Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Once you try this Hasselback Sweet Potatoes recipe you’ll never go back to the classic casserole! Learn how to easily cut the potatoes, then coat with butter, brown sugar, and spices and bake in the oven until crispy. Your guests at Thanksgiving and Christmas will have no idea how easy this side dish is to make!

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. Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts.

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.

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

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 in-between the pieces.

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.

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.

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.

Meal Prep and Storage

• To Store: Place them 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.

FAQs

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.
• Work it in. Make sure butter sauce gets in-between each slice by applying it with a pastry brush.

Make it a Meal

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 and Green Bean Casserole.)

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

• Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Chicken
• Lemon Basil Baked Salmon
• Filet Mignon
• Honey Balsamic Chicken

More Sweet Potato Recipe

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

Sweet Potato Ground Turkey Chili

Homemade Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet Potato Hash Browns

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Veggie Burger

One-Pot Sausage, Kale, Sweet Potato Quinoa

4.55 from 11 votes

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar

Once you try this Hasselback Sweet Potatoes recipe you'll never go back to the classic casserole. Your guests at Thanksgiving will have no idea how easy this side dish is to make!

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Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword easy, side dish, sweet potatoes, Thanksgiving

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 439 kcal

London Brazil

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

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

2. Wash potatoes, scrub, and dry thoroughly.

3. Place two chopsticks on a cutting board and place one sweet potato in between them, with the long-axis of the potato running parallel to the chopsticks.
4. Using a sharp knife, make cuts approximately ⅛-¼-inch apart starting at least ½-inch from the end of the sweet potato. Stop cutting when your knife hits the chopsticks so the bottom is still connected.
5. Repeat this until the entire potato is sliced thinly. Do this with the other 5 potatoes.

6. Place potatoes on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

7. Whisk together oil, butter, salt, sugar, and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl. Use a pastry brush and 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 in-between the pieces.

8. Cover the baking sheet with a piece of aluminum foil and bake in oven for 25 minutes. Brush remaining sauce over the potatoes and return to oven, uncovered, for an additional 20-25 minutes.

9. Once potatoes are cooked through, sprinkle on chopped pecans and reduce oven temperature to 375 °F. Return potatoes to oven for 5-10 minutes, or until pecans are lightly toasted.

10. Serve potatoes with additional sugar and cinnamon, if desired, and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

• Use a plant-based butter alternative to make these dairy-free and vegan.
• Cook longer if potatoes are more than ½ pound each.

Nutrition Facts

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar

Amount Per Serving

Calories 439 Calories from Fat 207

% Daily Value*

Fat 23g35%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Cholesterol 32mg11%

Sodium 294mg13%

Potassium 695mg20%

Carbohydrates 57g19%

Fiber 7g29%

Sugar 26g29%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 27182IU544%

Vitamin C 5mg6%

Calcium 83mg8%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.