There's something almost magical about the way potatoes transform when sliced perfectly and roasted until crunchy on the edges yet soft inside. This Crispy Hasselback Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary Recipe captures that golden crunch with fragrant herbs, making it an unforgettable side for any meal.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
I can’t tell you how often I’ve made these Crispy Hasselback Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary Recipe for gatherings because they always wow the crowd. It’s that perfect balance of soft and crispy, with garlic and rosemary infusing every slice. Trust me, it’s easier than it looks and super rewarding.
- Elegant yet Simple: The sliced “fan” effect gives these potatoes a fancy look without extra fuss.
- Flavor Packed: Roasting with garlic and rosemary infuses every bite with fragrant, savory goodness.
- Textural Delight: Crunchy edges and melting soft centers offer a perfect contrast you’ll keep craving.
- Versatile Side Dish: Pairs beautifully with anything – meats, veggies, or even a big salad.
Ingredients & Why They Work
Each ingredient here serves a purpose to bring this Crispy Hasselback Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary Recipe to life. The potatoes provide that creamy base; extra virgin olive oil crisps the edges while infusing flavor, and the garlic and rosemary add an aromatic depth you’ll notice immediately.
- Potatoes: I recommend medium-sized oval potatoes because they slice evenly and fan out beautifully.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Its fruity notes complement rosemary and garlic well and crisp up the slices.
- Salt (Kosher or cooking salt): Essential for seasoning and bringing out the natural potato flavor — I use it twice, once lightly pre-oil and again for finishing.
- Garlic cloves: Left in their skins and smashed, they release subtle garlic aroma without burning or becoming overwhelming.
- Rosemary sprigs: Fresh rosemary is best here, adding a woodsy, herbal fragrance that gets absorbed beautifully during roasting.
Make It Your Way
While the classic garlic and rosemary combo is hard to beat, I often tweak this Crispy Hasselback Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary Recipe depending on the occasion—sometimes adding a sprinkle of parmesan or swapping rosemary for thyme to switch things up.
- Variation: One of my go-to twists is adding a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese during the last 10 minutes of roasting—adds a lovely savory crispness.
- Dietary swap: If you want to keep things dairy-free, just stick with extra olive oil and fresh herbs, which shine on their own.
- Seasonal herbs: In summer, I sometimes try fresh thyme or oregano to match whatever main dish I’m serving.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Crispy Hasselback Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary Recipe
Step 1: Prep Your Potatoes Like a Pro
Start by washing your potatoes thoroughly—no need to peel. Place one potato on a cutting board and slice thinly from one end to the other, stopping just before you cut all the way through. I like to lay chopsticks or wooden spoons on either side as a guard so my knife doesn’t slice through completely—this way, the potato fans open while staying intact. Repeat for each potato.
Step 2: Season and Infuse
Set the potatoes in a baking dish. Brush generously with 1 ½ teaspoons of olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt to start. Tuck the smashed garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs around the potatoes—their aroma will infuse the oil and potato flesh as they roast.
Step 3: Roast Low and Slow
Pop your tray into a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) and roast for about 80 minutes. The long roasting time let’s those thin slices crisp up beautifully while the centers turn tender and creamy. Halfway through, I like to brush a little extra olive oil over the potatoes and sprinkle some more salt to amp up that crispiness and flavor.
Top Tip
From my many batches of this Crispy Hasselback Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary Recipe, a few tips really made all the difference. These tricks help anyone nail the perfect texture and maximize flavor with minimal effort.
- Knife Guard Hack: Using chopsticks on each side while slicing ensures you don’t cut all the way through and keeps your potato beautifully fanned.
- Slow Roast Patience: Resist the urge to crank up the oven; slow roasting at 180°C brings out that golden crunch and soft center better than high heat.
- Garlic and Herb Placement: Adding smashed garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs tucked around the potatoes creates subtle bursts of flavor without overpowering.
- Seasoning Twice: Lightly salt before roasting and again midway to get seasoning deep into the potato and enhance crispiness evenly.
