Hedgehog Roasted Potatoes

These Hedgehog Roasted Potatoes are a fun and fancy side dish! They’re the perfect amount of crispy on the outside but buttery and tender on the inside.

Irresistible Hedgehog Roasted Potatoes

Just imagine everything you love about your favorite french fries. Are they crispy on the outside? Perfectly seasoned? Now imagine everything you love about mashed potatoes. Are they creamy? Buttery?

Mmmmm, can you taste it? Smell it?

I’m always looking at my potatoes trying to decide which to make – my favorite oven roasted fries or mashed potatoes? But lately, I go with these irresistible hedgehog roasted potatoes.

They have the perfectly seasoned, crispy outside I love from my fries, and the tender and buttery inside I love from mashed potatoes. Plus, they look fancy and impressive but are actually super easy to make. My kids just think they are so fun!

What’s the Difference Between Hedgehog and Hasselback Potatoes?

Hedgehog potatoes and Hasselback potatoes are virtually the same thing with the exception of one detail, the way they are cut. Hasselback potatoes are thinly sliced in one direction and then fanned out. Hedgehog potatoes are sliced in both directions creating a checked pattern that resembles a hedgehog’s spines. Hence, the name. 

I usually do hasselback potatoes with large baking potatoes, and I prepare hedgehog potatoes with medium-sized potatoes. 

Aside from that, they are baked and served the same way. Both taste great and look impressive. My kids get a giggle out of  the look of their little hedgehogs. 

Recipe Ingredients

These golden roasted hedgehog potatoes are simply seasoned and roasted in olive oil and butter. The ingredient list couldn’t be any easier. 

Here’s what you’ll need:

• yukon gold potatoes
• melted butter
• olive oil
• Italian Seasoning
• garlic powder
• salt and fresh ground black pepper
• sweet or smoked paprika

How to Make Hedgehog Roasted Potatoes

• Prep: Preheat the oven to 400˚F.
• Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and set it aside.
• Prep the potatoes: Wash and thoroughly dry the potatoes.
• Place a potato between two wooden spoons.
• Cut the potatoes: Cut slices across the top of the potato, leaving the bottom of the potato intact. Stop cutting through once the knife hits the wooden spoons.
• Turn the potato and cut through in the opposite direction so as to make little squares on top. DO NOT cut through to the bottom. 
• Mix: Add the melted butter and olive oil to a mixing bowl. Whisk in Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and paprika.
• Coat: Add the potatoes to the butter mixture and stir them around until they’re coated.
• Transfer the potatoes to the previously prepared baking sheet.
• Bake: Roast the potatoes for 35 to 40 minutes, or until they’ re tender inside and crisp on the outside.
• Serve: Remove the potatoes from the oven.
• Sprinkle with sea salt and serve. 

Tips for the Best Roasted Potatoes

You can’t go wrong with any roasted potato recipe, unless of course you burn those babies! Follow these simple steps to make sure your hedgehogs turn out perfect every time!

• Try to choose similarly sized potatoes to roast and make your cuts in similar sizes, too. This will help your potatoes roast evenly. 
• Line your baking sheet with parchment or foil. If you don’t do this, you run the risk of your potatoes sticking to the baking sheet and losing the bottoms of them.
• Bake your little hedgehogs at a high heat so that they get nice and crispy. 
• You can use this hedgehog technique and play with the flavor profile. You can swap the Italian seasoning for cayenne and chipotle powder, rosemary and thyme, or add finely grated Parmesan cheese. 

What to Serve with Hedgehog Potatoes

I know, I know – it’s so basic, but can I just say: steak and potatoes? I love a nice steak with these roasted potatoes and some green beans or asparagus. 

These roasted potatoes go great on the side of any large dinner roast – a roast beef, pork roast, or whole roasted chicken. They add a fancy element with a bit of fun for the kids! You can serve them as a fun alternative to traditional roasted potato wedges. 

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

• You can store your leftover potatoes in an airtight container in your fridge for 3 to 4 days. 
• Potatoes are best reheated in the oven. The trick when reheating is to warm them without drying them out. So use a low oven and monitor closely.