Crispy Parmesan Potato Stacks (Muffin Tin Potatoes)

These crispy parmesan potato stacks (aka muffin tin potatoes) are the perfect side dish to impress. They’re super crisp on the outside with a tender, creamy middle, simple to prepare, and able to be seasoned/adapted in tons of ways, including adding cream for muffin tin potatoes gratin/scalloped potatoes, etc.!

I’m always on the lookout for new ways to enjoy the humble spud. So along with crispy accordion potatoes, one-ingredient potato flatbread, and microwave potato chips, this year, I’ve also discovered these super crispy, cheesy potato stacks!

With just three base ingredients and endless adaptation possibilities, these crispy stacked potatoes are perfect for potlucks, parties, and special occasions like Thanksgiving/Christmas. They manage to make a statement and look pretty fancy while being super simple to prepare! Just slice, season, stack, and bake! You don’t even have to worry about toppling tracks as the muffin tin holds them perfectly in place.

All you need is just 15-20 minutes of hands-on prep, made super easy thanks to a mandoline, which slices the potatoes in just a few minutes! After baking, the outside of the parmesan potato stacks is amazingly crisp and golden. Meanwhile, the inner layers are buttery and tender. Add your choice of herbs/seasonings for little pockets of favor throughout – like an upgraded roasted potato – OR add a creamy mixture to make muffin tin potato gratin stacks/scalloped potatoes!

Interested in more simple, delicious potato side dishes? You might also enjoy crispy smashed potatoes, salt-baked potatoes, creamy mashed potatoes (or sweet potato /purple mashed potatoes!).

The Parmesan Potato Stack Ingredients

Not only is this slice potato recipe surprisingly simple, but it requires just three base ingredients:

• Potatoes: I recommend Russet potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes for this sliced potato recipe. However, it’s best to choose smaller potatoes that fit your muffin tin if you want neater stacks (usually between 2-3 inches wide). Check the FAQs regarding sweet potato stacks.

It’s best to use starchy or all-purpose potatoes. Waxy potatoes tend to fall apart when sliced.

• Butter: use unsalted butter (salted will work too, but as the parmesan is fairly salty, this may make the stacked potatoes overly salty); make it dairy-free if preferred. Cooking oil (like olive oil) would also work, but the flavor is so much better with butter (in my opinion).
• Parmesan: you can use dairy parmesan cheese or a non-dairy parmesan replacement. Freshly grated is best.
• Salt & Black pepper: (optional) as the parmesan is naturally “salty,” I usually don’t feel the need to further season the crispy potato stacks. However, feel to do so or sprinkle the baked muffin pan potatoes with some flaky salt before serving.

Optional Add-ins and Variations

There are tons of ways to adapt this stacked potatoes recipe, including:

• Garlic: add either a pinch of garlic powder, 1-2 minced garlic cloves, or even some mashed roasted garlic to the parmesan-butter mixture for extra flavor.
• Cheese: along with parmesan, you may want to sprinkle the stacked potatoes with a melty cheese like cheddar, Emmental, Provolone, gouda, etc. Using a combination of parmesan and other cheese (I recommend gruyere) will also taste delicious. Even a sprinkle of feta over the top would work.
• Individual potato gratin stacks/ individual potato dauphinoise: the main difference is adding a cream element. Heat a little garlic (2-3 cloves, minced) and optionally herbs (like thyme) in some heavy cream (1/2 cup) to infuse with flavor (or just mix and use unheated, but the flavor won’t be as ‘infused’). Add the cream to the bowl when tossing the potatoes, stack, and drizzle with any remaining cream from the bowl. Top with a sprinkle of cheese.
• Herbs: rosemary, thyme, or oregano (fresh or dried) can be finely chopped and added to the potatoes for extra flavor. Use around ½ tablespoon fresh or ½ teaspoon dried. I particularly like using fresh thyme.
• Herbs to garnish: I like the added freshness of 2-3 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley to garnish the potato stacks. Chives or dill would also work.
• Nutmeg: just a pinch to season the potato slices.
• Spice: feel free to add some heat to these crispy potato stacks with a little cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or even topping the stacks with thinly sliced chili before baking.

Making Parmesan Potato Stacks in a Muffin Tin

Step 1: Prepare the Potatoes

First, preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC and grease a muffin tray with a bit of melted butter or cooking spray.

