Scalloped Hasselback Potatoes With Cheddar

My family are self-confessed potato fanatics. If potatoes are on the menu, you can guarantee smiles all around. We’ve tried them every which way – mashed, fried, roasted, boiled – you name it. But recently, I stumbled upon a recipe that took our potato love to a whole new level: Scalloped Hasselback Potatoes with Cheddar. Let me tell you, these aren’t just your average potatoes. The combination of the elegant Hasselback cut, the creamy scalloped potato base, and that glorious blanket of melted cheddar is simply divine. The first time I made them, the aroma alone had everyone gathered in the kitchen, practically drooling. And the taste? Oh my! Crispy edges, tender insides, and that rich, cheesy goodness. Even my pickiest eater, who usually shies away from anything “fancy,” devoured them. They were the star of our Sunday dinner, and honestly, they’ve been requested at least once a week since. If you’re looking for a potato dish that’s both impressive and incredibly delicious, you absolutely must try these Scalloped Hasselback Potatoes with Cheddar. Trust me, they’ll become a family favorite in your house too.

Ingredients

• Potatoes: 3 lbs Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, medium to large size. These starchy potatoes are ideal for both hasselback cuts and scalloping, holding their shape while becoming beautifully tender.
• Heavy Cream: 1 ½ cups. Provides the rich, creamy base for the scalloped potatoes, ensuring a luxurious texture and flavor.
• Milk: 1 cup. Thins out the heavy cream slightly, creating the perfect consistency for the sauce and preventing it from becoming too heavy.
• Butter: 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided. Used for greasing the baking dish and adding richness to the sauce, contributing to a golden crust and buttery flavor.
• Garlic: 3 cloves, minced. Infuses the sauce with a savory aroma and depth of flavor, complementing the potatoes and cheese perfectly.
• Yellow Onion: ½ medium, finely diced. Adds a subtle sweetness and savory note to the sauce, enhancing the overall flavor profile.
• Fresh Thyme: 1 tablespoon, finely chopped. Provides a fragrant, earthy herb note that pairs beautifully with potatoes and cheddar, adding a touch of sophistication.
• Cheddar Cheese: 2 cups, shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Offers a robust, tangy cheese flavor and melts beautifully, creating a golden, cheesy topping that is irresistible.
• Salt: 1 ½ teaspoons, or to taste. Essential for seasoning the potatoes and sauce, enhancing all the other flavors and bringing them into balance.
• Black Pepper: 1 teaspoon, freshly ground, or to taste. Adds a touch of spice and depth, complementing the salt and other seasonings.
• Nutmeg: ¼ teaspoon, ground (optional). A pinch of nutmeg adds a warm, subtle spice that enhances the creamy sauce and provides a classic scalloped potato flavor note.
• Fresh Parsley: 2 tablespoons, chopped, for garnish (optional). Adds a fresh, vibrant touch of color and herbaceousness as a final garnish, brightening up the dish visually.

Instructions

1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Dish: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of butter. This prevents the potatoes from sticking and makes cleanup easier later.
2. Prepare the Potatoes: Wash and scrub the potatoes thoroughly. There is no need to peel them for this recipe, as the skin adds texture and nutrients. Pat them completely dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. This step is important for achieving crispy edges.
3. Make Hasselback Cuts: Place a potato on a cutting board. To prevent cutting all the way through, place chopsticks or wooden skewers alongside the potato, parallel to where you will be making your slices. Using a sharp knife, make thin, even slices across the potato, about ¼ inch apart, stopping when your knife hits the chopsticks/skewers. Repeat this process for all the potatoes. The chopsticks/skewers act as a guide, ensuring you don’t cut through the bottom of the potato, creating the signature hasselback “fan” shape.
4. Sauté Aromatics: In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic. Sauté for about 3-5 minutes, or until the onion is softened and translucent and the garlic is fragrant. Be careful not to brown the garlic, as it can become bitter. Sautéing the onion and garlic first mellows their flavor and infuses the butter, creating a flavorful base for the sauce.
5. Make the Cream Sauce: Pour in the heavy cream and milk into the saucepan with the sautéed onions and garlic. Stir in the chopped fresh thyme, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg (if using). Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together and the sauce to thicken slightly. Simmering the sauce allows the thyme to infuse the cream and milk, creating a deeper, more aromatic flavor.
6. Assemble the Potatoes: Arrange the hasselback potatoes in the prepared baking dish. Pour the warm cream sauce evenly over the potatoes, making sure to get the sauce down into the slices. Dot the tops of the potatoes with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, cut into small pieces. This adds extra richness and helps the potatoes brown beautifully.
7. Bake Covered: Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. This traps the steam, allowing the potatoes to cook through evenly and become tender. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
8. Add Cheese and Bake Uncovered: Remove the aluminum foil from the baking dish. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the potatoes, ensuring it gets into the slices as well as on top. Return the baking dish to the oven and bake uncovered for another 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork and the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown. Baking uncovered in this final stage allows the cheese to melt beautifully and become golden brown, while the potatoes continue to cook and become perfectly tender.
9. Rest and Garnish: Remove the baking dish from the oven and let the potatoes rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This allows the sauce to thicken slightly and the flavors to settle. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley (if using) for a pop of color and fresh flavor.
10. Serve Hot: Serve the Scalloped Hasselback Potatoes with Cheddar hot as a side dish or main course. They are best enjoyed immediately while the cheese is melted and the potatoes are warm and tender.

Nutrition Facts

(Per Serving, approximate, based on 6 servings. Nutritional values can vary based on specific ingredients and portion sizes.)

• Servings: 6
• Calories: Approximately 450 kcal
• Fat: 28g

Note: These values are estimates and should be considered as a general guideline. For precise nutritional information, use a nutrition calculator with specific ingredient brands and weights.

Preparation Time

• Prep Time: 25 minutes. This includes washing and slicing the potatoes, chopping vegetables, making the cream sauce, and assembling the dish. The hasselback cutting technique adds a little more prep time than simply slicing potatoes, but the elegant result is well worth it.
• Cook Time: 1 hour 5-1 hour 10 minutes. This includes 45 minutes of covered baking and 20-25 minutes of uncovered baking to ensure the potatoes are tender and the cheese is melted and golden.
• Total Time: Approximately 1 hour 30 – 1 hour 35 minutes. From start to finish, including prep and cook time, you can have these delicious Scalloped Hasselback Potatoes with Cheddar on your table in about an hour and a half. This makes it a manageable dish for a weekend meal or a special occasion.

How to Serve

These Scalloped Hasselback Potatoes with Cheddar are incredibly versatile and can be served in a variety of ways:

• Classic Side Dish: Pair them with roasted chicken, beef tenderloin, pork chops, or grilled steak for a comforting and satisfying meal. The creamy potatoes and cheesy topping complement rich proteins beautifully.
• Holiday Feast Staple: Elevate your Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter dinner with these impressive potatoes. They’re a step up from regular mashed or roasted potatoes and will wow your guests.
• Vegetarian Main Course: Serve a generous portion as a vegetarian main course, accompanied by a fresh green salad or roasted vegetables. The potatoes are hearty and flavorful enough to stand alone as the centerpiece of a meal.
• Potluck Superstar: Bring these potatoes to a potluck or party, and they’ll be the first dish to disappear. They travel well and reheat easily (though they are best fresh!).
• Brunch Delight: Add a touch of indulgence to your brunch spread. Serve alongside eggs benedict, quiche, or breakfast meats for a decadent weekend meal.
• Comfort Food Cravings: Enjoy them on a cozy night in as pure comfort food. Sometimes, all you need is a plate of cheesy, creamy potatoes to lift your spirits.
• Upgrade Weeknight Dinners: Even on a regular weeknight, these potatoes can transform a simple meal into something special. They make even basic chicken or fish feel a bit more luxurious.
• Serve with Salad: For a lighter meal, pair them with a vibrant and fresh salad. Arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette or a simple mixed green salad can balance the richness of the potatoes.

Additional Tips for Perfect Scalloped Hasselback Potatoes

1. Choose the Right Potatoes: Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes are best for this recipe. Russets are starchier and become very fluffy inside, while Yukon Golds have a slightly creamier texture and hold their shape well. Avoid waxy potatoes like red potatoes, as they won’t become as tender.
2. Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: Make sure the potatoes are arranged in a single layer in the baking dish. Overcrowding will steam the potatoes instead of baking them, preventing them from getting crispy edges. If you have a lot of potatoes, use two baking dishes.
3. Thin and Even Slices are Key: Aim for thin, even slices when making the hasselback cuts. This ensures the potatoes cook evenly and the sauce penetrates well. Consistent slices also contribute to the elegant presentation.
4. Infuse the Cream Sauce with Flavor: Don’t skimp on the aromatics! Sautéing the onion and garlic in butter before adding the cream and milk creates a flavorful base for the sauce. Fresh thyme adds a wonderful herbal note, but you can experiment with other herbs like rosemary or sage.
5. Season Generously: Potatoes and cream sauces need proper seasoning. Don’t be afraid to season the sauce generously with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed before pouring over the potatoes.
6. Use Sharp Cheddar for Best Flavor: Sharp cheddar cheese provides a robust, tangy flavor that cuts through the richness of the cream sauce. You can also use a blend of cheeses, such as Gruyere or Monterey Jack, for a more complex flavor profile.
7. Control the Browning: If the cheese starts to brown too quickly before the potatoes are fully cooked, loosely tent the baking dish with aluminum foil during the last part of baking. This will prevent the cheese from burning while allowing the potatoes to finish cooking.
8. Make Ahead for Convenience: You can assemble the potatoes and sauce ahead of time, up to a few hours before baking. Cover and refrigerate the assembled dish. When ready to bake, add about 10-15 minutes to the covered baking time to ensure the potatoes are cooked through, as they will be starting from cold. Add cheese and bake uncovered as directed.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Can I use different types of cheese?
A: Absolutely! While sharp cheddar is classic, you can experiment with other cheeses like Gruyere, Monterey Jack, Fontina, or even a smoked Gouda for a different flavor profile. A blend of cheeses can also be delicious.

Q2: Can I make this recipe dairy-free or vegan?
A: Making it dairy-free is possible with substitutions. Use full-fat coconut milk or cashew cream instead of heavy cream and milk. Nutritional yeast can add a cheesy flavor. For vegan cheese, there are many plant-based cheddar shreds available now that melt quite well. Be aware that the flavor and texture will be slightly different from the traditional version.

Q3: Can I prepare this dish ahead of time and bake later?
A: Yes, you can assemble the potatoes and sauce up to a few hours ahead of time. Cover and refrigerate the dish. When ready to bake, add about 10-15 minutes to the covered baking time to ensure the potatoes are fully cooked, as they will be starting from cold.

Q4: How do I prevent the potatoes from sticking to the baking dish?
A: Greasing the baking dish thoroughly with butter is crucial. You can also use parchment paper to line the bottom of the dish for extra insurance against sticking, although it’s not usually necessary with a well-greased dish.

Q5: Can I add other vegetables to this recipe?
A: Yes, you can! Thinly sliced onions or leeks can be added to the sauce. You could also layer in some thinly sliced mushrooms or spinach between the potato slices for added flavor and nutrition.

Q6: My cheese browned too quickly, what should I do?
A: If the cheese is browning too quickly before the potatoes are tender, loosely tent the baking dish with aluminum foil. This will protect the cheese from burning while allowing the potatoes to continue cooking underneath.

Q7: How do I know when the potatoes are done?
A: The potatoes are done when they are easily pierced with a fork and feel tender throughout. The cheese should be melted, bubbly, and golden brown. The edges of the potatoes should also be slightly crispy.

Q8: Can I reheat leftover Scalloped Hasselback Potatoes?
A: Yes, leftovers can be reheated. For best results, reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until heated through, about 15-20 minutes. You can also microwave them, but they may become slightly less crispy. Add a little extra shredded cheese on top before reheating to freshen them up.

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