Easy air fryer hasselback potatoes are an absolutely delicious side dish! They combine the delicious fluffy texture of oven baked potatoes on the inside, with the crispiness of thinly sliced potatoes on the outside. Smothered in tasty, herby, vegan butter you’ll have a real crowd pleaser on your hands. And if you’re hungry for more potato recipes? These roast potatoes are divine.
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Why this recipe works
Quick & easy – it's so easy to make hasselback potatoes! They take just 30 minutes to cook. You can use Maris Piper, Yukon gold potatoes or russet potatoes. And you need just a handful of ingredients. They can be served as a side dish along side a nut roast, stuffed acorn squash or as part of a buffet.
Air fryer or oven – vegan hasselback potatoes can be made in the air fryer or the oven. While we love our airfryer, not everyone has one so we’ve included oven instructions too. Air fryer hasselback potatoes are probably our favourite over oven cooked hasselback potatoes. That’s because they get really crispy edges in much less time! Plus, as an added bonus, air fryers are very economical to run.
Evenly cut – delicious hasselback potatoes need to be evenly cut. Each one should be cut three-quarters of the way through into thin potato slices before it is air fried or baked. The thin slices on top will go lovely and crispy, while the bottom part of the potato retains some fluffiness that is similar to a baked potato. That’s why it’s so important to cut the potatoes evenly – so that they cook evenly too!
Buttery – while you can use olive oil or vegan butter for the air fryer hasselback potatoes, butter is more traditional. Traditionally they are made with lots of butter, but we’ve made this recipe vegan by using a dairy-free alternative.
Ingredient Notes
Potatoes – it wouldn’t be an air fryer hasselback potatoes recipe without potatoes! So, use medium sized potatoes, an average maris piper, yukon gold potatoes or even russet potatoes work well.
The main thing is to make sure that they are roughly the same size as each other so that they cook at the same rate.
Olive oil or butter – either one works well. Butter is traditional and goes so well with potato (naturally) so use your favourite vegan butter, or olive oil.
Fresh herbs – adding fresh thyme gives the hasselback potatoes a fresh and herby flavour that really takes them up a notch. You could alternatively use fresh rosemary or parsley. Optionally, you can also add minced garlic or garlic granules!
Check out the recipe card at the bottom of this article for exact measurements to make this easy air fryer Hasselback potatoes recipe.
Step-by-step Instructions
This is a step-by-step overview with photos for making air fryer perfect Hasselback potatoes. The full recipe, along with measurements and detailed instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
1. Carefully slice the potato with a sharp knife on a cutting board. Place the potato between two wooden spoons or two chopsticks, and cut slices in the top three-quarters of the potato that are around ⅛” wide. Resting the potato between the chopsticks or spoons means that you won't accidentally slice too far and end up chopping through the potato. Alternatively, you can use a special hasselback cutting device! Cut all of the remaining potatoes then set aside for a moment.
2. Melt half of the butter in a pan over a gentle heat, or in the microwave.
3. Use a pastry brush to coat the potatoes with the melted butter.
Air Fryer instructions:
1. Pop your potatoes in the air fryer basket and put them on for 20 minutes at 180°c.
2. After 20 minutes check on the potatoes by inserting a fork into the middle of one. If there’s not too much resistance they’re almost done, so head to the next step. If they’re still a little tough, put them back in for another 10 minutes. The cooking time depends on the size of the potatoes.
3. Melt and brush the remaining vegan butter onto the potatoes and sprinkle over the thyme. Put back in the air fryer for a final 10 minutes until golden brown. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste, then serve immediately.
Oven instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Pop the potatoes on either a non-stick baking sheet, or a baking tray that has been lined with parchment paper, and put them in the oven for 20 minutes.
2. After twenty minutes take them out of the oven, and melt the other half of the butter. Brush potatoes with the remaining butter, and sprinkle over the fresh herbs. Pop the potatoes back in the oven for another 10 minutes.
3. Take the potatoes out of the oven and check that they have gone lovely, crisp and golden brown. If they aren’t quite done they can go in for another 10 minutes (timings will vary slightly depending on the size of potato you are using). Small potatoes will take around 10 minutes less than large potatoes.
