Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes
Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes
Hasselback potatoes are whole potatoes cut into thin slices almost all the way through, brushed with oil or butter and baked until crisp. In the air fryer it’s faster than in the oven and saves electricity, and the result is a crisp, golden edge and a soft, creamy center. It takes nothing more than potatoes, fat and salt.
The dish comes from the Hasselbacken restaurant in Stockholm in the early 1900s and long ago earned a permanent place at Danish dinner tables.
The trick is the cut. Place the potato between two wooden spoon handles or two wooden skewers, so the knife stops before it cuts all the way through — then the slices fan out during baking and turn crisp at the edges. Pat the potatoes completely dry before you brush them; that is the key to a crisp surface.
Serve them as a side to roast meat, fish or chicken. An optional topping of grated Parmesan, breadcrumbs and thyme for the last few minutes adds extra crunch. The same method also works on parsnips, beets and carrots.
Ingredients
Serves 4
- 800 g medium potatoes, peeled (waxy or baking potatoes, about 8, ~100 g each)
- 3 tbsp olive oil (or 2 tbsp oil + 1 tbsp melted butter)
- 1 tsp flaky salt (or to taste)
- freshly ground pepper
Topping (optional)
- 25 g Parmesan, grated
- 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried)
Directions
Peel the potatoes, rinse them thoroughly, and pat them completely dry. If you like, cut a thin slice off the bottom so they stand steady.
Place one potato between two wooden spoon handles or two wooden skewers, and cut thin slices about 3-4 mm apart. The handles stop the knife, so you don’t cut all the way through. Repeat with the rest.
Brush the potatoes thoroughly with oil or melted butter, so it reaches down into every cut. Season with flaky salt and freshly ground pepper.
Place the potatoes in a single layer in the air-fryer basket, and bake them at 355°F (180°C) for 20 minutes.
Pull out the basket and brush the potatoes again — the cuts have now fanned open. Shake the basket gently, and continue baking at 355°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes are crisp and golden outside and tender inside. Test with a sharp knife.
Serve at once, garnished with fresh thyme or parsley if you like.
Topping (optional)
Mix the Parmesan, breadcrumbs and thyme. Scatter the mixture between and over the slices for the last 10 minutes or so of baking, so it turns crisp and golden.
Notes
- Total time is about 30-35 minutes at 355°F (180°C). Large potatoes may need 5-10 minutes more, and the time varies by air-fryer model — go by a crisp, golden surface and a tender center.
- For even crisper potatoes, pre-bake them for 10-15 minutes without fat, so the cuts open up, then brush and bake them until done.
- Oven alternative: the same method at about 390°F (200°C) — add about 15 minutes to the time.
See Also
