Joanna Gaines' cheesy baked potatoes are so easy to make that you probably have all the ingredients already

Lauren EdmondsFeb 4, 2021, 22:52 IST

Joanna Gaines' Hasselback potatoes are a surprisingly easy game-day dish.Getty Images/Lauren Edmonds

I made Joanna Gaines' Hasselback potato recipe from her series "Magnolia Table with Joanna Gaines."
Being used to basic tailgate foods like chicken wings, the Hasselback potatoes seemed bougie to me.
But Gaines' recipe was simple and I'll be making it even after a Super Bowl LV champion is crowned.

The Sunshine State has a chance this Sunday to trade in its "Florida Man" reputation for an entirely different one: Super Bowl champions.

On February 7, I (along with millions of my fellow Florida natives) will be glued to the TV as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers face off against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.

But of course, because football reigns supreme in the American South, game days are always about the food just as much as the final score.

I normally stick to classic game-day foods like chicken wings and pizza, but I decided to up the ante this year by trying something new: Joanna Gaines' Hasselback potatoes recipe. The recipe was one of the "Weekend Game Day Snacks" featured on "Magnolia Table with Joanna Gaines," along with recipes for Philly cheesesteaks, french onion dip, and Lucy's Peanut Butter Brownies.

While I wasn't sure the seemingly fancy recipe could compare to my usual finger foods, the Hasselback potatoes surpassed my expectations - and were surprisingly easy to make.

I grew up attending tailgates and game-day events in Florida.

The author wearing her University of Florida sweatshirt in middle school. Lauren Edmonds

The first time I attended an official game day was when I was 10 years old and Tim Tebow was the prodigal quarterback for the University of Florida. I later visited similar tailgates during college when Jameis Winston reigned supreme at Florida State University.

And food was always a big part of the festivities.

At least one person manned the grill with burgers, while others brought things like fried chicken, Doritos, and what seemed like a never-ending assortment of dips.

After years of attending tailgates across my home state of Florida, I've developed three criteria for what makes good game-day food: It must be portable, double as finger food, and, most importantly, taste delicious.

But tailgating isn't an option as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, so spending game day indoors opens up a new world of food possibilities.

And food was always a big part of the festivities.

At least one person manned the grill with burgers, while others brought things like fried chicken, Doritos, and what seemed like a never-ending assortment of dips.

But tailgating isn't an option as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, so spending game day indoors opens up a new world of food possibilities.

As a self-proclaimed tailgate and game-day pro, I had reservations about Gaines' Hasselback potatoes.

The Hasselback potatoes as featured in "Magnolia Table with Joanna Gaines" and "Magnolia Table, Volume 2 Cookbook: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering." Magnolia Network

I'll admit it: I didn't even know what Hasselback potatoes were before this story. I had to scroll through Google Images to find out.

Right off the bat, I wondered if the Hasselback potatoes — with their fanned slices — could stay together when excited fans jumped for touchdowns and groaned over fouls.

Would I need to eat it with a knife and fork at the table, or could I pull the slices apart like chips and munch away on the go?

I'll admit it: I didn't even know what Hasselback potatoes were before this story. I had to scroll through Google Images to find out.

Right off the bat, I wondered if the Hasselback potatoes — with their fanned slices — could stay together when excited fans jumped for touchdowns and groaned over fouls.

Would I need to eat it with a knife and fork at the table, or could I pull the slices apart like chips and munch away on the go?

Gaines' Hasselback potatoes called for everyday ingredients that could be picked up from the local grocery store in my neighborhood.

Gaines' recipe only called for eight items and I already had most of them in my home. Lauren Edmonds

According to the recipe featured on "Magnolia Table with Joanna Gaines" and in "Magnolia Table, Volume 2 Cookbook: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering," I would only need eight ingredients for these potatoes:

Six medium Yukon Gold potatoes
Four tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
Two tablespoons olive oil
One teaspoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Three tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Two tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

One thing I noticed with Gaines' Hasselback potato recipe was that the ingredients were very accessible to the average person.

I currently live in East Harlem, also known as El Barrio or Spanish Harlem, and sometimes have trouble finding certain ingredients. My shopping days sometimes morph into a game of pinball, with me bouncing from Aldi's to Target to Cherry Valley in order to check off my entire shopping list.

For instance, when I decided to whip a Champagne-infused risotto in January, my local mom-and-pop grocery store had several ingredients out of stock and I had to trek to the Whole Foods in Central Harlem to get everything I needed.

But for this recipe, most of the ingredients were conveniently already in my cupboard, so I just needed to grab the Yukon Gold potatoes, parmesan cheese, and unsalted butter from my local store.

According to the recipe featured on Magnolia Table with Joanna Gaines and in Magnolia Table, Volume 2 Cookbook: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering, I would only need eight ingredients for these potatoes:

Six medium Yukon Gold potatoes
Four tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
Two tablespoons olive oil
One teaspoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Three tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Two tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

One thing I noticed with Gaines' Hasselback potato recipe was that the ingredients were very accessible to the average person.

But for this recipe, most of the ingredients were conveniently already in my cupboard, so I just needed to grab the Yukon Gold potatoes, parmesan cheese, and unsalted butter from my local store.

Gaines' food hack was a lifesaver when slicing and fanning out each potato.

I sliced through each potato horizontally and used chopsticks to ensure the cuts didn't go to the bottom. Lauren Edmonds

Per the recipe, I sliced six Yukon Gold potatoes horizontally while taking extra care not to cut through to the bottom.

I tend to be heavy-handed when it comes to cutting, so I was grateful when Gaines added a pro-tip to her recipe.

"For even slicing, you can lay 2 wooden spoons or chopsticks along the sides of the potatoes as guides. This keeps the knife from cutting all the way through," wrote Gaines, who just debuted "Fixer Upper: Welcome Home" with Chip Gaines.

I opted to use chopsticks, and I was absolutely surprised by how well this trick worked!

Although the recipe called for medium-sized potatoes, the bag I bought had a mix of large and small potatoes that varied a lot. Fortunately, the chopstick method worked regardless of the size or shape.

However, I noticed that it was easier to fan out the smaller potatoes compared to the larger ones that had more slices and weight.

Per the recipe, I sliced six Yukon Gold potatoes horizontally while taking extra care not to cut through to the bottom.

I tend to be heavy-handed when it comes to cutting, so I was grateful when Gaines added a pro-tip to her recipe.

For even slicing, you can lay 2 wooden spoons or chopsticks along the sides of the potatoes as guides. This keeps the knife from cutting all the way through, wrote Gaines, who just debuted Fixer Upper: Welcome Home with Chip Gaines.

I opted to use chopsticks, and I was absolutely surprised by how well this trick worked!

However, I noticed that it was easier to fan out the smaller potatoes compared to the larger ones that had more slices and weight.

I channeled my inner "Salt Bae" to combine the dry and wet ingredients in a butter mixture.

This is where I made my first mistake of the evening. Lauren Edmonds/Getty Images

I like to think that Nusret Gökçe, aka "Salt Bae," would be proud of my spice skills.

The next step was adding the dry and wet ingredients into melted butter before drizzling it over the fanned out potatoes.

The olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, and parmesan cheese fused together into a somewhat viscous mixture that sat atop the potatoes.

I like to think that Nusret Gökçe, aka Salt Bae, would be proud of my spice skills.

The next step was adding the dry and wet ingredients into melted butter before drizzling it over the fanned out potatoes.

The olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, and parmesan cheese fused together into a somewhat viscous mixture that sat atop the potatoes.

Mistake No. 1: I realized I'd added two extra ingredients into the melted-butter mixture - after I'd already put it on the potatoes.

