Cast Iron

Hasselback Potato Skillet Bake

by:
January 19, 2015
4.5
11 Ratings
Hasselback Potato Skillet Bake
Photo by Mark Weinberg
  • Prep time 15 minutes
  • Cook time 1 hour
  • Serves 6 to 8
Author Notes

A perfect side dish that can also be served as an alternative to hash browns for breakfast. —Kat Suletzki

Test Kitchen Notes

WHO: Kat Suletzki is a food blogger and photographer from Cambridge, Massachusetts.
WHAT: Our new favorite way to cook Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced and dressed with garlic, butter, and herbs.
HOW: Slice potatoes into 1/8-inch sections nearly all the way through, keeping them connected on one side. Brush the potatoes generously with garlic, herbs, and melted butter, then nestle them into a skillet. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
WHY WE LOVE IT: The lovechild of a potato chip and a baked potato, this hasselback skillet bake combines the best of both worlds; it's crispy on the outside with a creamy center. Either serve the potato as is, letting the buttery herbs speak for themselves, or add a dollop of sour cream or chives into the accordion folds. —The Editors

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 6 baby Yukon Gold potatoes (any long and narrow waxy heirloom will work) and up to 8, based on skillet size
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 tablespoons finely minced herbs (I use parsley, rosemary, and thyme.)
  • 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan (optional)
  • 1 pinch Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 425º F.
  2. Scrub the potatoes thoroughly and remove all the hard bits from the skin, as the skins will be left on.
  3. Slice one thin layer off each potato, along the length, then set aside. This serves as a solid base to rest on while you slice them. Place a potato flat side-down and use a sharp knife to make slices that are about 1/8-inch apart; slice into the potato but not completely through it -- the slices should stay connected at the bottom. (Tip: Place a chopstick on either side of the potato so that you hit the chopstick before slicing all the way through.) Carefully fan out the sliced pieces without breaking them apart. Repeat with each potato.
  4. In a small mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, garlic, and minced herbs. Set aside.
  5. Using a pastry brush, brush the bottom and sides of a cast iron skillet and each potato with the garlic-herb butter mixture. Brush the potatoes generously, making sure to get in-between each slice. Reserve 1/3 of the garlic-herb butter for basting. Nestle the potatoes into the skillet. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese (if using) and salt and pepper, to taste.
  6. Bake for 1 hour -- basting the potatoes every 15 minutes with the remaining garlic-herb butter -- or until tender on the inside and crisp on the outside.
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51 Reviews

Susan A.
Susan A. December 8, 2022
I followed the recipe as written, and the potatoes were very creamy and soft. My herb/butter/garlic/Parm top browned more than I would have preferred. Might be best to put the Parm on in the last 15 mins? I used a cast iron pan as well, and the potato skins were not as crisp as I thought they were going to be. Served along side of meatloaf and it paired well.
 
Mae
Mae April 26, 2021
These came out great! I followed the recipe exactly as instructed, except that I used dried herbs because I didn't have any fresh. I wasn't sure if they would fan out at all because they felt kind of tight before they cooked, but it worked out great! I followed someone else's suggestion and used two pencils in leu of chopsticks. That made things so much easier!
 
Charleen
Charleen October 2, 2020
I cut about 1/4" of the rounded ends off each potato and place the ends under the potatoes in the skillet. This fans out the slices making them more open to accepting the butter/herb basting. Yum!
 
Etact
Etact September 16, 2020
I first learned about this dish while visiting Sweden many years ago. They were outstanding but I couldn't figure out what kind of actual potato was used other than a medium waxy type like our Yukon Golds as this recipe calls for. I first tried this with small Russets as that was what I had on hand, but didn't like the texture - too starchy. This dish prepared as intended as a Swedish national recognized dish needs more potato structure.

I essentially followed this recipe except adding a hint of fresh dill in the herbs. The Swiss love their dill in just about everything and it's that secret "what is in this" ingredient. The cast iron is a nice play since I know that the Swedes traditionally use glass casserole dishes for less browning and baking, specifically from the bottom and sides. The cast iron method makes a more equally browned outcome for what we Americans prefer, at least in our potato dishes. Well done!
 
Etact
Etact September 16, 2020
"The Swiss love their dill..." meant the Swedes - autospell strikes again!
 
Heather S.
Heather S. June 4, 2020
Oh my goodness. So delicious. Made with butterball potatoes from the farmers market, and they were the star of our family dinner. My 5 year old declared it the best thing she’s ever had! Make sure to salt it well and every garlicky, buttery slice will be that much more flavorful!
 
