I Never Roast Cubed Potatoes Anymore — Padma Lakshmi Taught Me This Perfectly Easy Method Instead

Padma Lakshmi recently shared a simple hack for cutting hasselback potatoes, which makes the slicing process so much easier. Hasselback potato recipes call for meticulously slicing the spuds into thin layers to keep them connected at the base. Once you bake it, the layers fan into crispy disks, while the center remains tender and creamy. They’re a delicious option if you’re stuck in a rut and looking for a new way to prepare your starchy root. The only tedious part? Cutting them into this accordion-like design. 

“You want two wooden spoons or two utensils that have handles that are equal in height and dimension so that you get an even cut so that when you cut down, you keep the base intact, and this is what creates that kind of fan,” Lakshmi said in a clip posted to her Instagram. 

Then, you can follow the rest of the steps of making hasselback potatoes, which involve brushing them with fat like butter or olive oil and baking them until they have crispy tops and a tender center. 

Lakshmi adds that once you take these hasselback potatoes out of the oven, you can fill their slits with a bunch of fixings. You can treat them like a loaded baked potato and fill them with sour cream, scallions, cheddar, and bacon. You can also cover them in a rich Hollandaise sauce or give them a spice twist by spooning chili crisp on top of them. 

When Lakshmi posted this hasselback potato-cutting hack, people flooded the comments with gratitude. One person said, “Good tip for keeping a base intact,” and another mentioned, “I love it. I also love your idea of cutting the potatoes.” One fan even shared a delicious upgrade: “Mmmm … thank you! Try butternut squash this way, too!”

With the holiday season here, if you’re looking for ways to do more with less, Lakshmi’s hack for preparing simple potatoes will transform any spud into an impressive-looking (and tasting!) side dish.