Expert Tips
Chopstick method – this makes cutting the vegan hasselback potatoes much easier. Place a chopstick or wooden spoon either side of the potato and then slice into the potato as directed above. The chopsticks will naturally stop the knife from going all the way through the potato, making them much easier to slice.
Size of each slice – the most important thing is to make sure that each slice of potato is evenly distributed across the width of the potato. This is to help them cook evenly.
Hasselback Potato Slicer – as mentioned above, there’s a gadget for everything these days! The hasselback potato slicer can help you to slice the potato evenly.
Storage – air fryer hasselback potatoes (or oven cooked) can be stored in the fridge and reheated in the oven. Like any roasted or baked potato, they are best eaten freshly cooked, however they can be crisped back up either in the airfryer or oven before eating. Keep them in the fridge for upto 3 days or freezer for upto 3 months.
💭 FAQs
The hasselback technique is finely slicing into a potato or vegetable three-quarters of the way through. Basically, either using chopsticks or two wooden spoon handles. Place a chopstick or spoon either side of the potato and then slice into the potato. The chopsticks will naturally stop the knife from going all the way through, making them much easier to slice. Alternatively, a special hasselback potato slicer can be used!
Yes! Air fryer hasselback potatoes are totally delicious and easy to make.
Hasselback potatoes take around 30 minutes to cook in an air fryer.
Yes, there's a great tool that can be used, it's a hasselback potato slicer.
Yes! They can be pre-cooked but should be placed back in the air fryer or oven (covered with tin foil) to crisp them back up and then served hot!
These tasty potatoes get their name from Hasselbacken, the Stockholm restaurant where the dish was first created.
Serving suggestions
Hasselback potatoes are great served as a side dish with these mains:
More recipes to try
📖 Recipe
Herby Vegan Hasselback Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1.8 kg potatoes ~ 12 medium potatoes, scrubbed clean.
- 2 tbsp vegan butter – or olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme – chopped
Instructions
- Carefully slice the potatoes. Place the potato between two wooden spoons or two chopsticks, and make slices in the top three quarters of the potato that are around ⅛” wide. Resting the potato between the chopsticks/spoons means that you can’t accidentally slice too far and end up chopping through the potato! Alternatively, you can use a special hasselback cutting device! Set aside for a moment.1.8 kg potatoes
- Melt half of the butter in a pan over a gentle heat, or in the microwave.2 tbsp vegan butter
- Use a pastry brush to coat the potatoes with the melted butter.
- Generously season with salt and pepper.
Air Fryer
- Pop your potatoes in the air fryer basket and put them on for 20 minutes at 180°c in a preheated air fryer.
- After 20 minutes check on the potatoes by inserting a fork into the middle of one. If there’s not too much resistance they’re almost done, so head to the next step. If they’re still a little tough, put them back in for another 10 minutes. The cooking time depends on the size of the potatoes.
- Melt and brush the remaining vegan butter onto the potatoes and sprinkle over the thyme. Put back in the air fryer for a final 10 minutes.1 tbsp fresh thyme, 2 tbsp vegan butter
Oven:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6.
- Pop the potatoes on either a non-stick sheet pan, or a baking tray that has been lined with parchment paper, and put them in the oven for 20 minutes.
- After twenty minutes take them out of the oven, and melt the other half of the butter.2 tbsp vegan butter
- Brush the butter over the hasselbacks, and sprinkle them with thyme.1 tbsp fresh thyme
- Pop the potatoes back in the oven for another 10 minutes.
- Take the potatoes out of the oven and check that they have gone lovely and crisp. If they aren’t quite done they can go in for another 10 minutes (timings will vary slightly depending on the size of potato you are using). Generously season with salt and pepper, and serve with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Try making vegan hasselback potatoes with rosemary, sage or parsley instead, as well as adding a teaspoon of garlic powder or granules.
- Store in the fridge in an airtight container for upto 3 days. Freeze for upto 3 months.Cook from frozen in the oven at gas mark 6/200°C for around 30 minutes, until piping hot.
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