Tired of the same old spud story? Get ready for a potato plot twist with these Boursin Hasselback potatoes! (Bonus: there's even a dairy-free version!)
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For a creamy and cheesy alternative to boring baked or mundane mashed, check out these garlic herb Hasselback potatoes. They are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and extra delicious, thanks to the Boursin cheese.
Hasselback potatoes may sound fancy, but don’t be intimidated. With a sharp knife and two cutting boards, you can easily create this fancy-looking, delicious potato side dish. So grab your ingredients, and let’s get cooking!
In This Article
What are Hasselback Potatoes?
These crispy, creamy spuds are a game changer in the potato scene. But what exactly are they? Imagine if a baked potato and a potato chip had a scandalous rendezvous. The result? A Hasselback potato. These babies are sliced into thin, 1/4-inch slices, but not all the way through. So they’re still held together in a potato-shaped package but with crispy edges and creamy insides. They are the starchy side dish equivalent of a Swiss army knife.
Why Are They Called Hasselback Potatoes?
Hasselbacking is a cooking method in which potatoes or other vegetables are sliced into thin, even layers, but not all the way through. Not only does this make them look extra fancy, but it provides more surface areas for flavors.
These delicious potatoes originated in Sweden, the land of IKEA and ABBA. They were created in 1953 at the Hasselbacken Hotel in Stockholm by one of the restaurant’s trainee chefs. The dish became so popular that the potatoes became synonymous with the restaurant to the point that they were eventually named after the hotel. Po-tay-to, po-tah-to – I don’t care what you call the dish. I’m just glad it made its way onto my plate!
How to Cut Hasselback Potatoes
Based on their looks, you might think that preparing Hasselback potatoes requires a degree in culinary arts, but they are easier to make than you might think.
You’ll need some starchy potatoes (I like Russets), a sharp knife, and not one, but two cutting boards. Then, place the potato lengthwise between the two cutting boards. That’s right, the potato goes between, and not on, the cutting boards.
Now take your sharp knife and cut ¼-inch slices into the potato from end to end. The cutting boards will anchor the potato on your countertop and ensure that you don’t cut all the way through the vegetable.
Are Hasselback Potatoes Peeled?
The good news is that it’s up to you! Personally, I’m all for keeping the skin on. It saves me the time and “hasselback” of peeling the spuds and gives the finished dish a pop of color and a little extra texture.
But hey, if you’re a die-hard anti-potato-skin person, then go for it! Just make sure to peel your potatoes before slicing them, so you don’t end up with a lumpy, bumpy potato dish.
How to Make Boursin Hasselback Potatoes
It’s surprisingly easy to make this elegant potato side dish. Here’s what you do:
- Wash your chosen potatoes and cut them Hasselback style as described above.
- Place the potatoes on a lined baking sheet and brush with a generous amount of melted butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Bake for about 30 minutes.
- Spread a dollop of Boursin cheese on each potato and return to the oven until the potatoes are golden and slightly crispy.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
These are the key ingredients needed to make Boursin Hasselback potatoes the perfect side dish for your next meal.
Potatoes
What kind of potatoes work best for Hasselback? I prefer smaller Russet potatoes for this dish. However, you can easily use any potato you’d like for this Boursin Hasselback potato recipe.
Butter
While you need ample melted butter for this dish, you can easily substitute plant-based butter or olive oil to make this dish dairy free.
Boursin Cheese
Boursin is a soft, creamy cheese that originated in France. It’s made from cow’s milk and is known for its rich, buttery flavor and smooth texture. Boursin cheese is typically flavored with various herbs, spices, and garlic, giving it a unique and vibrant taste. Because of its creamy consistency, Boursin is often used as a spread for bread or crackers, but it’s also versatile enough to be used for cooking, like in these Boursin Hasselback potatoes.
Boursin has offered a dairy-free version of its deliciously spreadable cheese for several years. Alpha gals who follow a dairy-free or vegan diet can easily substitute it for regular Boursin when making these Hasselback potatoes.
Related Article: Is Cheese Vegetarian? Slicing Into the Truth
Fresh Herbs
While fresh parsley is my go-to herb for finishing dishes, you can easily substitute fresh thyme, fresh chives, or another of your favorite fresh herbs.
To Make This Recipe Dairy Free
For a dairy-free version of this Boursin Hasselback potato recipe, use the ingredients below and then follow the same step-by-step instructions provided in the recipe card below.
- 3 pounds russet potatoes (about 9-12 smaller-sized potatoes)
- ¼ cup vegan butter, melted OR ¼ cup olive oil
- 8 to 10 tablespoons of vegan Boursin cheese
- salt
- black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
What to Serve with Hasselback Potatoes
When it comes to Hasselback potatoes, there’s no denying that these babies can hold their own. But like Batman, they’re even better with a sidekick. So, what should you serve with these heavenly spuds? They are a great side for just about any chicken dish, including chicken Marsala. Hasselback potatoes are also a great side dish for smoked turkey breast, roast turkey, and even vegetarian main dishes like grilled portobello mushrooms.
Related Article: How to Properly Clean Mushrooms
Can Hasselback Potatoes be Made Ahead of Time?
The good news is, yes, Hasselback potatoes are a wonderful make-ahead dish that will impress your guests and make you look like a culinary genius. The secret to making these beauties ahead of time is to par-bake them. That way, they’ll be partially cooked and ready to finish off in the oven when your guests arrive. Simply follow the recipe through step #6 below. Let them cool completely, then transfer them to an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to two days.
When you’re ready to serve your Hasselback potatoes, take them out of the fridge and let them come to room temperature. Then resume the recipe below, beginning with step #7.
Boursin Hasselback Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds russet potatoes about 9-12 smaller-sized potatoes
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- 8 to 10 tablespoons Boursin cheese about one 5.2-ounce package
- salt
- black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley minced
Instructions
- Rinse the potatoes and soak them in a bowl of cold salt water while you preheat the oven to 400 F and finely chop the fresh parsley.
- Rinse the potatoes in cold water, gently scrubbing with your fingers to remove any remaining dirt or debris.
- Cut the potatoes Hasselback style. The best way to do this is to place each potato between two cutting boards. See additional tips and tricks in “How to Cut Hasselback Potatoes” above.
- Arrange the Hasselback-sliced potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle the melted butter on top. Use a pastry brush to work the melted butter into the thin slices of potato.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven and equally divide the Boursin cheese among the potatoes, spreading the soft cheese on each vegetable.
- Place the baking dish back in the oven for another 30 minutes or until the potatoes are golden and slightly crispy.
- Garnish with parsley and serve warm.
I love this boursin hasselback potato recipe. I made some of it yesterday, and it turned out so crispy! Plus, the flavors were so great! My kids also loved them! Definitely a must-try!
Always a win when the kids wolf something down!
Love the idea of stuffing a hasselback potato with cheese like this! Takes these awesome potatoes to the next level.
They’re sooooo creamy and herby! Yum!
Such a fun way to make plain potato into something special! I love the addition of the boursin cheese, it adds such great flavor.
As someone else commented, “Boursin is life!” 🙂
I brought these boursin hasselback potatoes to my grandma’s dinner party, and it was one of the hits! They even thought I ordered them! Such a satisfying recipe!
Hooray! I’m glad they were a hit!
Boursin is life and these potatoes were everything! A great use for boursin beyond the cheese plate. Your instructions made something intimidating feel easy
I’m so glad you liked them!