Irresistible Crispy Cheesy Potato Stacks: The Ultimate Side Dish Recipe
These Cheesy Potato & Herb Stacks are more than just a side dish; they are a culinary revelation! Imagine tender potato slices, infused with aromatic herbs and rich butter, layered with generous amounts of melted cheese, then baked until beautifully crispy. Whether you’re looking for an impressive accompaniment to your main course or a delightful savory snack, these stacks deliver on flavor and texture, making them an instant crowd-pleaser.
The journey to perfecting these stacks began with an appreciation for a classic: Bon Appétit’s Mini Herbed Pommes Anna. Their recipe masterfully crafts thinly sliced, buttered, and herbed mini potatoes, meticulously layered in a muffin tin to achieve a wonderfully crispy and flavorful result. It was undeniably delicious, a testament to the elegance of simple ingredients prepared with care.
However, as with many great recipes, there’s always room for an inspired twist. Quite by accident, I stumbled upon a similar concept that elevated the dish to new heights. Tieghan Gerard of the popular food blog Half Baked Harvest took the foundation of herbed potato stacks and introduced a game-changing element: cheese. Lots and lots of melted cheese! This brilliant addition transforms the humble potato stack into something truly extraordinary. This recipe is my loving take on that cheesy, herby perfection, ensuring every bite is a symphony of flavor and texture.
Plan Ahead for Perfect Potato Stacks
While these Cheesy Potato & Herb Stacks come together with surprising speed during the active preparation phase, they do require a good portion of time in the oven—almost a full hour! So, for best results and a stress-free meal, it’s wise to plan accordingly. The fantastic news is that these potato stacks are incredibly forgiving and can be prepared well in advance. Simply assemble them, store them in the refrigerator, and then pop them into the oven when you’re ready to bake. This make-ahead capability makes them an ideal choice for dinner parties, holiday meals, or simply busy weeknights when you want a delicious, homemade side without last-minute fuss.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
- Using a mandoline, cut the potatoes into 1/8″ slices.
Achieving those perfectly thin potato slices, ideally no more than 1/8-inch thick, is a critical step for the success of these stacks. Thin slices ensure even cooking, a tender interior, and that coveted crispy edge. For precision and efficiency, a mandoline is an indispensable tool in my kitchen. It consistently produces uniform slices with minimal effort and surprisingly easy cleanup. If you don’t own a mandoline (though I highly recommend investing in one if you love cooking!), your food processor equipped with a slicing disc can also yield excellent results. Whichever method you choose, remember that consistency is key for beautiful and evenly cooked potato stacks.
Safety First: Handle with Care
Whether you’re using a mandoline or a food processor, safety should always be your top priority. Mandolines are incredibly sharp, and it’s easy to get carried away in the rhythm of slicing. Always use the safety guard that comes with your mandoline, or if you’re comfortable, consider wearing cut-resistant gloves. When using a food processor, ensure all parts are securely in place before operating, and keep your fingers well clear of the blade. A little caution goes a long way in preventing kitchen accidents and ensuring your cooking experience remains enjoyable.
- In a medium bowl, toss together the potatoes, oregano, thyme, melted butter, salt & pepper.
When it comes to adding cheese, precision in measurement can sometimes be a bit tricky, especially when grating your own. Have you ever wondered whether to lightly spoon grated cheese into a measuring cup or pack it down firmly, like you would with brown sugar? The way you grate and measure your cheese can significantly impact the actual quantity you’re adding to your dish. For a deeper dive into this, Cook’s Illustrated offers excellent insights on grating cheese by weight versus volume.
Personally, I find measuring by weight as I go to be the most accurate and consistent method. I’ve provided ounce equivalents in the recipe that I achieved using a medium box grater, which helps in getting the right balance of flavor without overdoing it (if such a thing is even possible with cheese!). Of course, if your heart desires more melty, gooey cheese than what’s listed, feel absolutely free to add it. After all, can one truly have too much melted cheese? I think not!
- Add the cheese and toss again.
- Layer the potatoes evenly among the prepared muffin tin, stacking the layers all the way to the top.
- The potatoes will shrink down as they bake, so don’t be shy!
Getting Hands-On: The Joy of Stacking
Mixing the potato slices with the fragrant herbs, melted butter, and cheese can sometimes feel like a challenge to get every piece perfectly coated. My favorite and most effective method? Getting right in there and using my hands! It ensures that every single potato slice is beautifully enveloped in that buttery, herby, cheesy goodness. If you’re not a fan of getting your hands messy, a pair of food-safe gloves works wonders and keeps cleanup minimal.
Once everything is coated, the layering process truly becomes a fun and satisfying craft project. Start by selecting the smaller potato discs to form the sturdy foundation for each stack in the muffin cups. As you build upwards, the muffin cups naturally widen slightly, allowing you to gradually incorporate larger slices. Don’t worry if your stacks seem a little tall at first; they will beautifully shrink and settle during the baking process, transforming into perfectly formed, golden-brown towers of deliciousness.
