Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

5 from 72 votes

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes recipe is a unique way to serve sweet potatoes. They are rubbed with butter roasted to create soft slices with crispy golden edges

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Looking for new sweet potato recipes? Try making these Hasselback sweet potatoes that are easy to whip up and totally unique. Each slice is brushed with a butter spread that creates irresistibly soft potato slices with crispy golden edges. Pair these Hasselback sweet potatoes with any protein, or enjoy them on their own with my healthy avocado crema dip.

Sweet potatoes on a serving platter with yogurt dip next to it.

If you’re in the mood for a new way to enjoy sweet potatoes or to serve them at your next dinner party, I highly recommend this hasselback sweet potatoes technique. They look like little accordions, so the presentation is unique. But more than that, the texture and taste really make them stand out. That’s because each slice gets brushed with butter giving each slice a crisp exterior while keeping a tender soft interior.

I’ve included a recipe for an easy avocado crema dip to pair with your Hasselback sweet potatoes, but you can also serve them with a Homemade Healthy Ranch Dip or as a side with my Grilled Lemon Chicken, Sheet Pan Cod, or Beef Stuffed Peppers.

“Made this last night! Nice way to switch up sweet potatoes in our house. Used Gouda cheese, salt and pepper, and came out perfectly! Great recipe.” – Heather

Recipe at a glance

Cuisine Inspiration: American
Primary Cooking Method: Baking
Dietary Info: Vegetarian
Key Flavor: Sweet and Savory
Skill Level: Easy

Summary

  • Crispy Perfection: Get a perfectly crispy texture on your Hasselback sweet potatoes with this twice-baked process without compromising the tender, sweet interior.
  • Flavor Fusion: Fresh herbs like thyme and rich butter combined together with the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes in a flavor fusion that’s pure perfection!
  • Creamy Companion: Elevate your potato-eating experience with a creamy Greek yogurt avocado dip. This dip adds a tangy and creamy element to each bite.
  • Easy Recipe: Impress your guests with the beautiful presentation of fan-sliced sweet potatoes, making it a feast for your eyes and your palate.

Ingredients to make Hasselback sweet potatoes

  • Sweet Potatoes: Opt for medium-sized sweet potatoes. Too big, and it’s overwhelming when served on a plate, and too small and it’s hard to cut.
  • Butter: Used to achieve crispiness to the skin and add a rich, buttery flavor to the sweet potatoes during baking.
  • Fresh Thyme: Infuses a delightful herby flavor, complementing the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes.
  • Salt and Pepper: Essential for seasoning, salt enhances the overall taste, while pepper adds a subtle kick, tying all the flavors together.

For the Avocado Crema

  • Nonfat Greek Yogurt: Forms the base for the creamy avocado dip, adding tanginess and a smooth texture to balance the dish.
  • Avocado: Diced avocado contributes a creamy and buttery texture to the dip, enhancing its overall rich flavor.
  • Scallion: Chopped scallions bring a mild onion flavor and a pop of freshness to avocado dip.

Popular substitutions & additions

While I love just keeping the sweet potatoes simply seasoned with salt, pepper, and butter, it’s so fun to switch this up to make them stand out for special occasions or switch them up for variety in taste. They’re so versatile, you can enjoy them sweet or savory.

  1. Pecans and maple syrup. This is wonderful during Thanksgiving or Christmas and enhances the sweet flavor of the sweet potatoes.
  2. Cinnamon and sugar. Another great one during the holidays, this pretty much tastes like dessert!
  3. Garlic herb butter. Instead of using plain butter, try adding crushed garlic and finely chopped herbs like chives, rosemary, or thyme; and whip together with the butter.
  4. Cheese and herbs. In between the sweet potato slices, try adding cheese like parmesan, gouda, or cheddar, along with a complementary herb like sage or rosemary. Use very thin slices of cheese or shredded cheese in each layer for best results.

How to make hasselback sweet potatoes

To start, scrub, wash and dry the sweet potatoes thoroughly. This is an important step since you’ll be eating the skin of the potatoes. If you prefer not to eat the skin, you can peel it before baking so that you still get a crispy exterior.

Next is the part of the recipe that is the most time consuming – slicing the potatoes. Set the sweet potatoes on a cutting board and make slices about 1/8″ thick along the sweet potatoes. You just want to make sure not to slice all the way down. Think about going 80% down the sweet potato.

If you notice that the sweet potatoes don’t have a uniform shape, you can make a thin slice at the bottom of the sweet potato. That helps it stay upright. I also like to use chopsticks to keep the sweet potatoes steady and stop me from slicing all the way down.

Process shot of cutting potatoes using chopsticks to avoid cutting all the way down

Next, rub a tablespoon of butter all over the four potatoes. If you find that you need more to coat them, thats fine. Don’t worry about getting in between the slices since we’ll take care of that after the sweet potatoes cook halfway through. Just make sure to coat them thoroughly on the outside. You can add salt and pepper now, or wait until the halfway point.

The potatoes rubbed with butter on a baking dish before baking

After 30 minute in the oven, remove the sweet potatoes and add the other tablespoon of butter, this time making sure to get in between the slices. It helps to use a brush if you have one. I also like to use a fork to fan out the sweet potatoes to help the butter reach in between the hasselback layers.

Sweet potatoes half way through cooking. Fanning out with a fork

This is also the time to add any herbs or seasoning you’d like. That way it helps to flavor the hasselback sweet potatoes without burning in the oven. Thyme or rosemary are a great complement but it works with any other herbs you’d like to use.