I accidentally added in the parmesan cheese and parsley before it went into the oven. Lauren Edmonds

I was once again reminded that, when it comes to cooking from a recipe, reading is fundamental.

While the recipe called for a melted-butter mixture, the grated parmesan cheese and parsley weren't supposed to be added until after the potatoes had partially cooked.

I spent a few minutes contemplating whether to keep my incorrect mixture as-is and just hope for the best, since it was already on the potatoes, but ultimately decided to scrap it and follow the recipe as closely as possible.

But the first mixture wasn't a total loss. I decided to meticulously scrape the excess mixture out of each crevice and save it for an extra flavorful topping. I mixed it all again, this time leaving out the parm and parsley, and put that new mixture on the potatoes.

I was once again reminded that, when it comes to cooking from a recipe, reading is fundamental.

While the recipe called for a melted-butter mixture, the grated parmesan cheese and parsley weren't supposed to be added until after the potatoes had partially cooked.

Read more: I tried Martha Stewart's tricks for making the best baked potato ever, and it's so good I'd eat it plain

The potatoes crisped up nicely in the oven and the smell was incredible.

I used my leftover mixture to add an extra boost of flavor to the parmesan cheese and parsley topping. Lauren Edmonds

The drizzled potatoes baked inside the oven for 45 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Peeking inside, I could see the edges on the smaller potatoes crisping faster than their larger counterparts.

Since I'm an average cook with a basic palate, I'm used to an unexpected crunch when I accidentally overcook my food. I removed the potatoes from the oven to add the parmesan cheese and parsley, then put them back in to bake them for additional time.

The recipe suggested around 20 more minutes in addition to the initial 45, but my cheese and parsley cooked after about 10 minutes and had to be taken out.

What emerged were, in my opinion, beautiful Hasselback potatoes that had a lovely crunch and delicious taste.

I noticed that the smaller potatoes, because the slices fanned out more, were able to retain more of the butter mixture and had an extra burst of flavor. I was also delightfully surprised that I could use my fingers to pull apart each slice like a chip even though it still had a baked-potato consistency.

It was definitely a bougie upgrade from my usual game-day food of choice.

The drizzled potatoes baked inside the oven for 45 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Peeking inside, I could see the edges on the smaller potatoes crisping faster than their larger counterparts.

The recipe suggested around 20 more minutes in addition to the initial 45, but my cheese and parsley cooked after about 10 minutes and had to be taken out.

What emerged were, in my opinion, beautiful Hasselback potatoes that had a lovely crunch and delicious taste.

It was definitely a bougie upgrade from my usual game-day food of choice.

Mistake No. 2: Always, always, have a delicious dip for game-day food.

My Hasselback Potatoes may have been crispier than predicted, but I enjoyed the crunch. Lauren Edmonds

As I munched away, I couldn't help but want to eat my Hasselback potatoes with a dip of some sort.

A quick Google search revealed a number of nice dipping sauces that go well with the dish, including sour cream, creamy dill pickle, ranch, and creamy bacon dip.

As I munched away, I couldn't help but want to eat my Hasselback potatoes with a dip of some sort.

A quick Google search revealed a number of nice dipping sauces that go well with the dish, including sour cream, creamy dill pickle, ranch, and creamy bacon dip.

Read more: I tried 19 of Trader Joe's popular dips, and I would buy at least half of them again

This recipe has officially been added to my game-day snacking wheelhouse, and it's perfect for amateur cooks.

I would absolutely recommend this meal to friends and family. Lauren Edmonds

Did Joanna Gaines' Hasselback potatoes pass my tailgate criteria? I'd have to go with a yes.

While the potato itself wasn't as portable as other game-day snacks, like chips or a hot dog, it certainly doubled as finger food and was definitely tasty.

The best part was that the dish was really easy, with only 15 minutes of prep and just over an hour of bake time. When large groups are allowed to gather again, and tailgates kick back up, this could very well be my new go-to dish.

This is an opinion column. The thoughts expressed are those of the author(s).