Delicious Side Dish: Scalloped Potatoes

This cheesy, creamy, decadent side is also sometimes called potatoes au gratin. The 'au gratin' is a reference to the browned crust that forms on the top from baking. This dish is often an incredibly heavy, rich side, so we sought to lighten it up somehow.

The solution we found: a 50/50 mix of heavy cream and chicken broth. Keep reading below for our favorite scalloped potatoes recipe...

Scalloped Potatoes Recipe

(makes 6-8 servings)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion minced
• 2 gloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 1/4 teaspoons table salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 1/2lbs russet potatoes peeled and sliced into about 1/8" thick rounds
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425F
2. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the foaming subsides.
3. Add onion and cook while stirring occasionally until lightly browned and soft (about 4 minutes).
4. Add garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for about another 30 seconds.
5. Add potatoes, chicken broth, cream, and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer.
6. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 10 minutes. discard bay leaves.
7. Transfer the mixture to an 8"x8" baking dish and press into an even layer.
8. Sprinkle the top evenly with cheese.
9. Bake in oven about 16 minutes until the cream is bubbling around the edges and the top is golden brown.
10. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.
11. Enjoy!

Creative Side Dish: Hasselback Potatoes

Potatoes are a wonderfully versatile starch. They can be roasted, fried, mashed, baked whole, and cooked so many other ways. We're sharing a variation that many have never tried: the hasselback potato. This fantastic potato variation originates from Hasselbacken: a restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden.

A hasselback potato is a form of baked potato with slits cut throughout (see the photo below). This inventive way of baking a potato creates a crisp outer edge, a tender inside, and it allows for seasoning to spread throughout the entire potato for an overall delicious dish. This creative-looking side is certain to be a conversation starter, and best of all it isn't that complicated: it only involves a few extra steps. Keep reading below for our favorite recipe...

Hasselback Potato Recipe

(makes 8 servings)

Ingredients

• 8 long baking potatoes
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
• 5 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Kosher salt to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450F, and grease a shallow baking dish.
2. Peel the potatoes, and place them in a bowl of cold water to prevent browning.
3. Remove a potato from the bowl with a slotted spoon. Keeping the potato in the spoon, rest it on a cutting board. Using a paring knife, make slices in the potato about 1/8" to 1/4" apart, making sure to not cut all the way through the potato. Make the cuts about 2/3 to 1/2 of the way through the potato (alternatively, cut to the edge of the slotted spoon).
4. Return the potato to the bowl of water, and repeat with the rest of the potatoes.
5. Gently flex the potato fans under running, cold water (being careful to not break the potato apart).
6. Pat the potatoes dry with a paper towel before baking.
7. Place the Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon melted butter, paprika, and salt in a blender or food processor. Process until well blended.
8. Brush the prepared potatoes with 2 tablespoons melted butter, making sure to get some between the fans of the potatoes.
9. Pat the tops of the potatoes with the bread crumb mixture.
10. Place the potatoes in the oiled baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 20 minutes.
11. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until they turn crispy and the flesh is soft.
12. To serve, drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter, and garnish with fixings like parsley, or bacon (if you want to make them fully loaded).
13. Enjoy!

Breakfast Recipe: Crispy Hash Browns

Sometimes when we want breakfast, we just want something nice and simple. What could be simpler for breakfast than hash browns? There are so many ways to cook these, especially depending on how the potatoes are cut. What we wanted was that classic potato pancake style hash brown, but we also wanted to find a way to elevate the flavor. 

The simplest way we found to add flavor was to throw in some vegetables with the potatoes. The only thing is, we didn't want to create too much moisture, which would make those crispy pancakes fall apart on us. To fix this issue, we approached it from a few directions. We squeezed as much moisture as we could from the potatoes after they were shredded (using a ricer as a garlic press was one inventive way to take care of this, but paper towels also worked). Another was adding eggs and flour to the mix to help bind the whole pancake together. If you'd prefer the simplest of hash browns, follow the instructions but only use the potatoes and oil. Keep reading below for this simple recipe...

Crispy Hash Browns

(makes 6-8 pancakes)

Ingredients

• 2 russet potatoes, peeled then shredded
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 2 tablespoons bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons olive or canola oil for frying
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Squeeze excess moisture out of the shredded potatoes, then place in a bowl. Mix in the onion, flour, bread crumbs, and egg until evenly distributed.
• Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, divide the potatoes into 4 piles in the pan, spreading them thin (you may need to make this in batches like pancakes). Make sure the potatoes aren't too thin in any one place. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. After a few minutes, lift one edge up. If it's golden brown, flip the potatoes and cook until the other side is a nice golden brown as well. Cook until both sides are golden brown, then transfer to a plate. Serve hot, garnished with sour cream, cheese, and/or chives.
• Enjoy!

