Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes

Name: Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 750g baby potatoes; sunflower oil; Salt; Drizzle olive oil; 4-6 rashers prosciutto; 2 spring onions, finely sliced; 1-2 tbsp finely sliced chives; Dried chilli flakes, to taste (optional); 4 tbsp sour cream

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It is no secret that I am a huge fan of potatoes: chunky chips, frites, roast potatoes, creamy mash, dauphinoise, pommes anna, aligot, hash browns, rosti… the list goes on. In fact, I am yet to meet a spud that I don’t like. This recipe takes the humble hasselback potato to the next level with a crispy prosciutto garnish and delicious sour cream dip - perfect as a starter or to share with friends. If you haven’t made hasselback potatoes before, you are in for a treat. They are a bit like roast potatoes, with a crispy outside and fluffy inside, but look that bit more impressive thanks to the fanned top.

Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes with bacon

Although I have been making hasselback potatoes in the oven for years, I decided to use the air fryer this time which dramatically cuts the cooking time - ideal if you are in a rush. If you don’t own one, you can use the oven (find out how below). You can also adapt this recipe to suit your own preferences. For example, the prosciutto makes this dish feel extra special, but you can leave it out if you are cooking for vegetarians or are looking for a more budget friendly recipe. It will still be delicious…

Why you'll love these Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes

The air fryer dramatically cuts the cooking time so you can have these ready to eat in no time.
The small cuts in the potato give a large surface area and make the potatoes super crispy on the outside but still soft and fluffy in the middle.
They make the simple, humble potato much more interesting and more delicious rather than just eating potato wedges again!

You will need the following ingredients:

labelled ingredients for air fryer hasselback potatoes

Baby potatoes - you can use any type of small potato for this recipe but try and go for ones which are similar in size so they cook at the same rate. I love using Jersey Royals when they are in season.

Sunflower oil - a flavourless oil works well in this recipe, although you could use olive oil if you like.

Salt - this adds flavour and helps them crisp up. I like Maldon Flaky Sea Salt - you can try their different flavours if you like.

Olive oil - a good quality olive oil is perfect for frying the prosciutto - although you could use sunflower oil if you prefer.

Prosciutto - if you haven’t tried crispy prosciutto before, you must give it a go! It takes this recipe to the next level.

Spring onions - also known as scallions, these work really well with potatoes. They have a milder flavour than regular onions and can be served raw or cooked.

Chives - these are a delicious garnish, you can also roughly chopped parsley, if you prefer. You can thinly slice them using a sharp knife or snip with a pair of kitchen scissors.

Sour cream - sour cream and chives is one of my favourite dips for crisps, so it is an obvious choice to serve with these crispy Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes. You can stir the chives into the sour cream or keep them for sprinkling on top as a garnish instead.

Chilli flakes - these add a subtle chilli kick. You can leave them out, if you prefer, or add a dusting of smoked paprika for a smoky flavour.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Substitutions and Variations

Baby potatoes: Small potatoes work best here as they fit nicely in an air fryer but they don't have to be new potatoes (a common choice). They can be jersey royals, fingerlings or even just a bog-standard white potato as long as they are small.

For the dip: You can pair this with all sorts of dips. A garlic aioli or lemon mayonnaise would work well - as would chipotle mayonnaise if you like smoky flavours. You could even try it with a blue cheese dip too.

To make it vegan/vegetarian: This is such an adaptable recipe. If you want to make veggie/vegan hasselback potatoes, simply omit the prosciutto crumble (or swap for crispy fried onions) and choose a plant-based Greek-style yoghurt for the dip.

Here's How To Make Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes

These are really simple to make, here is a step by step guide to show you the main steps a little bit better. The full recipe is also below.

ONE: Carefully slice the potatoes with lots of incisions, taking care to just go ¾ way through. Brush with oil and generously season with salt. Place in the air fryer and cook for around 30 minutes - or until golden, crisp and soft in the centre (the exact time will depend on the size of the potatoes).

Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes with prosciutto

TWO: If you have a two drawer air fryer, in the other drawer, lay out the prosciutto and pop in the airfryer for 5-10 minutes, keep an eye on it. Otherwise, fry in a non-stick pan with a drizzle of oil for a few mins a side.

THREE: Whilst it's cooking, chop the spring onions and the chives. Once everything is cooked, you're ready to assemble.

FOUR: Tip the warm potatoes onto a plate, crumble over the crispy prosciutto and sprinkle with the spring onions, chives and dried chilli flakes, if wished. Serve with the sour cream to dip.

Cooking Tips

Making without an air fryer: If you don’t own an air fryer, you can still make this recipe using a regular oven preheated to 180C Fan. However, the potatoes will take between 50 minutes to 1 hour (depending on their size). You can also make the crispy prosciutto in the oven instead of pan-frying - it should take between 5-10 minutes (watch closely).

Slicing the potatoes: Although the fan-like pattern looks complicated to achieve, it really isn’t as difficult as it looks. The trick is not to cut too far down. I find it helps to put two chopsticks (or thick skewers) on either side of the potato, then use them as a guide (cut down until your knife hits the chopstick). This also helps ensure all the cuts are equal in depth. Try to make them equal in width too (I like to space them a couple of millimetres apart).

Frequently Asked Questions

What are hasselback potatoes?

Thought to have originated from Sweden, hasselback potatoes are baked potatoes which have been cut about halfway down so they fan out into thin slices when baked. They can be served as a canapé or starter with dips or as a side dish alongside a main course.

What is prosciutto?

Prosciutto is uncooked, unsmoked, dry-cured ham usually served thinly sliced. It is very popular in Italy, often served as an antipasti with grissini, melon or figs - or with vegetables like peas and asparagus (a bit like my Asparagus and Parma Ham recipe). I also use it in salads, as a pizza topping, sandwich and panini filling or to saltimbocca (a famous Italian dish made with veal wrapped in prosciutto and sage). The distinct salty flavour alters depending on the region it is produced in.

Why do you make this in the air fryer and not the oven?

Much like the rest of the country (it seems), I have been intrigued by all the hype surrounding air fryers and wanted to give them a try. Whilst it will never replace my oven, I do love the way that my air fryer cooks food so much faster - saving time, energy and money. It also doesn't take up too much space as it is much smaller than a conventional oven (another reason why it is cheaper to run). Hasselback potatoes can take a while to cook in the oven, but using an air fryer speeds up the process and still produces deliciously crispy results.

More recipes to try

A recent favourite recipe of mine is this Potato Salad with Dill and Pickles, it's been a go to recently as well as this Hasselback recipe too. I have also done an oven recipe for this style of potatoes: these Hasselback Potatoes with Salsa Verde and Labneh for those who don't have an air fryer (although you can still make these!) Otherwise, for more prosciutto recipes, sandwiches are my go to. This Fried Mozzarella Sandwich with Tomato Sauce and Prosciutto is SO good and a great veggie sandwich. Stanley Tucci's Favourite Sandwich is also delicious as is this Burrata and Salami Focaccia Sandwich with Aubergine Caponata.

Made this recipe and loved it?

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