For Bite-Sized Hasselback Potatoes, Use Baby Spuds

The distinctive appearance of Hasselback potatoes makes them a striking addition to a dinner party. However, bite-sized versions — made with baby spuds — are super-cute, cook faster, and taste sublime whether tossed in seasoned butter, smothered in cheese, or served unadorned but audibly crisp.

Mini Hasselbacks feature all of the best bits of regular-sized Hasselback potatoes, such as a crispy, golden skin with craggy edges, a yummy fluffy center, and an impressive-looking fanned-out appearance. However, Hasselbacks made with baby spuds, such as fingerling potatoes or new potatoes, have a higher ratio of crunchy exterior to fluffy middle, simply because of their smaller size. This makes them the perfect choice for diners who crave carbs that come with a satisfying crunch. Plusm they're the ideal side for children with smaller appetites and for those living a low-carb lifestyle because they can still enjoy the features of this scrumptious potato dish in a smaller portion.

The diminutive size of baby taters also means that they cook through faster than larger Hasselback potatoes. Indeed, some recipes for full-sized Hasselbacks call for parboiling or braising the potatoes first before oven-baking them to kick start the cooking process. This technique isn't necessary if you're using mini spuds because they cook through swiftly with a rapid blast in a hot oven (though it can be a useful move if you want to prep your potatoes in advance before crisping them up at speed in the air fryer before serving).

Coating the baby potatoes in oil or seasoned butter catalyzes the cooking process as the fat transfers the heat down into the uniform slices that run across the surface of the sliced spuds. This move also injects lots of flavor into the taters because the butter acts as a vehicle to get oodles of tasty seasonings into every ridge, nook, and cranny. Ground seasonings, such as paprika, garlic powder, parmesan, and chili, when mixed with butter, cheeses, or oil are staple pantry ingredients that elevate Hasselback potatoes, lending them a delicious depth of flavor and an appetizing color.

However, you could also toss the baby spuds in seasoned fat and green herbs after baking (much like how garlic knots are coated in a herby, garlicky butter when hot from the oven) so they're glistening, super-savory and salty when they hit the dining table. Another idea is to make a mayo dressing and toss the potatoes into the creamy mixture for an elegant-looking twist on a regular old potato salad. And if you're a potato purist, why not top your dainty-looking tray of crispy taters with a sprinkling of salt and serve alongside a ribeye for a steak frites with a difference?