Mashed Potatoes Recipe: Irish Colcannon

If you're looking for a new side to serve with dinner, why not try this twist on mashed potatoes from the country that knows potatoes best? This Irish side is often served for St. Patrick's day, but why not have some tonight?

Colcannon literally means "white-headed cabbage" in Gaelic, and that's an important part of this dish. Mix in some green cabbage or kale along with chives and a little cream and butter into the cooked potatoes and enjoy this side that's also an easy way to get someone to eat their greens. If you do make this for St. Patrick's day, some would even traditionally throw in charms, and whichever one you "found" (or chomped down on) would mean something for the next year. A button meant you would remain a bachelor, a thimble a spinster, a ring meant you would get married, and a coin meant you would come into some money. There's even a traditional Irish song for colcannon! Keep reading below for this amazing recipe...

Colcannon

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

• 4 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• salt
• 5-6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 lightly packed cups of chopped kale, cabbage, or chard
• 3 green onions (including the green onion greens), minced
• 1 cup cream (or milk)
• fresh chives to taste for garnish

Directions

1. Put the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with colt water. Add 2 tablespoons salt and bring to a boil. Boil for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Drain.
2. Return the pot to the stove and set over medium-high heat. Melt the butter, and once it's hot, add the greens. Cook the greens for 3-4 minutes or until wilted. Add the green onions and cook for an additional minute.
3. Add the cream or milk, mix well, then add the potatoes. Reduce the heat to medium, and use a fork or potato masher to mash the potatoes, mixing them up with the greens. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve garnished with chives and salt to taste. Also serve with additional butter.
4. Enjoy!

Side Dish Recipe: Picnic Potato Salad

Whenever I think of a good picnic, a simple potato salad is a must. Even if you aren't going on a picnic, potato salad makes for a perfect side for many meals, including some baked chicken drumsticks.

To get the perfect potato salad, we first had to find the perfect potatoes. Some prefer more waxy potatoes, but we found a classic russet potato just works best. They are more prone to falling apart in the salad than their waxy counterparts, but they're more flavorful-- plus, a splash of white vinegar while they're still hot does a lot to enhance the already amazing taste. Keep reading below for this fantastic recipe...

Potato Salad

(makes 4-6 servings)

Ingredients

• 2lbs russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 3/4" cubes
• salt
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 medium rib celery, chopped fine
• 2 tablespoons minced red onion
• 3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 3/4 teaspoon powdered mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 3/4 teaspoon celery seed
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut into 1/4" cubes (optional)

Directions

1. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover it by 1". Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt, then reduce the heat to medium and summer, stirring once or twice until the potatoes are tender (about 8 minutes).
2. Drain the potatoes and transfer to a large bowl. Add the vinegar, and use a rubber spatula to toss gently and combine. Let stand until the potatoes are just warm (about 20 minutes).
3. Meanwhile in a small bowl, stir together celery, onion, pickle relish, mayonnaise, mustard powder, paprika, celery seed, dill, parsley, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the dressings and the eggs, if using, into the potatoes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled (about 1 hour). Serve.
4. Enjoy!

Side Recipe: Baked Sweet Potato Fries

There's something irresistible about sweet potato fries. And on the surface, you'd think choosing them over ordinary fries would be a major win for your health. Unfortunately, frying can destroy most of the nutritional value you'd otherwise get from those lovely orange veggies . It turns an otherwise perfectly respectable vegetable into something that's more junk food than root.

We wanted to make sweet potato fries that weren't only delicious, but weren't loaded with fats. Deep-frying was out of the question. Instead, we decided to bake the sweet potato fries with only a few extra seasonings. The result was a somewhat sweet fry that could easily stand as a side or a snack on its own. The seasonings were subtle enough, however, that the fries could be covered with a condiment or sauce and still taste delicious.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

(makes 2 servings)

Ingredients

• 2lbs sweet potatoes cut into fry shapes
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
2. Mix together the coconut oil, honey, rosemary, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Stir in the sweet potato fries and toss to coat. Remove the sweet potato fries with a slotted spoon and arrange on a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
3. bake until tender (about 45 minutes). turn the oven up to 450F and bake until browned (about 15 minutes).

Side Recipe: Twice Baked Potatoes

Baked potatoes are already so good, why not bake them twice? Twice baked potatoes are a great way to elevate this simple side into a more exciting meal for your family. For at least a few readers, it may sound like a gimmick, but rest assured baking your potatoes twice is a delicious way to load the potato with more flavor, and to add a deliciously crispy exterior. This recipe involves baking the potatoes, then letting them cool slightly before cutting in half lengthwise, hollowing them, then forming a mash with a few extra ingredients to fill the potatoes back up before sticking back in the oven for a quick broil. Keep reading below for this delicious recipe...

Twice Baked Potato

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

• 4 russet potatoes, scrubbed, dried, and rubbed lightly with vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 strips bacon
• 3 medium scallions, white and green parts sliced thin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• black pepper
• 6oz sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Scrub the potatoes and clean under running water. Poke each potato in several places with a fork. Rub the potatoes all over with a little vegetable oil. Bake for 1 hour on a foil lined baking sheet. Set the baked sheet aside and transfer the potatoes to a wire rack and let cool enough to handle (about 10 minutes).
2. While the potatoes are baking, cook the bacon in a skillet until crispy. Set aside onto a paper towel lined plate.
3. Once the potatoes have cooled enough to handle, cut each potato in half so that the blunt sides will rest on the work surface. Use a small dinner spoon to scoop out the flesh from each half of the potatoes into a medium bowl, leaving 1/8" to 1/4" thickness of flesh in each shell. Arrange the shells on the lined baking sheet and return to the oven until dry and slightly crisped (about 10 minutes). Meanwhile, mash the potato flesh with a fork until smooth. Crumble the bacon in, and stir in the remaining ingredients except for half the cheese until combined.
4. Remove the shells from the oven and increase the setting to broil. Holding the shells steady on the pan with an oven mitt, spoon the mixture into each crisp shell, mounding slightly at the center. Spread the remaining cheese evenly over the potatoes then return to the oven and broil until spotty brown and crisp on top (10 to 15 minutes). Let cool 10 minutes before serving.
5. Enjoy!

Bourbon-Infused Side Dish: Mashed Sweet Potatoes

If you're looking for a side dish that goes beyond your standard roasted vegetables or regular mashed potatoes fare, look no further than the sweet potato! This orange root makes for a perfect sweet undertone to a hearty meal.

While the potato alone is a delicious side, we wanted to flavor it just a little more to make this a side dish people will be asking for again and again. It turns out that the perfect seasoning for your mashed sweet potatoes may just be in your liquor cabinet: bourbon. Unlike other recipes, we didn't cook the bourbon out of these potatoes. Instead, we added the bourbon with the butter right before mashing. It added a great bitter, yet delicious taste to the potatoes that mixed perfectly with the sweetness from the brown sugar and vanilla. Keep reading below for this fantastic side recipe...

Bourbon Mashed Sweet Potatoes

(makes 6-8 servings)

Ingredients

• 3lbs garnet sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
• salt
• 3 to 4 tablespoons bourbon
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Place the potato chunks in a large pot and cover with water. Add a tablespoon of salt to the water. Boil until tender (about 15 to 20 minutes).
2. Drain the cooked sweet potatoes and return them to the pot on the stove. Lower the heat to low. Add the bourbon and the butter to the pot and stir. Add the brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, and vanilla extract and stir. Mash with a potato masher until smooth.
3. Enjoy!

French Recipe: Duchess Potatoes

If you're looking for an inventive and fancy way to serve potatoes at your next meal, why not take a page from a French cookbook? Pommes de terre duchesse, also known as duchess potatoes combines the smoothness of mashed potatoes with the baked crust from roast potatoes.

To achieve the stiff peaks needed for the recipe, we combined baked potatoes with egg yolks, heavy cream, and some butter. To flavor them, we simply added just a little nutmeg and pepper. The slight browning from the baking added a delightful flavor and texture to this delightful side dish. Keep reading below for the recipe...

Duchess Potatoes

(makes 4-6 servings)

Ingredients

• 2lbs yukon gold potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
• salt
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 egg yolks

Directions

1. Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender (about 20 to 25 minutes).
2. While the potatoes are boiling, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and set aside. Preheat the oven to 425F.
3. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain and place the potatoes back in the pot over low heat. Allow them to release steam for about a minute. Add 2 tablespoons of unmelted butter and mash the potatoes until the butter has been incorporated. Add the nutmeg, garlic, black pepper, heavy cream, and continue to mash the potatoes. Once everything has been incorporated, add salt to taste, then add the egg yolks. Mash until the mixture is smooth (don't over-mash).
4. Place the potatoes in a piping bag with a large star point. Pipe the potatoes onto a cookie sheet. Brush the potatoes with the melted butter then place in the oven and bake until browned (about 20 minutes).
5. Enjoy!

