to check whether the potatoes are soft in the centre, if not then pop them back in for a little longer.
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Once they're soft in the centre, remove from the oven and serve.
Recipe Notes
For more great potato recipe ideas including my CHEESY HASSELBACK POTATOES, EASY POTATO WEDGES and CRISPY SWEET POTATO FRIES, take a look at my SIDE DISHES MENU.
Free From/Suitable For
The ingredients for this recipe are commonly available free from all these allergens. However, please ensure you double-check allergen information for all ingredients.
- Suitable for Vegetarians
- Gluten-Free
- Tree Nut-Free
- Peanut-Free
- Sesame-Free
- Egg-Free
- Soya-Free
- Sulphur Dioxide and Sulphite-Free
- Fish-Free
- Crustacean-Free
- Mollusc-Free
- Celery and Celeriac-Free
- Mustard-Free
- Lupin-Free
This recipe can be made vegan and dairy-free by switching the butter for a little extra olive oil.
I made these tonight for our dinner as an alternative to chips or wedges and was pleasantly surprised as all the family really liked them. We used butter but I will try them with olive oil next time as trying to be healthy after Easter. Thanks
Absolutely love these potatoes! As I don’t use butter I switched it to just using olive oil and they are really tasty. Awesome recipe!!
Thanks Amy, I’m glad you enjoyed. Switching to just olive oil is a fantastic way to make these dairy-free and vegan.
They look wonderful; however, can you convert the grams into US measurements. Thank you.
For both the butter and oil 20g/ml is roughly equivalent to 4 teaspoons. I hope that helps.
Made them tonight for supper, my grandaughter loved them, as did the rest of the family. So a big from us.
Is it not fattening with butter n oil? Could u use an alternative?
No worse than just using more of either.
I use a combination of the two as I like the flavour it gives the potatoes. If you want to reduce the fat content then simply use less of each or substitute them for a lower fat alternative (if you have one you particularly like to use).
I haven’t tried the Hasselback Potatoes yet ,they look very impressive and can use
Different fillings ,will let you know how I get on .Thanks Charlotte you are a star
Thanks Mary, I hope you enjoy them x
Another option I’ve used is to place little strips of prosciutto into some of the slits. I also added some herb leaves (such as basil) into other slits. The flavours then permeate the whole potato. Works nicely
That sounds delicious 🙂
I must admit I cheat a little with them, I microwave the potatoes for around 3 to 4 mins then lightly spray with olive oil and backe on 200 for around 20/25 mins till they are cooked through,
There’s nothing wrong with a bit of cheating if you’re short of time, I’ve been known to cheat a little occasionally too! Although, I do prefer them when they’re cooked just in the oven.
I’ve just made these I used two chop sticks, one either side of the potato so I didn’t cut right through and I’ve used fresh rosemary and garlic out of the garden with olive oil and seasoning OMG they are amazing 🙂 I’m thinking next time to add slices of mozzarella and tomato in the gaps 🙂
Thanks Craig, I’m so glad you enjoyed them. I love rosemary and garlic with roast potatoes so I’d imagine it tasted really good. I love the idea of adding the slices of mozzarella and tomato, I tend to just make them plain and simple but there are loads of different ideas to try. I’ve spotted quite a few really nice looking ones on Pinterest.
Tip: I use chop sticks along each side and this will also prevent you from cutting the potatoe all the way through.
Thanks for the tip, I’ll give it a try.
What a great idea. Can you do this in the microwave?
Not really. You’ll have a perfectly edible potato, but the beauty of the oven baked version is that the edges go crisp while the inside is soft and as it’s baked slowly is absorbs the flavours from the oil and butter. None of this happens if you microwave it. It really just tasted like a microwaved baked potato so no need to go to the extra effort of adding the slices.
Sorry for taking a while to reply. I thought this would be the answer but wanted to try it out just to make sure.
I have never tried making these but should, they look really pretty. I imagine they add a wow factor to a meal
You’re right, they look so much more impressive than jacket potatoes and they only take a little more effort.
I tried making these once and they really didn’t turn out well, I must try again soon, they look so good.
I love them so I’d really recommend you give them another try. If you do, then I’d love to hear how they go for you this time.
These hasselbacks look perfect! They are perfect with a big glob of sour-cream and some chives.
You’re so right, they would taste lovely with sour cream and chives.
Oh my those looks absolutely amazing!!!!! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Renee, they taste good too!
I LOVE hasselback potatoes! I haven’t made them for ages though so will have to give them a go and see if the kids like them. I sometimes sprinkle cheese or paprika on the top. A good tip for not cutting right through the potato is to place a wooden spoon beside the potato and that stops the knife going right to the bottom. Great pictures, by the way!!
That’s a great tip about using the wooden spoon. Do you mind if I update my tutorial to include it? I’ll say where the idea came from.
Don’t mind at all! Thanks for asking 🙂 Got mine in the oven now, thanks to your inspiration!
Thanks Karen x