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Made simply with potatoes, butter, oregano, thyme, garlic, a bit of cheese, and, of course, some flaky sea salt and black pepper. Each cute little potato stack is perfect and so delicious. The secret…thinly slicing the potatoes and layering them together to create stacks. As each stack bakes away, the edges of the potatoes get extra crispy, while the middle turns buttery, with hints of thyme and garlic throughout each stack. So very delicious…so very addicting.
If there’s one food everyone in my family enjoys, it’s potatoes. They can be in the form of french fries, mashed potatoes, smashed potatoes, tater tots, roasted, or even stuffed into pierogies. It really doesn’t matter, we all love potatoes in any way, shape, or form. Who doesn’t, right?
Come the holidays, I find myself making potatoes as a side for almost every meal. Thanksgiving…of course, Christmas Eve…yep, Christmas Day…a must. And Christmas dinners while the family is in town? Not always, but often. I’m always looking for new ways to serve them up, but a lot of times I come back to the favorites I know we love the most.
Which brings me right to these potato stacks. I first made these years ago and had kind of forgotten about them until a few weeks ago. I remember making these stacks for Christmas Eve dinner and everyone loving them…so much so that I’ve made these cute little stacks every year since.
Normally I love trying something new, but when it comes to our holiday dinners, I stick with the recipes I know my family will love. Tradition!
Here’s what you’ll need to make the best crispy potatoes
…Yukon gold or russet potatoes, either work perfectly within this recipe.
…butter, preferably salted.
…fresh oregano and thyme, but if you don’t have fresh, dried works too!
…garlic.
…a mix of Parmesan and Gruyere cheese.
…flaky sea salt, and plenty of it.
…freshly cracked black pepper.
And that’s it…simple, but potatoes don’t need much to make them delicious.
(potato stacks before baking)
The details on making the best potato stacks
Before you start, locate your mandoline or a very sharp knife. A mandoline is really best for this recipe, so if you have one, use it! If not, you’ll need to very thinly slice each potato using a knife. It’s doable for sure, but the mandoline makes cutting the potatoes into thin even slices very easy!
Now, thinly slice each potato into almost paper-thin slices. Honestly, the thinner you can go the better! Cutting the potatoes into thin slices allows the edges to become perfectly crisp, almost potato chip-like, which yes, is addictingly delicious.
Once the potatoes have been sliced, this rest is so simple, quick, and easy.
Mix melted butter with fresh oregano, thyme, and garlic. Add in not one, but two kinds of cheese, then toss that buttery mix with the potato slices. It’s really important to remember that when tossing the potatoes with the herb butter mix, you’ll want to get each slice coated for best flavor.
Lastly, layer the seasoned, buttery slices of potatoes into a stack in a standard cupcake pan. Fill each mold to the very top to get a nice tall stack. It might seem like a lot, but the stacks shrink down as they bake.
And as they bake? The kitchen will smell incredible. Buttery, with hints of garlic and thyme in the air. My dad walked into the studio as I was baking these today. He immediately said, “wow, it smells really good in here…what is that…buttery potatoes”?
One of my favorite ways to serve these potatoes is for Sunday night dinner alongside a simple skillet chicken or pasta. But the options for these potatoes are endless, as they can be paired with so many dinners. I’m already excited to make them for Christmas Eve alongside the classic beef tenderloin I make every year. I already know my family loves these so I’ll be tripling the recipe to feed them all!
You can never have too many potatoes, they’re always the first thing to disappear on the table.
FAQ:
Can I make these ahead for a holiday?
Yes—assemble and chill, or par-bake until just tender. Finish in a hot oven before serving so the edges re-crisp and the centers heat through.
Do I need a mandoline?
No—sharp knife works. Focus on thin, even slices; trim any thick pieces to keep stacks cooking at the same pace.
Why aren’t my edges crisp?
Too much moisture or not enough space can soften edges. Pat slices dry, brush a little fat around the outside, and give stacks room (and a final blast of high heat) to crisp.
What potatoes and cheese work best?
Starchier potatoes deliver extra-crisp edges; buttery potatoes give a creamier bite. Choose a good melter (Gruyère, cheddar, fontina) based on whether you prefer nutty or sharp flavor.
Looking for other holiday side dish recipes? Here are my favorites:
Slow Cooker Cheesy Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes
Crispy Salt and Vinegar Smashed Potatoes
Hasselback Butternut Squash with Sage Butter and Prosciutto Breadcrumbs
Lastly, if you make these Crispy Cheesy Potato Stacks be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Crispy Cheesy Potatoes Stacks
Ingredients
- 4-6 medium Russet or Idaho potatoes, cut into 1/8 inch thick slices
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1-2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar or gruyere cheese
- kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven 400° F. Lightly grease a 12 cup muffin tin.2. Cut the potatoes using a Mandoline or very sharp knife into 1/8 inch thin slices. 3. In a large bowl, stir together the butter, oregano, thyme, garlic, both cheeses, and a large pinch of both salt and pepper. Add the potatoes and toss well to coat. 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 cook.4. Cover with foil and place on a baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue cooking another 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and golden. Run a butter knife around the edges of each stack to release them. Serve immediately, sprinkled with a little sea salt.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
My family loves these! I made a huge batch of them. I threw in some chopped, deseeded jalapeños from the garden for half of them and it was really good too. It’s funny watching everyone “choose” their stacks. The shorter stacks are crispier, my personal favorite.
Thanks so much, Melanie! Love to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making them!
Has anyone tried this with sweet potatoes?
Hi Laurie,
You bet, here is the recipe for using sweet potatoes:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/crispy-parmesan-thyme-sweet-potato-stacks/
Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Give the potatoes a short soak in cold water after you slice them. Drain and pat dry. this will decrease the starch and allow the potatoes to crisp better.
Thanks for the tip, Judy!
Do you think these would crisp up in a Silpat muffin tin (easy clean up!)? Or, do you think that a metal muffin tin is a must?
Hi Elaine,
I think metal is a must for this recipe:) Please let me know if I can help in any other way!
Thanks for the inspiration! I’m not making this exact recipe, but have a bunch of goodness from the farmers market and am trying to figure out what to do. Going to make stacks like these with red potatoes, a garnet sweet potato, turnips, carrots, and two different kinds of squash! I like the crispy, cheesiness and I hope mine doesn’t get too soggy. Also have a bunch of carrot and turnip greens I’m going to make a pesto out of to top everything. Wish me luck!”
Hey Anya! Thank you so much! Wow that sounds amazing with all that fresh farmer’s market produce! Let me know how it turns out! I’m sure it will be amazing 🙂 xT
Followed your directions and it worked perfectly. I did use my hands to mix potatoes into butter which helped spread it evenly.
My family raved about how good they were!
Hey Gina! Aw thank you sooo much! So glad you and your family loved these potatoes! I hope they brought lots of comfort and yumminess to your home! xT
These look awesome but can I prepare ahead of time? Recommendations on reheating if so?
Thanks Micaela! This recipe is best served fresh:) You could certainly have everything prepped and then bake when ready to serve. I hope this helps! xx
This recipe was a hassle to prepare and did not work for me. The butter congealed when I added the cold cheese, making it impossible to coat the potato slices by tossing. I had to manually spread some of the herbed butter on each slice. Additionally, the potatoes barely browned at all even after adding 20 minutes to the recommended uncovered bake time. After all that, the potatoes didn’t have a lot of flavor. I can’t figure out what went wrong. I used russets. Maybe Yukon Golds would have worked better? I’ll never know as I won’t be making these again!
Hi Lauren,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear it was not enjoyed! xx
Has anyone tried with yukon gold potatoes?
Hi Ana,
Sure, that would be okay for you to use! I hope you love this recipe!
I am making this tonight and I know it will be amazing because all your recipes are! How are in advance could I prepare these?
Thanks so much, Aja:) You could prep these the morning of and then bake as directed when ready to serve. I hope you love this recipe!
can you freeze after baked
Hi Polly,
So sorry, I have never tried that. I don’t see why it wouldn’t work for you. Please let me know if you give this recipe a try! xx
I want to try these.. they look amazing. There is only me in the house. Has anyone had any leftovers that they froze and how did that work out?
Thanks
Hey Janet,
So sorry, I have never tried that, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work for you! You could also cut the recipe in half:) I hope this helps! xx
Best potato recipe!! Family loved them! – but interested in knowing if anyone used liners in their muffin tins. I HATE cleaning a cupcake pan. I just put some in the oven using the just the tin foil part of liners and oredered parchment liners to try as well. Fingers crossed!!!
Hey Joanne,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for trying this recipe and your comment, love to hear it was enjoyed! Have the best weekend:)
The tin foil liners worked!! Only problem was I should have made more!!
How did the liners work out??
I thought this recipe was AMAZING and will now be in the weekly rotation!
Hi Shari,
Happy Friday!! I appreciate you giving this recipe a try and your comment, so glad to hear it turned out nicely for you! xxT
Kids loved them!
Thanks so much! Love to hear this recipe was enjoyed:) xT