Name: Crispy Hasselback Potato With Simple Guac
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 4 medium russet potatoes; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 small avocado; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves (optional)

Crispy Hasselback Potato With Simple Guac

Leyla Shamayeva, MS, RD

Updated on September 20, 2019

(23 ratings)

Total Time: 70 min

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 60 min

Servings: 4 (1 potato and 1/4 avocado)

Nutrition Highlights (per serving)

280 calories

12g fat

41g carbs

5g protein

Show Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 (1 potato and 1/4 avocado)
Amount per serving
Calories	280
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g	15%
Saturated Fat 2g	10%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 453mg	20%
Total Carbohydrate 41g	15%
Dietary Fiber 7g	25%
Total Sugars 2g
Includes 0g Added Sugars	0%
Protein 5g
Vitamin D 0mcg	0%
Calcium 31mg	2%
Iron 2mg	11%
Potassium 1069mg	23%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Eat a Hasselback potato as part of lunch or dinner when you're craving something crunchy and satisfying. That doesn't seem like sound nutrition advice, but it is for two reasons.

First, completely ignoring your cravings won't make you healthier. More likely, it'll make you feel miserable and set you up for grazing or binge eating later on. You'll be better off satisfying your craving in a balanced, portion-controlled way.

Second, it highlights the importance of navigating around common food myths. Potatoes are not the devil in disguise. They have a place in a healthy diet—even one meant to help manage high cholesterol. Although they’re starchy, a medium-sized tuber also offers 4 grams of fiber (if you keep the peel on), 4 grams of protein, almost double the potassium of a banana, and substantial amounts of B and C vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper, and more.

Go ahead and enjoy every single crispy paprika, garlic, salt, and black pepper coated slice of this potato. It's baked, not fried, so it's lower in fats that aren't as good for you. You do add some heart-healthy fats with the guac on top. If you pair this recipe with lean protein, you'll have a full meal.

Ingredients

4 medium russet potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 small avocado
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425F and prepare a lined baking sheet.
Wash the potatoes well, keeping the skin on. Slice each one into 1/8-inch slices, keeping the slices intact at the potato's base (in other words, don't cut all the way through).
Combine oil, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt in a small bowl.
Place potatoes on the lined baking sheet and brush the oil mixture onto each one, making sure to brush inside each slice as well.
Bake for one hour, checking around 45 and 50 minutes to make sure they don't burn.
Remove from oven and let cool. While cooling, prepare the guacamole. Pit and remove the flesh from the avocado. Mash it up with a fork and stir in the lemon juice and salt.
Top each potato with a quarter of the guacamole. Sprinkle with cilantro leaves if desired.

Ingredient Variations and Substitutions

You can try this recipe with a sweet potato. The slices may not crisp up as much, but you'll enjoy a sweeter taste profile and the antioxidant beta-carotene.

The guacamole topping here is super simple—just three ingredients—so there's plenty of room to customize based on your preferences. Add a teaspoon of hot sauce for some heat, or add some finely chopped tomatoes.

You can also completely skip the guac and top each potato with a richer protein-based spread, like edamame dip or curried white bean and cashew dip.

Cooking and Serving Tips

Since you're keeping the skin on (which will crisp up nicely), you'll want to thoroughly wash the potatoes. Rub them with your hands under running water, or better yet, invest in a veggie brush and scrub them down.

Here's a trick for perfect potato slices: Place the potato in between two chopsticks or skewers. They'll prevent your knife from cutting all the way through and leave each potato slice attached to its base.