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Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes

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Whole potatoes with thin parallel cuts that fan open during cooking, finished with garlic herb butter and crispy golden edges. Ready in under 40 minutes of cook time in the air fryer.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 medium Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes (uniform size)
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 garlic cloves, microplaned or very finely minced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Fresh rosemary, thyme, or chives, finely chopped
  • ½ tsp salt, plus flaky sea salt for finishing
  • Black pepper to taste
  • Optional loaded toppings:
  • Shredded cheddar or Gruyère
  • Sour cream
  • Crispy bacon bits
  • Thinly sliced jalapeño
  • Fresh chives

Instructions

  1. Wash and dry the potatoes. Do not peel. Place each potato lengthwise on a cutting board with chopsticks on either side as guides. Make thin parallel cuts (3–4mm apart) along the length of each potato, stopping when the knife hits the chopsticks so the base stays intact.
  2. Soak cut potatoes in cold salted water for 10 minutes to relax the cuts and remove surface starch. Drain and pat very dry.
  3. Combine melted butter, garlic, herbs, ½ tsp salt, and pepper in a small bowl to make the baste. Use a pastry brush to work the mixture generously into all cuts and over the entire surface of each potato. Season the outside with additional flaky salt.
  4. Preheat air fryer to 375°F (190°C) for 3 minutes.
  5. Place potatoes cut-side up in the basket, not touching each other. Cook at 375°F for 25 minutes until fans have visibly opened and edges are starting to brown.
  6. Remove basket and brush a second coat of butter baste into the now-open fans. If using cheese, press thin slices or shredded cheese into the gaps between the fans.
  7. Return to air fryer at 375°F for 10 more minutes until fans are deeply golden and the potato is fully fork-tender through the thickest part.
  8. Finish immediately with fresh herbs and a pinch of flaky salt. Serve hot with any loaded toppings.

Notes

Use the chopstick trick: lay two wooden chopsticks parallel to the potato on the cutting board so your knife stops before cutting all the way through.

Pat potatoes very dry after soaking — water in the cuts prevents the butter baste from adhering properly.

Cook in batches of 2 if your air fryer is small; potatoes must not touch for proper air circulation.

The second butter baste (after 25 minutes) is the most important step — the open fans allow the butter to penetrate much deeper than the first coat.

Find it online: https://airfrycentral.com/air-fryer-hasselback-potatoes/