Description

The best of both worlds: hasselback-style potatoes baked in a garlic‑thyme cream boosted with French onion soup mix, then finished with crispy bacon and melty cheddar. Tender inside, lacy‑crispy on top—guaranteed crowd‑pleaser.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Infused Cream

375 ml pouring cream (heavy/whipping cream)
3 cloves garlic (smashed or sliced)
3 sprigs fresh thyme (plus extra leaves to garnish)

Potatoes & Flavor Boosters

6 medium white‑skinned potatoes (unpeeled, washed)
40 g French onion soup mix (packet)

Cheese, Bacon & Herbs

70 g sharp cheddar cheese (coarsely grated (≈2/3 cup))
2 rashers middle bacon (rindless, finely chopped)
2 tbsp fresh chives (finely chopped, to finish)

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Instructions

Infuse Cream: Heat oven to 200°C (400°F) or 180°C fan (350°F). In a small saucepan combine cream, garlic, and thyme. Warm 3 minutes just to a simmer; remove from heat, season with black pepper, and let infuse while prepping potatoes.
Hasselback the Potatoes: Halve potatoes lengthwise. Place a bamboo skewer on each long side as guides and slice crosswise 3–4 mm thick without cutting through so the base stays intact.
First Bake: Arrange potatoes cut‑side down in a large roasting pan. Sprinkle with half the cheddar and half the bacon. Strain infused cream through a fine sieve into a jug; whisk in French onion soup mix until dissolved. Pour over potatoes. Cover tightly with foil and bake 40 minutes until just tender.
Crisp & Golden: Remove foil. Scatter over remaining cheddar and bacon. Bake uncovered 30 minutes more until tops are golden and edges crisp.
Finish & Serve: Rest 5 minutes. Sprinkle with chives (and extra thyme leaves). Serve hot.

Notes

Slice thickness matters: 3–4 mm lets cream penetrate while cooking evenly. If using very starchy potatoes, rinse slices briefly and pat dry before baking. For extra crunch, grill/broil 1–2 minutes at the end. Season salt cautiously—soup mix and bacon add plenty.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Category: Side Dish
Cuisine: Western

Nutrition

Calories: 420
Sugar: 3
Sodium: 650
Fat: 28
Saturated Fat: 16
Carbohydrates: 32
Fiber: 3
Protein: 10