• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Free Email Series!

5 Time and Stress Saving Cooking Secrets

Free email series of my best tips!

Visit my other Site: Pancake Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Free Email Series!

    5 Time and Stress Saving Cooking Secrets

    Free email series of my best tips!

  • Visit my other Site: Pancake Recipes

Rachel Cooks®

Easy Healthy-ish Recipes

  • Recipe Index
  • Popular
    • Instant Pot Pinto Beans
    • Green Beans with Bacon
    • Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
    • Roasted Sugar Snap Peas
    • Beef Stew Seasoning
    • Chili Seasoning Recipe
    • Thousand Island Dressing
    • Poppy Seed Dressing
    • Copycat Panera Squash Soup
    • Chocolate Chip Blondies
    • Instant Pot Pork Loin Roast
    • Frosé
    • Best Chocolate Cake
    • Dill Vegetable Dip
    • Instant Pot Jasmine Rice
    • Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
  • Learn to Cook
    • All The Basics
    • Crostini
    • Delicata Squash
    • Butternut Squash
    • Kabocha Squash
    • Spaghetti Squash
    • Guacamole
    • Croutons
    • Snap Peas
    • Baked Potatoes
    • Baked Bacon
    • Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
    • Simple Syrup
    • Pickled Red Onions Recipe
    • Toasted Pine Nuts
    • Roasted bone-in Chicken Breasts
    • Poached Chicken
    • Roasted Whole Chicken
    • Easy Cheese Sauce

Dinner Made Easy:

Slow Cooker

5 Ingredients

Grilling

Make Ahead

Sheet Pan

Tacos

Pizza

Home Recipes by Type Sides & Vegetables
GF Gluten-Free VG Vegetarian

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

5
/5
1 hr 30 mins
4 Comments
Jump to Recipe Video
By: Rachel GurkPosted: 09/25/2019Updated: 06/15/2021

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Sweet and delicious, these roasted Hasselback Sweet Potatoes make an impressive presentation yet are easy enough to add to your everyday menu. No hassle required!

Sweet and delicious, these roasted Hasselback Sweet Potatoes make an impressive presentation yet are easy enough to add to your everyday menu. No hassle required!

Four hasselback sweet potatoes in a white baking dish, topped with apples.

I must have about 20 recipes for sweet potatoes. I make them at least once a week: steamed whole in my Instant Pot, baked in the microwave, oven roasted cubes, mashed, cut into wedges, in casseroles, even made into gluten free crackers.

My eight year old daughter, E, loves sweet potatoes! I’m so glad that she does because they are so good for you! Whenever I roast a batch for meal prep for salads, bowls, and burritos, E will eat most of those yummy sweet potato tidbits before I get them into a recipe. My mom always checks out my fridge when she visits to see if I have any roasted sweet potatoes hidden away that she can nibble on. Hey, I’m thinking we’re kind of a three generation sweet potato fan club. 

You’re going to love these Hasselback sweet potatoes. A lot of fancier sweet potato recipes include lots of brown sugar, pecans, and (gasp!) marshmallows. You’re not going to find marshmallows on these babies.

These Hasselback sweet potatoes are way more sophisticated! They are a cut above other sweet potato recipes (pun intended). And for the record, E loved these, too!

Four hasselback sweet potatoes in a white baking dish, topped with apples.

About these Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Are you wondering what “Hasselback” is all about? Initially, I did too! I know what the Hasselback cooking method is, which we’ll get to in a minute, but I didn’t really know why it was called Hasselback. I looked on Wikipedia which told me that Hasselback is a Swedish method of making roasted potatoes, developed by a chef in Stockholm, in a restaurant called Hasselback. So there you have it, trivia you can use (not really). 

To prepare Hasselback potatoes, the potatoes are scrubbed clean and then each potato is carefully sliced into quarter inch slices but not all the way through the potato, so that the potato remains whole but with cuts in it. Melted butter and herbs are then drizzled over the cut potato and it’s roasted until golden brown. Sounds yummy, doesn’t it? The butter and herbs sink down into the sliced potatoes and the cut edges get kind of browned and crispy. 

Hasselback sweet potatoes, photographed from above.

