Cheesy Hasselback Potatoes. Because they’re good for ya!*
With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, we’ve got holiday recipes on our mind! And while the turkey usually seems to be the star of the show, let’s be honest – we’re all really looking forward to our favorite sides, whether it’s cornbread stuffing (my favorite), green bean casserole (my favorite), or sweet potato casserole (my favorite).
But the side dish that I always look forward to every year involves potatoes (and my mother-in-law makes an amazing one!). Scalloped, au gratin, mashed – any way you slice it – nothing completes a Thanksgiving meal like warm, hot-from-the-oven potatoes.
It also helps that the way to my heart is a side dish that has nothing but carbs and cheese.
(A girl’s gouda do what a girl’s gouda do, you know?)
This recipe from NYTimes Cooking is a foolproof way to creating the perfect cheesy hasselback potatoes. They’re comforting and creamy with just the right amount of crispy. Using russet potatoes, cream, garlic, thyme, and two types of cheese – gruyere and parmigiano reggiano – it’s sure to be a hit at the dinner table.
And while the steps are really simple, it does take a little while to bake, so plan accordingly! Maybe plan on popping it in the oven and forgetting about it for a bit while you whip up that delicious gravy and cranberry sauce, or scoot it over to bake something else in there with it. You could even make it ahead of time and just reheat at a low temperature before serving. Or you could pop open a bottle of wine, grab a fork for that pumpkin pie, and spend an hour watching videos of babies and dogs on Facebook. (I’m not saying that’s my favorite option, but that’s my favorite option.)
*good for the soul, bad for the thighs
Cheesy Hasselback Potatoes
2017-11-20 11:03:56
Serves 8
Print
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
1 hr 30 min
Total Time
2 hr
Ingredients
- 3 ounces finely grated Gruyère or comté cheese
- 2 ounces finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 4 to 4 ½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and sliced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine cheeses in a large bowl. Transfer 1/3 of cheese mixture to a separate bowl and set aside. Add cream, garlic and thyme to cheese mixture. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add potato slices and toss with your hands until every slice is coated with cream mixture, making sure to separate any slices that are sticking together to get the cream mixture in between them.
- Grease a 2-quart casserole dish with butter. Pick up a handful of potatoes, organizing them into a neat stack, and lay them in the casserole dish with their edges aligned vertically. Continue placing potatoes in the dish, working around the perimeter and into the center until all the potatoes have been added. The potatoes should be very tightly packed. If necessary, slice an additional potato, coat with cream mixture, and add to casserole. Pour the excess cream/cheese mixture evenly over the potatoes until the mixture comes halfway up the sides of the casserole. You may not need all the excess liquid.
- Cover dish tightly with foil and transfer to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until the top is pale golden brown, about 30 minutes longer. Carefully remove from oven, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and return to oven. Bake until deep golden brown and crisp on top, about 30 minutes longer. Remove from oven, let rest for a few minutes, and serve.
Notes
- Don't be intimidated by slicing the potatoes if you don't feel comfortable using a mandolin! I opted to slice them because some days I can barely grate cheese without hurting myself, and it didn't take too long at all.
The Richmond avenue https://therichmondavenue.com/
When I saw the finished dish I thought stunning! I like the way it’s arranged. Been having lots of carb cravings lately too… yummy,
Thank you, John!! I feel ya with the carb cravings! Happy Thanksgiving week!
That photo is ace! I just want to pick those potatoes with my fork and eat them now! Thanks for sharing as always. Plus I love how you added ‘my favourite’ after all the sides. I’m like you. I don’t like turkey that much so I go for the sides. Happy Thanksgiving! x
Thank you, Roberta!!! I may or may not have also just eaten these potatoes with a fork after this was taken. 🙂 And really, the ideas are the best part!!! Happy Thanksgiving to you!
I feel like you and I are potato sisters. Happy Thanksgiving, friend! Cheers!
I’d be honored to be your potato sister! Happy, happy Thanksgiving, Rach!
I love a good potato dish with lots of cheese (2 good choices). I actually bought a gadget to use to cut these potatoes evenly. I like my mandoline but I am always a little fearful of it. Thanks for sharing a nice side dish for the upcoming holiday dinners with Fiesta Friday.
Thank you! What was the gadget? I’m all for something that’s not a mandoline 🙂
It’s kind of like a mini bread slicer( 3″ x 5-1/2-inches) with a wood base, slight indentation for the potato and a couple of prongs. It’s just to use with these potatoes. I bought mine from Sur la Table but I just checked and you can buy it from Amazon 🙂
Thank you for checking for me – I’ll look for it on Amazon!!
Jasmine what a clever idea… I’ve never thought of making hassleback with cheese. It did make me giggle that everything is your favourite and I was waiting to read these were your favourite too! 😋Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday, don’t forget to link up so your readers can join the party too!
😀 Thank you so much!
I made these potatoes and they are absolutely delicious – perfect comfort food. I just posted my version and linked back to you. Thanks for introducing me to this favorite gratin. I even bought his cookbook… 🙂
Oh, I am so glad!!! I will have to look into the cookbook!! 🙂