Boo
Boo February 11, 2018
I made these using russet potatoes. The last 15 minutes, I sprinkled with seasoned breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese and then basted once again with the butter mixture. This was amazing!
 
Tatiana
Tatiana March 27, 2016
I made these as a side for my Easter lamb dinner. I thought I had made too much and would have plenty of leftovers. Nope. They were all gone. I doubled the garlic for my garlic loving family. The Dear Husband said I could make these again any time.
 
Heaven
Heaven November 21, 2015
I didn't have an iron skillet so I used a Pyrex dish. Worked just fine. These were delish, probably just a little less crispy I'd imagine.
 
Marlene W.
Marlene W. October 6, 2015
If you do ahead then place them in a large pot of cold water til ready to use and they wont turn brown
 
Dean O.
Dean O. August 30, 2015
I was very excited to make this recipe. Like others, mine didn't turn out quite as pretty as the photo, but held its own and was a good looking dish. I will say that the potatoes were a tiny bit bland and required additional salt once served (even having added s/p per the recipe instructions).

Truly my only real grip is that cooking the herbs and garlic for that long, at that temperature, made the garlic bitter and the herbs lost their brightness in the dish. Next time, I'd probably just do the first few bastings with butter and then do a separate butter/herbs/garlic mixture for the final 2 bastings.

Still, I enjoyed making a new recipe and it's looks more difficult to make than it really is.

P.S. If I had had sour cream in the fridge, I might have put a dollop on the side for some additional flavor.

P.P.S. I didn't have chopsticks so used 2 pencils, which worked perfectly!
 
kitchenkittn
kitchenkittn July 22, 2015
Delicious!

However, I had trouble making them look as pretty as the pic, as I'm clearly not as talented as others' with my knife skills. I tried chopsticks, but despite a lifetime of using them, they did me no good for this dish. So, a note for those who are likewise with their motor skills: I cut the potatoes as close as I could personally manage without them falling apart. Once I did so, I turned the potato sideways and elongated the cuts. Yes, this takes more work, but it worked for better presentation.

Thank you for this simple but lovely recipe!
 
Kat S.
Kat S. July 23, 2015
Trust me ... the first dozen times that I made my recipe, the cutting wasn't nearly as pretty either. That part just takes practice (and a sharp knife helps). Thanks for the tip on your cutting. Happy that you enjoyed the recipe.
 
barbara
barbara May 10, 2015
Don't know about the Idaho potatoes. The recipe calls for waxy skinned potatoes. The wooden spoon works, but I found chopsticks worked better.
 
Francine D.
Francine D. May 9, 2015
I saw someone making these on t.v. and she put the potatoes in a wooden spoon and it stopped the knife from going all the way through.
 
MangoEats
MangoEats April 28, 2015
WOW! Just perfect...I made these last night and not only were they visual eye candy but they were absolutely yummy to the tummy. Thanks for sharing, I now have a go to pretty potato dish for family dinners and special occasions. :)
 
Cmgrauer
Cmgrauer April 25, 2015
Would this recipe work with Idaho potatoes?
 
Kat S.
Kat S. April 25, 2015
Yes, but you will have to bake it for longer than an hour as the potatoes are larger. For this particular recipe (though not Hasselback-style overall) I would look for the smallest Idaho potatoes (russets) that you can find. Kat
 
juleeclip
juleeclip April 2, 2015
How do you think these would do being made ahead and then reheated later in the day? Thinking of making these for a dinner, but also doing a roast that needs to be done at 375, but I'm thinking I could use the tail end of the roasting time to reheat.
 
barbara
barbara March 30, 2015
Kat...thanks for your reply. I actully tried to slice a butter potatoe yesterday and it didn't turn black? Maybe it's just the type of potatoe? I'm going to throw it into the oven tonight to see if it has any effect on the taste. worth a try right?
 
Kat S.
Kat S. March 30, 2015
Certainly worth a try! Good luck!
 
barbara
barbara March 29, 2015
Can anyone tell me if I can slice potatoes a day ahead, cover & refridge overnight?
I have to make 25 potatoes for Easter Brunch?
 
Kat S.
Kat S. March 29, 2015
Barbara: I would actually not recommend that with these, given the propensity of the sliced potatoes to turn black from the starch. Even if you rinsed them, given how thin and delicate the slices are, I don't think you'd get rid of the starch. :( Kat
 
BavarianCook
BavarianCook March 29, 2015
These were so easy and super tasty, plus looked great! I used 2 small cutting boards on either side of the potato to make sure I did not slice all the way through. A definite keeper of a recipe!!
 
T B.
T B. March 27, 2015
Looks Great