Once you’ve arranged all the individual potato stacks in the muffin tin, they’re ready for their oven transformation. It’s perfectly fine if some stacks appear a little on the taller side; remember, potatoes lose moisture and shrink slightly as they bake, settling into their final delightful shape. After about an hour in a hot oven, a dozen of the most delicious potato stacks will emerge. Each one will boast a wonderfully tender interior, giving way to irresistibly crispy, golden-brown edges. The entire stack will be permeated with the rich, aromatic flavors of herbed, buttery, and cheesy goodness. This two-stage baking process ensures both succulence and crunch.
- Cover the muffin tin loosely with foil and place it on a baking sheet.
- Transfer to the preheated oven and roast for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and continue cooking for another 20-25 minutes.
- The stacks are ready when the potatoes are tender throughout and the tops are beautifully golden and crispy.
- Run a butter knife around the edges of each stack to release them gently from the muffin tin.
- Serve immediately, sprinkled with a little flaky sea salt for an extra touch of flavor and texture.
Versatile Delights: Serving Your Cheesy Potato & Herb Stacks
While these Cheesy Potato & Herb Stacks were seemingly designed to be the ultimate side dish, perfectly complementing a succulent roast beef, tender poultry, or flaky baked fish, their versatility truly knows no bounds. Their impressive presentation and irresistible flavor make them suitable for almost any occasion.
Imagine the delight of serving these as an elegant appetizer! Picture a warm, crispy potato stack topped with a dollop of cool, tangy sour cream, sprinkled with crispy bacon bits and freshly chopped chives. It’s an instant upgrade to any gathering, offering a sophisticated yet comforting bite that will have your guests asking for the recipe. For a vegetarian option, simply omit the bacon and focus on the fresh chives and a hint of paprika.
But why stop at dinner or appetizers? Have you ever considered them for breakfast? A stack or two alongside scrambled eggs and sizzling bacon makes for an incredibly satisfying and indulgent morning meal. They add a touch of gourmet flair to your breakfast plate, moving beyond the usual hash browns or home fries. The savory herbs and melted cheese are a fantastic way to kickstart your day, especially on a lazy weekend morning.
They also make a fantastic addition to a brunch spread, a sophisticated alternative to traditional potato dishes. And for those moments when you’re simply craving something utterly delicious and comforting, these stacks can even stand alone as a crispy, savory snack. Their portability, when removed from the muffin tin, also makes them a fun finger food for parties or picnics. Truly, these Cheesy Potato & Herb Stacks offer endless possibilities to elevate any meal or moment.
Cheesy Potato & Herb Stacks
Adapted from Half Baked Harvest
Tender and flavorful on the inside, wonderfully crispy and golden on the edges. Serve these irresistible Cheesy Potato & Herb Stacks as a gourmet side with roasted beef, poultry, or fish, or present them as an elegant appetizer with a dollop of sour cream and chives.
Ingredients
-
4
medium Russet or Idaho potatoes, thinly sliced to 1/8″ thickness
(approximately 24 ounces total) -
2
tablespoons
fresh chopped oregano -
2
tablespoons
fresh chopped thyme leaves -
1/2
cup
salted butter, melted
(equivalent to 1 stick) -
1
teaspoon
kosher salt -
1/2
teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper -
1/2
cup
Asiago cheese, grated
(approx. 1.5 ounces) -
1/2
cup
sharp cheddar cheese, grated
(approx. 1.5 ounces)
Instructions
-
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Prepare a 12-cup muffin tin by lightly greasing each cup, ensuring the potato stacks won’t stick.
-
Using a mandoline slicer, carefully cut the potatoes into very thin 1/8-inch slices. Consistency in thickness is crucial for even cooking and achieving those desirable crispy edges.
-
In a large bowl, combine the thinly sliced potatoes, fresh oregano, fresh thyme, melted butter, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Toss thoroughly until all potato slices are evenly coated. Next, add the grated Asiago and sharp cheddar cheeses to the bowl and toss again to distribute the cheese among the potato slices. Proceed to layer the seasoned potatoes into each prepared muffin cup, stacking them high to the rim. Don’t worry if they seem quite tall; the potatoes will soften and shrink down significantly as they bake.
-
Cover the muffin tin loosely with aluminum foil and place it on a sturdy baking sheet. Transfer to the preheated oven and roast for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, carefully remove the foil and continue baking for another 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are completely tender when pierced with a fork, and the tops are beautifully golden brown and crispy.
-
Once baked, remove the muffin tin from the oven. Allow the stacks to cool for a few minutes before gently running a butter knife around the edges of each stack to help release them from the tin. Serve your Cheesy Potato & Herb Stacks immediately, perhaps with an extra sprinkle of flaky sea salt for enhanced flavor.
Recipe Notes
These delightful stacks can be prepared and roasted up to 3 days in advance. To reheat, simply place them in a 350°F (175°C) oven for about 10 minutes, or until they are thoroughly warmed through and crispy again.
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More Appetizing Potato Recipes
If you loved these Cheesy Potato & Herb Stacks, you’ll surely enjoy exploring more delicious potato-centric recipes. Potatoes are incredibly versatile, offering endless possibilities for comforting and exciting dishes. Here are a few more favorites to inspire your next meal: