Baby Hasselback Potato Bake with Cheddar and Bacon

Baby Hasselback Potato Bake with Cheddar and Bacon is super simple, great to take to a party because it can be made ahead of time and guaranteed to be a hit!

The inspiration behind this recipe:

Ever wonder what to take to a casual get-together with friends that’s not the same old, same old?

We were assigned “side dish” duty for a little gathering not long ago.  I was determined not to purchase anything because we already had a refrigerator full of produce–including a bag of baby Yukon Gold potatoes.

Roast them?  Meh.  Boil them?  Double meh.  I needed something impressive that would transport well and be easily reheated or kept warm.

I roasted the potatoes at home, popped them into a baking dish, then placed the dish in a small cooler to keep warm on the drive over.  (Yes, coolers also keep things warm.)

When we arrived at our friend’s home, I topped with the butter, cheese and bacon and borrowed their oven to melt the cheese and heat through.  They were a hit and Baby Hasselback Potato Bake with Cheddar and Bacon was born!

What are Hasselback potatoes?

Hasselback potatoes are named for the Swedish Hasselbacken hotel where this preparation became popular back in the 1950’s.  They remain popular to this day and this technique is now applied to numerous things including beets and even chicken!

How to make Baby Hasselback Potato Bake with Cheddar and Bacon:

• Start with 1 ½ pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes.  I like Yukon Golds for this dish because of their buttery flavor and they look nice with the melty Cheddar cheese.  However, you can certainly use reds or a combination.

• First, you’ll need to “hasselback” the potatoes.
• The most difficult part is slicing the potato without cutting all the way through but cutting far enough so they “fan-out” when baked.  Here’s my high-tech solution:  Chopsticks!
• You can secure the chopsticks with duct tape to keep them in place or simply apply pressure on the potato as you slice down to keep the chopsticks in place.
• Be careful when slicing the ends of the potatoes because it’s easy to slice the end off completely.  However, if you accidentally do slice off an end, it won’t be noticeable after you place them in a baking dish.

• Gather up the remaining ingredients:
  • Olive oil
  • Granulated onion
  • Granulated garlic
  • Paprika
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Bacon
  • Cheddar cheese
  • Chopped scallions

• Combine the oil, granulated onion, granulated garlic, paprika, salt and black pepper in a bowl.  I’m generally not a fan of dried onion and garlic, but they work better on roasted potatoes than would fresh.
• Add the Hasselbacked potatoes and toss well.

• Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle any remaining oil or spices over the potatoes.

• Roast at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a paring knife.

• Place the potatoes in a prepared baking dish.
• TO MAKE AHEAD:  The potatoes can be prepared up to this point 1-2 days ahead of time.  Let cool, top with the butter….

• …. the cheese and the bacon and refrigerate covered until ready to bake.
• TO BAKE RIGHT AWAY:  Leave the oven at 375.  Top with the butter, cheese and bacon and heat through until the cheese is melted.

Cheesy, bacony, buttery potato goodness!  Mwaaaahh!

Serve with sour cream on the side.

For more great potato side dishes, be sure to try my:

• Skillet Salt-Roasted Baby Potatoes with Sour Cream Horseradish Sauce
• Patatas Bravas Chilenos  (Chile Potatoes)
• Oven Fries with Spicy Pesto Aioli
• Spinach Parmesan Ranch Twice-Baked Potatoes with Parmesan Crumb Topping
• Rosemary Garlic Crushed Potatoes with Lemon Chive Aioli
• Perfect Roasted Potato Wedges
• Cheddar and Bacon Twice-Baked Potatoes
• Au Gratin Potatoes For Two

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