Hasselback Sweet Potatoes look like you slaved over them, but truly they are an easy delectable side dish that will leave your guests in awe.
Sweet potatoes are always a favorite of mine. I eat them all year long, but I especially love them around the holidays. Not only are they delicious on their own, but they are high in fiber, and offer your body some great vitamins and minerals.
While there are a million delicious ways that you can prepare sweet potatoes (Hello, did someone say Sweet Potato Fries???), these Hasselback Sweet Potatoes are a show stopper around the holidays. They are shockingly easy to make and will wow your guests. They should absolutely be on your Thanksgiving and Christmas tables.
Made these for Thanksgiving. They were delicious.
What are Hasselback Potatoes
Hasselback Potatoes are potatoes that are cut part of the way through in thin slices down the length of the potato. They were created in 1953 by Leif Elisson, a chef in training at the Hasselbacken restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden
How to Make Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
- Cut the sweet potatoes. Place a wooden spoon (or wooden skewer) on either side of the sweet potato. Starting at the point where the potato makes contact with the counter, start making 1/8 inch cuts down the length of the potato. The wooden spoons will prevent you from cutting all the way through. Repeat this with three more potatoes.
- Make the butter topping. Whisk together melted butter, maple syrup, kosher salt, garlic and dried rosemary and thyme.
- Brush the potatoes. Add about half of the butter mixture to the tops of the potatoes with a brush.
- Bake the potatoes. Half way through baking, you will remove the potatoes from the oven. Using a fork, carefully lift the potato from the middle about an inch or two off the baking sheet. This will allow the potato to open up more. Then brush on the rest of the butter mixture and return them to the oven.
Cutting Hasselback Potatoes
These are not the easiest thing in the world to cut, but don’t stress about it. I had a few pieces that didn’t cut right and came apart from the potato. I just set them inside the sweet potato and moved on with life.
A few tips for cutting hasselback potatoes:
- Use wooden utensils on either side of the potato. This will keep you from slicing through the potato. Keep in mind that you want to use something you don’t mind marking up a little. Thick wooden skewers would also work well.
- Work slowly. If you try to move too quickly through these you will get slices that are too big or too small. That being said, even when you take your time, you will only spend a minute or two cutting each potato.
FAQ
Are hasselback potatoes peeled?
No, there are no need to peel potatoes before cutting them hasselback style.
Can hasselback potatoes be made ahead of time?
I would not recommend making these ahead of time. They will brown after they are cut and won’t look nearly as appealing.
Can I make this recipe with russet potatoes instead of sweet potatoes?
Yes! And you can keep everything else the same when you do it.
Hasselback Sweet Potatoes as a Side Dish
These would make an ideal holiday side dish. You can see them pictured with my Crockpot Turkey Breast. But you definitely could make these all year as a main dish that is perfect for entertaining with. Here are a few dishes they would go great with.
If you make these Hasselback Sweet Potatoes or any of my other recipes, leave me a comment and let me know what you think!
Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 large sweet potatoes scrubbed with the skins still on
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme finely minced
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place a wooden spoon (or wooden skewer) on either side of a sweet potato. Starting where the potato first meets the counter (this will prevent you from cutting off the end of the potato), create slices down the length of the potato, 1/8 inch thick. Use the wooden spoon handles as a guide so that the knife doesn't go all the way through the potoates. Repeat with the remaining potaotes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the butter, maple syrup, salt, herbs, and garlic. Brush half the mixture over the potatoes.
- Bake for an hour. Halfway through baking, remove the potatoes from the oven. Put a fork under the potato in the middle of it, and gently lift it about two inches off the baking sheet. This will help the potato open up more (repeat with the rest of the potatoes). Then gently use a fork to spread open the potatoes from the top. Brush on the rest of the butter mixture and place back in the oven for the rest of hte baking time.
Kimberly says
Made these for Thanksgiving. They were delicious.
I’m so glad! thank you for coming back to tell me!
Earlyne says
Hi Lisa,
I love your recipes. I’ve not made all of them yet but my printer has been busy, I’ll tell ya! I did want to say one thing, please don’t thank me for supporting you and your recipes. Once was sufficient, thanks. I’m very happy to see your recipes in my inbox. So..thank YOU!
That thank you comes automatically with my emails, so you are just going to have to be thanked over and over and know I mean it ;)
Pat says
The topping combination seemed weird, garlic and maple syrup with rosemary and thyme? It worked, though. The recipe is delicious even though the part about lifting up with a fork didn’t really work all that well.
I’m glad that you liked it.
G.Gross says
I just made these for Thanksgiving this year and they were absolutely amazing. The recipe was perfection. Delicious blend of flavors.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Akula says
I decided to make hasselbeck sweet potatos tonight and Googled for a recipe. Much to my great good fortune the first thing to pop up was this one! How lucky am I? A great recipe from a great person. They were delicious, and gave me the opportunity to reminisce about a dear friend from my childhood.
Awwww, miss you friend!!
Lyn says
Do you peal the sweet potato first? If not do you eat the skin after it is cooked? Thank you!
You do not peal them and yes! The peal is totally safe to eat.
Charlotte says
This is a fantastic side dish. It was fantastic. I going to try and make this on a camping trip I will wrap it in tinfoil and cook over the fire.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!