I love this method so much, I created a recipe for Hasselback chicken, stuffed with spinach, artichoke, and three kinds of cheese. So delicious! There’s a short video to help you navigate this recipe. 

Naturally, since I love sweet potatoes so much, I wondered if this method would work with whole sweet potatoes. Perfection!

The sweet potatoes are carefully sliced, Hasselback style, and a yummy concoction of melted butter, brown sugar, and spices is poured over. Roast them in the oven, baste them a couple of times to make them really glisten, and voila, you have a classy looking, ridiculously delicious side dish to impress your guests. They will ooh and aah over this one!

To make the slicing easier, set your potato lengthwise between a couple of wooden spoon handles or chopsticks. Make the slices perpendicular to the wooden spoons/chopsticks, which will act as a guard to keep the knife from cutting all the way through. Use the sharpest knife you have! A good chef’s knife, like this one, is perfect. If it sounds difficult, don’t worry, it really isn’t that hard. My mom tried these with some trepidation, but found that it was surprisingly easy and actually kind of fun! My mom and I are kind of weird that way. 

For a helpful video about how to cut the potatoes, Hasselback style, watch this short YouTube video produced by Cooking Light. 

Sweet potatoes cut in a hasselback style and baked with cinnamon and butter.

How to Make these Sweet Potatoes Your Own:

  • I used melted butter for these because well, I love butter! You could also use ghee, or make these vegan by using olive oil. Coconut oil also tastes great with sweet potatoes. 
  • Vary the spices. Instead of vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg, try making it savory with minced garlic, red pepper flakes, cayenne, or onion powder. Consider the sweet potato a blank palette ready for your artistry! 
  • I garnished these Hasselback sweet potatoes with julienned apples and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Alternatives could be freshly chopped parsley, fried sage leaves, or maybe some lemon twists. 
  • I used a large glass baking dish. You could also use a cast iron skillet, or any pan that will accommodate your potatoes. You don’t want to crowd them too much. They need a little space to kind of fan out and roast.  

Tips and tricks for the best Hasselback Sweet Potatoes:

  • I found that cutting off the funny ends of the sweet potatoes looked a little better. That’s totally up to you. Just make sure you scrub them well. I love this vegetable brush!
  • If you’re finding that your sweet potato isn’t cooperating with the slicing process, slice a thin slice off the bottom side of the potato. There! That will make your wiggly potato lie still!
  • If you’re not up to making the Hasselback slices, just go ahead and slice the sweet potatoes all the way through. Layer the slices into a cooking dish to bake. I realize this isn’t quite as glamorous looking but will be just as tasty! My mom and I were thinking that layering apple slices with the sweet potatoes would be really delicious. 
  • If you would like to make these potatoes ahead, reheat them at 350ºF for about 30 minutes, or until they’re heated through. Baste them a bit with the butter to make them glisten again.

Can’t get enough sweet potatoes? 

Try these recipes:

 

  • Vanilla Bean Mashed Sweet Potatoes
  • Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole (gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free)
  • Sweet Potato Wedges with Chinese Five Spice
  • Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Maple Mustard Sauce (with a short video)
  • Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
  • 25 Sweet Potato Recipes (a collection of my favorites)

Beautifully sliced sweet potatoes topped with apples.

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Image of sweet potatoes cut in a hasselback style and baked with cinnamon and butter.
Recipe

Get the Recipe: Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

5 from 1 vote
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr 20 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins
8 servings
Print Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Sweet and delicious, these roasted Hasselback Sweet Potatoes make an impressive presentation yet are easy enough to add to your everyday menu. No hassle required!

Ingredients

  • 4 sweet potatoes, scrubbed (try to find 4 that are similar in size)
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste if you have it!)
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder, or to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425ºF. Spray baking dish lightly with cooking spray. 
  • Prepare sweet potatoes: Place wooden chopsticks or wooden spoons on either side of one sweet potato. Carefully cut thin slices (about 1/4-inch) into the sweet potato, being careful not to slice all the way through. The chopsticks/wooden spoons will keep your knife from going too far. Place sweet potatoes into prepared baking dish.
  • In a small bowl, mix the melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne. Pour this mixture over the prepared sweet potatoes, slightly separating the slices so that the butter mixture gets inside. 
  • Cover with foil, place in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until nearly tender. Take potatoes out of the oven, remove foil, spoon the butter mixture from the bottom of the pan over the potatoes, and return to oven, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Repeat this process once, and bake 10 minutes more. You want to have a nice glaze on the sweet potatoes.
  • Serve with julienned apples sprinkled on top, if desired.

Notes

  • Choose a baking dish that will accomodate all four whole sweet potatoes, side by side, with a little extra room to allow the potatoes to fan out a bit. 

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1/2 potato, Calories: 152kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 23mg, Sodium: 156mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 9g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Author: Rachel Gurk

Shop this post

Wusthof Chef's Knife
Prepworks Fruit and Veggie Brush
Did You Make This?Be sure to upload a photo & tag me at @RachelCooksBlog. I love seeing what you made!
Share A Photo! Tag on Insta Rate It
Verdict: These taste like dessert and are oh-so-pretty to look at! I love them!
Husband’s take: 
Ben isn’t a huge sweet potato fan! His loss. 
Changes I would make: None at all are necessary! 
Difficulty: I mean, they’re harder to make than baking whole sweet potatoes, but they’re still completely doable. 

 

Holiday Quick-Start Guide

Get my Holiday

Quick-Start Guide!

Free email series of my best tips!

FREE BONUS!

You May Also Like...

  • twice baked sweet potatoes rachelcooks.com
    Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
  • 25 Sweet Potato Recipes
  • Crackers are so easy to make at home! You will love the sweet and savory flavor of this gluten-free cracker recipe, and it's great for kids too! You can even have them help roll out the crackers. Get the gluten-free snack recipe on RachelCooks.com!
    Gluten-Free Cracker Recipe - Sweet Potato and Rosemary
  • Vanilla bean mashed sweet potatoes in a round bowl.
    Vanilla Bean Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Pizza stuffed spaghetti squash with cheese, pepperoni, and vegetables.
Previous Post
Pizza Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Air fryer chicken nuggets in a basket, shot from above. BBQ sauce also pictured.
Next Post
Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets

Reader Interactions

Leave a Review Cancel reply

Recipe Rating




The maximum upload file size: 1 MB. You can upload: image. Drop files here

  1. Matt says

    August 16, 2020 at 2:03 pm

    Spoon remaining mixture in the pan or the extra you may have leftover from the beginning? That part is unclear

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      August 17, 2020 at 10:27 am

      Sorry about that – extra in the pan. :) I will clarify it in the recipe instructions, thanks!

      Reply
  2. denise says

    October 2, 2019 at 6:11 pm

    looks so good!

    I knew what Hasselback meant–I looked it up a long time ago.;)

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      October 3, 2019 at 6:34 am

      Thanks Denise!

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

Hi, I'm Rachel! Life can be complicated, cooking shouldn't be! I believe that you can put a delicious meal on the table without stressing. It's possible, and I'm here to help. Have a seat at my table...let's chat, eat, and have fun! Read more...

Air Fryer Instant Pot 30 Minutes One Pan Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Slow Cooker Vegetarian 5 Ingredients

Trending

Cooked salmon fillet on a grey-toned plate with cooked asparagus spears. The salmon is being flaked with a fork.

Air Fryer Salmon – easy and delicious!

Pizza pasta being scooped from a pan with a wooden spoon.

Pizza Pasta – 1 pan, 20 minutes

Image of a giant bowl of spaghetti with turkey meatballs.

Baked Turkey Meatballs

Asparagus Panzanella Salad

Seasonal

Beef and vegetable stir fry in a black wok.

Beef Stir Fry With Vegetables

Hot honey chicken sheet pan dinner with honey being drizzled on.

Hot Honey Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner

Sweet and sour shrimp lettuce wrap garnished with green onion.

Sweet and Sour Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

BBQ Chicken burrito bowl with avocado and sour cream.

BBQ Chicken Bowl

Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window
Free Bonus!

5 Cooking Secrets to Save Time & Stress

Free email series of my best tips and recipes!

Featured On:

Back to Top
  • About
  • Contact
  • Press
  • Work with Me
  • Privacy
  • Accessibility
© 2023 Rachel Cooks®
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled