Hasselback Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar

Name: Hasselback Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 90 min
Ingredients: 6 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 ½ lbs. total); 6 Tbsp. butter (melted *); 2 Tbsp. oil (olive or avocado); ¼ tsp. salt; ½ cup brown sugar (or coconut sugar, plus more for topping); ¼-½ tsp. cinnamon (to taste); ½ cup pecans (coarsely chopped)

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Hasselback Sweet Potatoes are a delicious twist on a classic casserole favorite. Once you learn how to cut the potatoes into slices, you can easily top them with butter, brown sugar, and spices, then let the oven turn them into a crispy side dish. Serve these impressive potatoes up at Thanksgiving or Christmas – your guests won’t know how easy they were to make!

Hasselback sweet potato recipe is served on a white plate and topped with toasted pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

As if sweet potatoes couldn’t get any better, why don’t we thinly slice, cover in a sauce full of butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, and then bake until perfectly crisp and tender!

A bit of toasted pecans and a sprinkle of sugar are added just before serving.

Yup… these hasselback sweet potatoes sound like a pretty darn good Thanksgiving side dish to me – and I think you and your dinner guests will agree!

And dare I say they’re even better than the classic Sweet Potato Casserole?!

That might be a bold statement to claim, but if you prefer your potatoes on the crispy side, then I have a feeling you’re going to love this recipe variation.

They’re also a little bit healthier since less butter and sugar are used than the traditional recipe, and can easily be made gluten-free, vegan, and Paleo, too!

(If you’re a fan of the savory, you might want to check out these Loaded Hasselback Potatoes, instead.)

Ingredients

The simple ingredients you need to make this hasselback sweet potatoes recipe include:

Sweet Potatoes. Try to find jewel and garnet sweet potatoes, or yams, that are roughly 0.4-0.5 pounds each. Pick potatoes that are uniform in size so they cook evenly.
Sugar. Brown sugar was tested in this recipe, but coconut sugar may be substituted if you are on a Paleo diet.
Oil & Butter. A mixture of either olive or avocado oil and butter is made to coat the potatoes. You can also use all of one or the other, or even substitute with a plant-based butter alternative if vegan or dairy-free.
Spices. A little or a lot of cinnamon can be added to the sauce mixture. You can also shake in a dash of nutmeg or cloves for more spice.
Pecans. Coarsely chopped pecans are sprinkled on and baked just before serving for an added crunch.

How to Make Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

The basic steps for making hasselback sweet potatoes are simple to follow:

Clean and Slice

Scrub the sweet potatoes thoroughly under running water with a vegetable brush and dry well. This is crucial since you’ll be baking the entire potato with the skin on.

The most important and difficult step is slicing the potatoes without accidentally cutting them all the way through. Avoid this hasselback disaster by cheating with chopsticks!

Lay two chopsticks on either side of the long sides of a sweet potato on a cutting board. Make sure to find chopsticks with squared ends so they do not roll around.

You can also use a wooden spoon on either side if you don’t have chop sticks, though the slices won’t be as deep.

Make even slits approximately ⅛ to ¼-inch apart starting at least ½-inch from the end of the potato. Keep the bottom connected by stopping your knife when it hits the chopsticks.

Sweet potatoes are washed for this side dish recipe. — Clean and dry the potatoes.

Sweet potato is sliced using a knife and chopsticks. — Clean and dry the potatoes.

Slather with Sauce

Whisk together oil, butter, salt, sugar, and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl.

Brush half of the mixture over all of the potatoes. Spread apart the slices using your fingers or a fork to ensure the sauce gets inside between the pieces.

Melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and oil are mixed together in a bowl. — Mix the sauce.

Sweet potatoes are brushed with a melted butter and cinnamon sugar mixture. — Mix the sauce.

Bake in the Oven

Cook in a preheated 425 °F oven for 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and brush the remaining sauce over the potatoes. Return the potatoes to the oven for an additional 20-25 minutes.

Sliced sweet potatoes are baked in the oven with brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon.

Add the Pecans

Sprinkle on the chopped pecans and reduce the oven temperature to 375 °F. Return the potatoes to the oven for 5-10 minutes, or until the pecans are lightly toasted.

Baked sweet potatoes are topped with chopped pecans and put back in the oven.

Garnish and Serve

Top with additional sugar and cinnamon if desired.

Hasselback potatoes are best when served immediately. The longer they sit out at room temperature, the less crisp they will become.

Hasselback sweet potatoes are served with brown sugar, pecans, and cinnamon for a Thanksgiving side dish.

Meal Prep and Storage

To Prep-Ahead: You can slice the potatoes ahead of time if needed, just be sure to keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to season and bake.
To Store: Place leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Keep the toppings separate if they are not already added.
To Freeze: Tightly seal un-topped hasselback sweet potatoes in a freezer-safe airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: Warm on a baking sheet or in a baking dish in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes.

Dietary Modifications

The recipe you’ll find below is already vegetarian and gluten-free as written. Here are some adjustments and substitutions you can make to help it fit your other dietary requirements:

Dairy-Free: Use all oil instead of a mixture of butter and oil.
Vegan: Leave out the butter and make the sauce with all oil.
Paleo: Omit the butter and swap out the sugar for coconut sugar.
Nut-Free: Skip the pecans. If you still want some crunch, sprinkle on your favorite seeds.
Refined Sugar-Free: Choose a coconut sugar instead of brown.

Crispy hassleback sweet potatoes are served on a plate for a vegetarian side dish.

FAQs

What are hasselback sweet potatoes?

This impressive dish consists thinly sliced sweet potatoes that are still held together at the base to create a fan-like presentation. They are filled with toppings like brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans.

Where did hasselback potatoes come from?

These sliced and stuffed potatoes originated back in 1953 in a Swedish restaurant called Hasselbacken. Since then many variations have been created and enjoyed everywhere.

Can you eat sweet potato skin?

Yes you can! However, potatoes should always be cleaned thoroughly before eating.

Expert Tips and Tricks

Go half pound. Keep a shorter cooking time by choosing smaller potatoes.
Pick similar. For even baking, find potatoes close in size with a uniform thickness throughout.
Make it foolproof. Use chopsticks to prevent cutting all the way through.
Get spicy. Adjust the amount of seasonings to your liking by adding more or less. You can also add it other flavors, like maple syrup, garlic, or thyme.
Work it in. Make sure butter sauce gets in-between each slice by applying it with a pastry brush.

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes are sliced and roasted before being served on a plate.

What to Serve with Hasselback Potatoes

Honestly, you almost can’t go wrong with picking a main dish to go along with these potatoes.

Traditionally these taste best when served at Thanksgiving with a big ole’ turkey and all of the other yummy sides (like a Cornbread Dressing, Brussels au Gratin, and Green Bean Casserole.)

But if you’re craving these on a day other than a holiday, these main dishes pair exceptionally well:

More Sweet Potato Recipes

Explore all the delicious ways to prepare sweet potatoes with these recipes:

Hasselback sweet potatoes are served on a plate and topped with brown sugar and cinnamon.

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