Here are my loaded Hasselback potatoes, with thin slices that fan out beautifully, crispy edges from butter and olive oil, and all the best toppings—melted cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, green onions, and a dollop of sour cream.
These potatoes are always a hit at dinner in our house. They look fancy but are actually pretty easy to make, and everyone loves that they’re basically a baked potato taken up a notch with all those crispy layers and loaded toppings.
Why You’ll Love These Loaded Hasselback Potatoes
- Impressive presentation – The hasselback cut creates those beautiful accordion-like slices that look fancy but are actually super easy to make, perfect for impressing dinner guests or making weeknight meals feel special.
- Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside – The thin slices get wonderfully crispy while the center stays soft and tender, giving you the best of both worlds in every bite.
- Customizable toppings – Load them up with sour cream and your favorite toppings like cheese, bacon, or chives to make them exactly how you like them.
- Simple ingredients – You probably already have potatoes and sour cream in your kitchen, making this an easy recipe to whip up without a special grocery run.
What Kind of Rice Should I Use?
Long grain rice is your best bet for this recipe because it cooks up light and fluffy with grains that stay separate rather than clumping together. You can use regular long grain white rice, jasmine rice, or even basmati – they’ll all work great here. If you only have medium grain rice on hand, it’ll still be tasty, just a bit stickier than long grain. Make sure to rinse your rice before cooking to remove excess starch, which helps prevent it from getting gummy and ensures you get those nice, individual grains in your finished dish.
Options for Substitutions
This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need them:
- Long grain rice: You can use basmati or jasmine rice instead of regular long grain. Both will give you fluffy results with slightly different flavors. Just keep the same cooking time and liquid ratio.
- Butter: If you’re out of butter, just use an extra tablespoon of olive oil. The flavor will be a bit lighter, but it’ll still taste great.
- Vegetable broth: Chicken broth works perfectly here if that’s what you have. You can also use water with a bouillon cube dissolved in it – just adjust the salt since bouillon can be salty.
- Yellow onion: White or red onions are fine substitutes. Shallots work too if you have them, though you might want to use about 2 large shallots to replace the half onion.
- Fresh parsley: Dried parsley works in a pinch – use about 1 tablespoon instead of 1/4 cup fresh. You could also swap in fresh cilantro or chives for a different flavor profile.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking
The biggest mistake when making hasselback potatoes is slicing all the way through, which turns them into regular potato slices instead of the signature fan shape – place chopsticks or wooden spoons on either side of the potato as a guide to prevent your knife from cutting too deep.
Skipping the initial brushing with butter or oil between the slices is another common error that leads to dry, bland potatoes, so take the extra minute to work that fat into the cuts for crispy, golden edges.
Many people also add the cheese too early, which causes it to burn or become rubbery, so wait until the potatoes are fully tender before tucking cheese between the slices for that perfect melty finish.
Finally, make sure to check for doneness by inserting a knife into the thickest part of the potato – it should slide in easily without resistance.
What to Serve With Hasselback Potatoes?
Hasselback potatoes are pretty filling on their own, but they make an awesome side dish for grilled steak, roasted chicken, or pork chops. If you want to keep things vegetarian, serve them alongside a big Caesar salad or some roasted vegetables like asparagus or green beans. These potatoes also work great as part of a brunch spread with scrambled eggs and bacon, since they’re crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. For a lighter meal, pair them with a simple arugula salad dressed with lemon and olive oil to balance out the richness of the sour cream topping.
Storage Instructions
Store: Keep your leftover rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It’s great to have on hand for quick lunches or as a side dish throughout the week. The flavors actually get even better after a day or two!
Freeze: This rice freezes really well for up to 3 months. Let it cool completely, then portion it into freezer-safe bags or containers. I like to freeze it flat in bags so it thaws faster and takes up less space in the freezer.
Reheat: Warm it up in the microwave with a splash of water or broth to keep it from drying out, stirring halfway through. You can also reheat it on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a bit of liquid, stirring occasionally until heated through.
| Preparation Time | 10-15 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 50-70 minutes |
| Total Time | 60-85 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Medium |
| Servings | 4 servings |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 700-800
- Protein: 7-9 g
- Fat: 22-26 g
- Carbohydrates: 120-135 g
Ingredients
- 4 medium Russet potatoes
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Step 1: Prepare Potatoes and Set Up for Roasting
- 4 medium Russet potatoes
Preheat your oven to 425°F.
While the oven heats, wash the potatoes thoroughly under cold water and pat them dry completely—this helps them crisp up during roasting.
Place each potato on a cutting board and carefully slice it about three-quarters of the way through at roughly ¼-inch intervals, being careful not to cut all the way to the bottom.
The potato should stay intact so the slices fan out but stay connected.
Stand each sliced potato upright on a rimmed baking sheet, then gently fan out the slices slightly to create a beautiful presentation and expose more surface area for the toppings.
Step 2: Season and Roast the Potatoes
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Combine the melted butter and olive oil in a small bowl.
Brush this mixture generously all over the fanned potatoes, making sure to get into the slices as much as possible—this ensures even browning and helps the potatoes crisp up.
Sprinkle the salt and freshly ground black pepper evenly over all the potatoes.
Roast in the preheated oven for 45–60 minutes, until the potatoes are completely tender when pierced with a fork and the exposed edges are golden and crispy.
I like to check them around the 45-minute mark to gauge how they’re browning—every oven is different!
Step 3: Add Cheese and Toppings
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
Remove the roasted potatoes from the oven and while they’re still hot, carefully distribute the shredded sharp cheddar cheese between the slices of each potato, working down into the gaps.
The residual heat will start melting the cheese.
Sprinkle the crumbled bacon and chopped green onions evenly over the tops of all four potatoes.
Return the baking sheet to the oven for 5–10 minutes, just until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
I find that the bacon gets slightly crisper during this final roast, which adds great texture to the final dish.
Step 4: Serve with Sour Cream
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Transfer the loaded hasselback potatoes to serving plates and serve immediately while the cheese is still melted and everything is warm.
Dollop each potato generously with sour cream on top—or serve it on the side so guests can add as much as they’d like.
The cool, tangy sour cream is the perfect complement to the rich, cheesy, crispy potatoes.
Tasty Loaded Hasselback Potatoes with Sour Cream
Ingredients
- 4 medium Russet potatoes
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. While the oven heats, wash the potatoes thoroughly under cold water and pat them dry completely—this helps them crisp up during roasting. Place each potato on a cutting board and carefully slice it about three-quarters of the way through at roughly ¼-inch intervals, being careful not to cut all the way to the bottom. The potato should stay intact so the slices fan out but stay connected. Stand each sliced potato upright on a rimmed baking sheet, then gently fan out the slices slightly to create a beautiful presentation and expose more surface area for the toppings.
- Combine the melted butter and olive oil in a small bowl. Brush this mixture generously all over the fanned potatoes, making sure to get into the slices as much as possible—this ensures even browning and helps the potatoes crisp up. Sprinkle the salt and freshly ground black pepper evenly over all the potatoes. Roast in the preheated oven for 45–60 minutes, until the potatoes are completely tender when pierced with a fork and the exposed edges are golden and crispy. I like to check them around the 45-minute mark to gauge how they're browning—every oven is different!
- Remove the roasted potatoes from the oven and while they're still hot, carefully distribute the shredded sharp cheddar cheese between the slices of each potato, working down into the gaps. The residual heat will start melting the cheese. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon and chopped green onions evenly over the tops of all four potatoes. Return the baking sheet to the oven for 5–10 minutes, just until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly. I find that the bacon gets slightly crisper during this final roast, which adds great texture to the final dish.
- Transfer the loaded hasselback potatoes to serving plates and serve immediately while the cheese is still melted and everything is warm. Dollop each potato generously with sour cream on top—or serve it on the side so guests can add as much as they'd like. The cool, tangy sour cream is the perfect complement to the rich, cheesy, crispy potatoes.
