Many people think that potatoes can be used only as a side dish. Well, I – a woman that comes from a potato-eater kingdom – strongly disagree! Potatoes can be served also as a fantastic main dish. That means – without even feeling the need for an added piece of meat, fish or veggie burger. The secret how to make a really delicious potato dish is simple – use your creativity! Just like I did with these crispy garlic Hasselback potatoes with spicy roasted bell pepper dip.
Could be that you have never heard of the name Hasselback potatoes. But I’m quite sure that you have seen them or even already tried them before in your life. Basically, Hasselback potatoes are potatoes that are halfway through cut in slices and then baked in the oven. As the Internet claims, the creator of this specific style of cooking potatoes is a man from Stockholm. He made this dish for the first time in a restaurant called “Hasselbacken”. So, that’s where the name comes from.
People make Hasselback potatoes in many different ways and by using different toppings. Some add extra ingredients in between the slices of the potatoes, while some others use different spices and sauces. I decided to make my crispy garlic Hasselback potatoes very simple, but still extremely flavorful. But I didn’t stop just there – I made also a delicious spicy roasted bell pepper dip. A dip that fits perfectly to the baked potatoes that are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
Crispy garlic Hasselback potatoes
For the potatoes I used a mixture of only three ingredients – olive oil, dried dill and garlic. The amount of garlic in this recipe is quite big, but don’t worry! During the baking process the garlic loses its spiciness, at the same time giving wonderful flavor to the potatoes. Some garlic is used also for the roasted bell pepper dip. But, first – the amount is much smaller. And, second – some spiciness is necessary for the dip since roasted bell peppers tend to have a slightly sweet flavor. Therefore, don’t be afraid to use a lot of garlic! It’s even great for your health and immune system. And by the way – in case you need more delicious potato recipes, check out my Creamy vegan potato leek soup!
Spicy roasted bell pepper dip
The spicy roasted bell pepper dip contains few liquid ingredients. That’s because I wanted to create a dip with a consistency similar to guacamole. Which means that it doesn’t drop or turn the crispy potatoes into something mushy. The ingredients of the roasted bell pepper dip are all good for your health. For example, bell peppers and lemon or lime juice contain a lot of vitamin C. Cashews are rich in copper, magnesium and manganese. While garlic – the king of valuable nutrients – contains vitamins B6, B1, C, and also manganese, selenium, calcium, copper and phosphorus. Besides that, it also contains some protein and amino acids! So once again with simple ingredients you can prepare yourself a dish that is loaded with valuable nutrients.
What regards Specky, usually, when I prepare something delicious, he’s tangling between my feet to get some snack. But not this time! Maybe his nosy felt that none of the ingredients are good for him. Or maybe a quick nap, as you see, was more important than a snack. Who knows! In any case, unfortunately you cannot take a nap while these crispy garlic Hasselback potatoes are baking. Why not? Well, because it’s the right time to prepare the spicy roasted bell pepper dip. So put your apron on and get ready to lick your fingers! These Hasselback potatoes with roasted bell pepper dip are:
- flavorful
- crispy
- vegan
- garlicky
- spicy
- deliciously aromatic
- visually appetizing
- and simply yummy!
Let me know, if you try this recipe! Leave a comment or even more – make Specky happy! Snap a picture of your masterpiece and post it on Instagram or Facebook by tagging @bunnymommycooks. And feel free to let your animal family members join in the picture!
| Prep Time | 25 min |
| Cook Time | 45 min |
| Servings |
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- 4 oblong shape potatoes (each potato ~270 g)
- 5 medium size garlic cloves (~25 g)
- 1 teaspoon of dried dill
- 7 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- salt & pepper
- chives (optional)
- 1 medium size red bell pepper (~230 g)
- 80 g of cashews
- 200 ml of boiling hot water
- 2 small garlic cloves (~6 g)
- 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of lemon or lime juice
- pinch of salt
- pinch of red chili pepper flakes (optional)
Ingredients
For the Crispy garlic Hasselback potatoes:
For the Spicy roasted bell pepper dip:
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- heat the oven to 200°C/390°F and meanwhile wash carefully the potatoes by leaving the potato skin on;
- when the potatoes are clean, carefully cut thin sections into every potato by leaving the base intact. The goal is to make the potato look like accordion. When all the potatoes are cut, rinse them with cold water and pat dry with paper towel;
- prepare the oil mixture by mixing together olive oil, crushed garlic and dried dill. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, place the dried potatoes on it with the cut side up and brush each potato with part of the oil mixture. Try to put more oil than the garlic pieces on the potatoes (it’s necessary in order to avoid that the garlic burns and to infuse more the remaining oil for the second time of brushing that will follow). Do not forget to brush also the potato sides. Then place the baking tray in the middle compartment of a preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes;
- after 30 minutes take the potatoes out from the oven and brush with the remaining oil mixture. This time put on also the garlic pieces. Carefully try to put some drops of the infused oil and some garlic pieces also in between the slices. Sprinkle some salt and pepper over the potatoes and put them back in the oven for additional 15 – 20 minutes;
- after 15 – 20 minutes control the tenderness of the inside of potato slices with a fork. If they are still a bit hard, bake the potatoes for some extra minutes. If instead the slices are tender and the skin is crispy and golden, take the potatoes out from the oven;
- serve the Hasselback potatoes hot together with the spicy roasted bell pepper dip and by sprinkling over some fresh chopped chives, if using.
- clean the bell pepper from seeds and cut it in smaller pieces. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, place the bell pepper pieces on it with the skin facing down and drizzle some oil over them. Put the baking tray in the oven on a lower level and bake for 15 – 20 minutes;
- while bell pepper is getting ready, place cashews in a heat resistant bowl, pour over them boiling hot water and cover the bowl with a plate in order to keep the water hot. Soak the cashews for at least 15 minutes;
- bell pepper and cashews should be ready more or less at the same time. Nothing will happen if you soak the cashews even longer, so pay bigger attention to the bell pepper. Once you notice the first small black spots (more or less after 15 – 20 minutes of cooking), take the bell pepper pieces out from the oven and set aside to cool a bit;
- drain the cashews and put them in a food processor. Blend until they turn into small chunks. Then add in the food processor also lemon or lime juice, crushed garlic and the bell pepper pieces. Do not worry if some of the pieces have black spots – it will simply enhance the flavor of the dip. Blend everything together until you get a thick dip (similar in consistency to guacamole). Do some tasting and add salt to adapt the salinity of the dip to your taste. If red chili pepper flakes are used, mix a pinch of them into the dip;
- serve the spicy roasted bell pepper dip together with crispy garlic Hasselback potatoes or anything else of your choice.
Can potatoes with these spices be fried?
Hello Ilmu,
I have never tried to fry them, but in my opinion it’s possible, I simply won’t be able to tell you the exact cooking time.
To avoid that the spices burn, I would first cut the potatoes as indicated in the recipe and then fry them without anything until they turn crispy and golden. Then, once they are fried, immediately brush them with the infused dill and garlic oil (I’d avoid adding also the garlic pieces, since they would remain raw) and sprinkle with some salt and pepper 🙂