How to Serve Crispy Hasselback Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary Recipe
Garnishes
I usually finish these crispy gems with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and a touch of freshly chopped parsley to add freshness and a burst of color. Sometimes a little grated parmesan goes on top just before serving for a cheesy touch. A small drizzle of good quality olive oil to finish can’t hurt either.
Side Dishes
This recipe shines paired with everything from roast chicken or steak to grilled fish or even a big green salad for a lighter meal. I particularly love serving this alongside lemon-roasted chicken or a rich beef stew—the potatoes act as the perfect vehicle for soaked-up juices.
Creative Ways to Present
For special dinners, I sometimes arrange these potatoes on a platter topped with extra garlic-rosemary oil and a handful of toasted pine nuts for crunch. They also look gorgeous placed standing up in a cast-iron skillet straight to the table—super rustic and inviting.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
If you end up with leftovers, which rarely happens because these potatoes disappear fast, store them in an airtight container in the fridge. They keep well for 2-3 days but do note the crispy edges soften a bit overnight.
Freezing
I personally don’t freeze these because the texture changes and the crispiness is lost. But if you need to, flash freeze on a tray first, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag for up to one month. Plan to re-crisp them well when reheating.
Reheating
To bring back that delicious crispiness, I reheat leftovers in a hot oven at around 200°C (400°F) for 10–15 minutes instead of the microwave. The oven helps restore the fan edges' crunch beautifully.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Aim to slice about 2–3mm thin but stop just before cutting through, so the potato fans open beautifully while baking. Using chopsticks as a guide can help avoid over-slicing.
Absolutely! Fresh thyme or oregano also work wonderfully, lending different but equally delicious aromas. Feel free to experiment with your favorites.
No need to peel. Leaving the skin on adds texture and helps the potatoes hold their shape while roasting. Just make sure to wash them well before slicing.
By keeping the garlic cloves smashed but in their skins and tucking them around the potatoes, they roast gently and infuse flavor without burning. Also, roasting at a moderate temperature helps prevent burning.
Final Thoughts
Honestly, this Crispy Hasselback Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary Recipe holds a special place on my dinner table because it turns an everyday ingredient into something show-stopping with minimal effort. Once you try it, you’ll find yourself reaching for this recipe again and again—perfect for special occasions or cozy weeknight meals alike. Give it a go, and I promise, you’ll be hooked.
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Crispy Hasselback Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 80 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Swedish
Description
Hasselback potatoes are a delicious dish featuring thinly sliced potatoes that fan out during baking to create a crispy edge and tender interior. Brushed with garlic rosemary olive oil, these potatoes are perfect as a side dish or a special treat for any meal.
Ingredients
Potatoes
- 5 - 6 x 250g / 8oz potatoes
Seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon cooking salt / kosher salt
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ¼ teaspoon cooking salt / kosher salt
- 4 garlic cloves, skin on, smashed (optional)
- 3 rosemary sprigs (optional but recommended)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) to prepare for baking the potatoes.
- Prepare Potatoes: Wash and dry the potatoes. Using a sharp knife, make thin, even slices about 3mm apart across each potato, cutting almost all the way through but leaving the base intact so the potato fans out during baking.
- Season Potatoes: Brush the potatoes evenly with 1 ½ teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle ¼ teaspoon of cooking salt or kosher salt over them.
- Add Garlic and Rosemary: Insert the smashed garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs around the potatoes or place them on the baking tray for aroma and flavor infusion.
- Final Olive Oil and Salt: Drizzle the ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle 1 ¼ teaspoons of cooking salt over the potatoes to ensure they crisp well and are flavorful.
- Bake Potatoes: Place the prepared potatoes on a baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 80 minutes until the edges are crispy and the potatoes are soft inside.
- Serve: Remove the potatoes from the oven, let them cool slightly, and serve warm as a side dish or a snack.
Notes
- Use oval or medium-sized potatoes for better fanning and crispiness.
- Ensure slicing is thin but not all the way through to help the potato fan out properly.
- Even if slices are uneven or thick, your hasselbacks will still taste amazing.
- You can watch a recipe video for guidance on slicing and baking technique.
- Optional garlic and rosemary add aromatic flavor but can be omitted if preferred.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 potato
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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