Crispy Accordion Potatoes Recipe

TikTok has given us an endless supply of food hacks, unique cooking techniques, and easy recipes to try at home. Some are viral sensations that become staples in our dinner repertoire (looking at you, Trader Joe's dumpling bake) while others fall a little flat, the end result turning out too good to be true after all. There's also a third type of recipe, one that is delicious but requires a little more work than the videos let on, and the end results require a little time and practice to perfect. With this type of recipe, the techniques are usually well worth the effort, giving us a new way to eat some of our favorite foods.

Crispy accordion potatoes are a recipe that took me some time to perfect. The viral slicing technique turns slabs of potatoes into springy, bouncy fries with a texture somewhere in between waffle fries and hasselback potatoes. With practice, they don't even take too long to make, meaning I can have a fun and impressive side dish that's far healthier than a bag of previously-frozen french fries. The key is choosing the right potato, soaking off the starch, buttering up the slices, and roasting until just crispy — but once perfected, it's a fun technique that makes for a fluffy, fry-like potato that makes any meal just a little bit better.

The potatoes I call for using in this recipe are Yukon gold potatoes, which are creamy and fluffy without being too buttery to hold their shape. You can also use Russet potatoes, which are often used for home fries for being equally starchy and soft. Avoid using sweet potatoes, which are too soft to hold the shape, and red potatoes, which are too starchy to soften into a fluffy texture. From there, the ingredient list is simple. You'll just need butter, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and flaky salt and parsley for serving.

Fill a large bowl with water and place to one side of the cutting board.

Slice the potatoes into ½-inch thick slices, discarding the curved sides on either end so that each slice is a flat slab.

Working one at a time, place two chopsticks on either side of the potato slice. Slice vertically across the potato, using the chopsticks to avoid slicing all the way through the potato.

Flip the potato and slice diagonally on the other side, again using the chopsticks as a guide.

Add the potatoes to the water after slicing. Let soak in the water for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Drain and thoroughly dry the potatoes with paper towels. Arrange on a baking sheet fitted with parchment paper.

Stir the melted butter, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper together in a bowl.

Brush the melted butter mixture onto the face-up side of the potatoes.

Bake the potatoes for 20 minutes, then flip and butter the reverse side.

Bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until browned and crispy.

Remove from the oven and let cool slightly, then top with flaky salt and parsley to serve.

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While it is necessary to soak the potatoes before roasting in order to get the crispiest results, it is equally as important to dry the potatoes thoroughly before coating in seasonings and butter. If the potatoes are wet or even damp, the water will cause the potatoes to steam in the oven, preventing them from being able to crisp or brown. Because potatoes can hold a lot of water, it can be tricky to fully dry the slices before roasting. There are a few tricks you can use to dry them, though, even beyond using a few extra paper towels.

One trick to dry potatoes is to refrigerate them for 10 to 30 minutes before roasting. Because of the refrigerator's dry, closed-in atmosphere, the moisture on and inside of the potatoes will dry, leaving the potatoes ready for roasting. This is better than leaving the potatoes on the counter at room temperature, where they can oxidize and turn brown or pink (which soaking also prevents). If you don't quite have the time to let them dry in the refrigerator, you can also use a salad spinner to dry them, gently pressing down so that you don't break the sliced slabs.

While the slicing technique is the most important part in creating accordion potatoes, it is also the most intimidating part of the recipe. If you've made hassleback potatoes, the technique should feel familiar. The idea is to score the potatoes without slicing all the way through so that the potatoes have a ripple effect, further accentuated by the diagonal slicing on the reverse side that creates a waffle texture once cooked. The potato shrinks slightly as it roasts, causing the slices to be more prominent and the effect to show more fully. Then, when you pick it up, the slicing causes a bouncy, accordion-like effect. To do this, you just need a sharp knife, some chopsticks or wooden dowels, and a steady hand.

The chopsticks stop the knife from slicing all the way through the potato, so you'll want to use something scratch-proof or otherwise disposable, because the knife will continuously slice into the stoppers, causing marks. Next, slice a little less than ¼-inch apart from each knife mark. Too wide, and the slices won't show, while too close together and the slices will break and tear. Position the slices to be a little less than a pencil in width for the best, sturdiest results.

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