Crispy & Delicious Potato Pancake Recipe: Traditional Latkes

Latkes have a very rich history, resulting in a lot of different takes on the potato pancake, ranging from using grated potatoes to puréed. In this recipe we’re going to use a food processor that will give us a very creamy inside, with great crunch on the outside. When matched with the traditional pairings of sour cream and apple sauce, these latkes really hit the spot-- any time of year! 

raditional Potato Latkes

Makes approx. 20 pancakes 

Ingredients 

• 4-5 potatoes
• 2 white onions
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
• vegetable/canola oil,  for frying
• sour cream, garnish
• apple sauce, garnish

Directions 

1. Peel potatoes and place with onions in food processor. Pulse with fitted knife blade until smooth and creamy.
2. In a large bowl, combine the potato mixture with eggs, and season with salt and pepper. Add (enough) flour so that everything stays together and doesn’t fall apart.
3. In a large frying pan or deep skillet, carefully heat 1 inch of oil on medium-high heat.
4. Gently place 1/4 cup of latke mixture into the oil and flatten a little so that it will cook evenly. Cook each side until cooked through and golden brown, then transfer onto paper towels to drain. Continue with the rest of latkes.
5. Serve latkes hot, with sour cream and apple sauce.

Creamy & Cheesy Side Dish: Potatoes Au Gratin

It’s hard to go wrong with potatoes, but if you’re a worrier, take a deep breath because this dish is always a winner! You don’t have to spend ages (getting tennis elbow) making the perfectly mashed potatoes, all you have to do is make the sauce and pop these tots in the oven. This dish is perfect for family or holiday dinners—just be prepared for the requests that will come rolling in for you to make this dish for all upcoming celebrations!

Potato Gratin

(Serves 6-8) 

Ingredients 

• 3 tablespoons butter, plus butter for greasing baking dish
• 1 clove garlic, halved
• 6 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced (about 5 cups)
• 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup Gruyere, grated
• 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375º F and grease baking dish with butter. Take halved garlic and rub it around the baking dish.
2. In a large saucepan, melt your butter and add in flour, nutmeg, salt and pepper. You should have a paste-like sauce.
3. Slowly pour in heavy cream and chicken stock. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Take off heat and stir in Gruyere until melted.
4. Arrange potatoes in layers in your baking dish, adding salt and pepper between layers. Pour sauce over the potatoes so that they’re evenly covered. Sprinkle Parmesan over the top.
5. Place in oven and bake for 45-60 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and the top is golden and crispy.

Easy Side Recipe: Garlic and Herb Roasted Home Fries

Potatoes are fantastic accompaniment to almost any dish, it just depends how you decide to make them; here, we decided to go with the classic “wedge”. While you could slice your potatoes, throw ‘em in the oven and call it a day, adding our special seasoning makes this a side dish that’s impossible to turn down: cheese, paprika, garlic and rosemary give this finger food some tasty elegance. If you’re tired of French fries or mashed potatoes, or if you just want to switch things up before going back to your trusty favorites, make these—they’ll give your regular sides a run for their money!

Garlic and Herb Home Fries

Serves 6

 Ingredients

• 5 russet potatoes
• 3-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese
• 2 sprigs rosemary, stem removed, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425º F.
2. Wash potatoes and cut in half, lengthwise. Then cut each half into 4-5 wedges (like sliced pickles).
3. Put potatoes in a large Ziploc bag and pour in olive oil, rosemary, garlic, paprika, sea salt and pepper. Shake well to coat each wedge.
4. Transfer potatoes to a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, or until brown and tender.
5. Flip potatoes over and roast for another 10-15 minutes, or until other side is brown and potatoes are cooked through.
6. Remove from oven and sprinkle with parmesan. Optional: serve with sour cream.

Spanish-Inspired Tapas Recipe: Spicy Patatas Bravas

Patatas Bravas are to Spain what chicken wings are to the U.S.—glorified and delicious barfood. Like chicken wings, patatas bravas come in a variety of shapes and forms; some are comprised of spicy tomato sauce, some of garlic aioli, and some a combination of the two. The common denominator in the mix is the presence of golden brown potatoes. You can really never go wrong with potatoes. If you like and want to try more Spanish food, or if you want to branch out from your go-to snacks during game season, try this popular tapa recipe… You won’t be disappointed!

Patatas Bravas

Serves 8

 Ingredients

• 4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 (14 oz.) can chopped tomatoes
• 1-2 yellow onions, minced
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2-3 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. [Made day in advance] Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan, add onions and cook over medium-high heat until softened. 6-7 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, paprika, chili powder, sugar, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.
3. Once boiling, lower heat and let simmer for 10-15 minutes, until reduced and pulpy.
4. Remove from heat, cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
5. Preheat oven to 400º F.
6. Take potato cubes and spread them out over 1-2 baking trays. Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over the top and season with salt and pepper. Toss gently to cover all sides of potatoes.
7. Bake for 50 minutes, or until potatoes are golden brown and lightly crisped.
8. While potatoes bake, reheat tomato chili sauce in a saucepan over medium heat.
9. Remove potatoes from oven, transfer to bowls and serve with tomato sauce on top.