Sweet potatoes halfway through cooking, adding herbs on top

After one full hour in the oven, these hasselback sweet potatoes will be fork tender, super soft on the inside with a crisp skin. You can serve them immediately and enjoy them straight out of the oven!

Tips for making the best hasselback sweet potatoes

  • Scrub the sweet potatoes well. Since you’ll be spreading butter on the skin of the sweet potatoes, they will get golden and crispy and delicious, so be sure they are cleaned well.
  • Make sure the sweet potatoes are dry before adding the butter. Once you wash the potatoes, pat them completely dry. You can also leave them out at room temperature for a few minutes before adding the butter. This allows the skin to become extra crispy.
  • Use sweet potatoes that are uniform in size. This allows for all the sweet potatoes to cook evenly. If the sweet potatoes are wobbly, try cutting off a thin slice on the bottom to keep them from rolling while slicing.
  • Lay sweet potatoes on chopsticks when slicing. The beauty of hasselback sweet potatoes is their accordion-like slices. To achieve this, you have to leave a least ½ inch of the potato intact at the bottom. Setting the potatoes on chopsticks prevents you from slicing all the way down.

How to store & reheat Hasselback sweet potatoes

Seal any cooled, uneaten sweet potatoes in an airtight container, ensuring a snug fit to prevent any extra moisture buildup. Store them in the fridge.

How long do hasselback sweet potatoes last in the fridge?
When stored properly, your sweet potatoes will last up to 5 days in the fridge.

Can I freeze sweet potatoes?
While freezing can alter the crispiness of the potatoes, you can freeze hasselback sweet potatoes for later. Place them in an airtight container or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Store for 2 to 3 months.

Reheating Hasselback Sweet Potatoes: When you’re ready to enjoy again, reheat in a 350 F oven for about 5-7 minutes, or until heated through. Reheating in the oven helps to revive the crispy exterior while keeping the inside tender.

Frequently asked questions

My sweet potatoes are taking a long time to cook, why is that?

There are a few reasons why your potatoes are taking longer than the suggested time. Potato size plays a huge role, sweet potatoes come in a large variety of sizes. Firstly, make sure you use potatoes of similar size so they cook evenly. Also, if using a large potato, you might need to extend the baking time to adjust for that. Lastly, the oven temperature may be off. Some older ovens can lose the accuracy of their temperature over time. To best combat this, place an oven safe thermometer in the oven and use that as your means of preheating.

Are these sweet potatoes vegan?

The potatoes are brushed with butter so they are not vegan. You can swap out the butter with a vegan variety or plant based oil like olive or avocado. If you do this, you may want to add a little salt to the potatoes before you bake them. You can serve them with a vegan dip or side.

Can you make them ahead of time?

You can prep the potatoes ahead of time, and then keep them covered in the fridge before you are ready to bake them. You can easily keep them warm in the oven for about an hour once they are cooked.

Baked hasselback sweet potatoes on a white plate served with avocado yogurt sauce

If you’re looking for more sweet potato recipes to add to your weeknight meal or a dinner occasion, try these Hasselback sweet potatoes. Think of them just like regular baked sweet potatoes, but with a minor fancy factor. Baked simply with salt, pepper, herbs and butter, the skin becomes crispy while the potato slices become irresistibly soft. Special enough for a party, but easy enough for everyday.

More sweet potato recipes:

More potato recipes:

If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feelgood Hasselback Sweet Potatoes recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes recipe is a unique way to serve sweet potatoes. They are rubbed with butter roasted to create soft slices with crispy golden edges
5 from 72 votes
Servings 4 servings
Course Side Dish
Calories 205
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Video

Ingredients
  

  • 4 medium sweet potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons butter spread divided
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
  • 1/3 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
  • ½ avocado diced (optional)
  • 1 scallion white and green parts chopped
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Wash and scrub the sweet potatoes, then pat them dry with a paper towel. Make a series of 1/8-inch slices along each potato, stopping ½ inch from the bottom. It helps to position the sweet potatoes on chopsticks to avoid slicing all the way down.
  • Spread 1 tablespoon of the butter spread on the potatoes. Bake in the preheated oven until the center of the potatoes start to soften, about 30 minutes.
  • Remove the potatoes from the oven, rub the remaining butter all over, making sure to get in between the slices, sprinkle thyme on top, and run a fork gently across the tops of the potatoes, to fan the slices and separate them from one another. Return to the oven and continue baking until the potatoes are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside, about 20-30 minutes
  • Meanwhile, stir the yogurt, avocado and scallions with a pinch salt and a pinch pepper. Serve the dip with the sweet potatoes.

Notes

Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. They will last about 5 days in the fridge. To reheat, just place in the oven at 350°F for 5-7 minutes or in a toaster oven. You can also reheat in the microwave, but the potatoes won’t retain a crispy texture that way.
Substitutes: For best results, follow the recipe as is. However you can switch out the herbs if you’d like, use olive oil instead of butter and make these with other types of potatoes.

Nutrition

Calories: 205kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 1mg, Sodium: 126mg, Potassium: 588mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 18777IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 64mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Cuisine American
Course: Side Dish

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Comments

  1. Made this last night! Nice way to switch up sweet potatoes in our house. Used Gouda cheese, salt and pepper and came out perfectly! Great recipe