Then, prepare the potatoes by washing them well, peeling, then slicing very thinly (At 1/16^th– inch is best but the thinnest or second thinnest setting or your mandoline should work) using a mandolin.

Peel and slice the potato directly into a large bowl of water to prevent discoloration due to oxidization.

Once sliced, drain the potatoes and pat thoroughly dry with a clean kitchen towel. The thin slices won’t crisp up the way we want them to if they’re left wet.

Step 2: Season and Stack

Then, add the melted butter and parmesan to a large mixing bowl and combine. Add the potatoes, and toss well to thoroughly coat.

I do this by hand to ensure the slices are all evenly coated. You can always brush more onto the slices in the muffin tray if you find it hasn’t been evenly distributed.

Layer the slices into a muffin tin, placing between 7-9 potato slices per potato stack. This way, I was able to make 12 potato stacks.

These make fairly small stacks, so feel free to double the recipe for taller ones. For super ‘even’ looking potato stacks, make sure to layer them all in the same direction. If you don’t mind them a little more rustic (As I did), just stack however you please.

Bake the stacked potatoes at 350ºF/180ºC for 40-50 minutes, based on how browned/crispy you want the parmesan potato stacks to be. Make sure to flip them halfway (using a spoon, fork, or offset spatula is easiest). If any stacks seem slightly unstable, allow them to rest for 5-10 minutes in the pan, then serve while super crisp and warm!

The bottom of the muffin pan potatoes may be a little greasy, where the butter mixture has filtered down during the baking. Feel free to first transfer them to some paper towel to remove the excess grease before serving.

How to Serve?

There is an almost endless list of ways that you can enjoy these stacked muffin tin potatoes, including in place of most other potato side dishes as part of any meal. Here are some of my favorite recommendations.

• As a party appetizer, perhaps with a warm dip like marina, salsa, or a creamy sauce/cheese dip.

Some sauces/dips that may work include Harissa sauce, Ranch sauce, sour cream, chili dip, garlic sauce (toum), hummus, tzatziki, baba ghanoush, ketchup, mayo, labneh, garlic yogurt dip, mustard, guacamole, ricotta cheese, Pico de Gallo, aioli, peri-peri sauce, etc.

• Serve alongside meat/fish: chicken, spare rib, beef (steak), sausages, baked fish (like this dill salmon), and other “meat and potatoes” kind of meals.
• As part of your Christmas/Thanksgiving meal (for example, alongside vegan mushroom wellington).
• Alongside veggies, like whole roasted cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, asparagus, broccoli, etc.
• Serve alongside eggs (boiled, fried, poached, or even a breakfast egg casserole) for breakfast/brunch.
• As part of a big brunch spread.
• Serve alongside a salad for a lighter meal.

How to Make Ahead and Store?

Make ahead: the main issue with preparing potato in advance is that it can oxidize/discolor over time. To combat this, store the sliced potatoes in a bowl with water and the butter-parmesan mixture in a separate bowl and store, covered, overnight in the fridge. When you’re ready to continue, allow both bowls to rest on the kitchen counter for 20-30 minutes to come back to room temperature and then drain, toss and stack.

I haven’t tried to prepare the stacks in advance (pre-baking) and then cover until ready to bake, but I imagine you might have issues with oxidization causing a color change in the potatoes if you do this more than a few hours in advance.

You may be able to stack and freeze them in advance before baking (thaw in the fridge overnight before cooking), but I haven’t tried. Let me know in the comments if you do.

Store: allow the parmesan potato stacks to cool and then store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Reheat: avoid microwaving these crispy potato stacks, as you’ll lose any crispness. Instead, you can reheat them in a pan on the stovetop (for several minutes), in the oven (around 15 minutes at the same temperature), or even an air fryer (5-8 minutes).

FAQs

Recipe Tips and Notes

• I recommend doubling the recipe but still making 12 stacks to make taller stacks. You may need to increase the cooking time by several minutes.
• Use potatoes that fit your pan: somewhere between 2-3 inches diameter at the widest part.
• Be careful with the mandoline: I consider it one of my most dangerous kitchen tools. Use protective gloves when slicing.
• To check they’re fully cooked: use a toothpick to skewer a stack and make sure it easily slides through the entire stack.
• For perfectly round stacks: you can use a small cookie cutter or similar took on your potato slices. Make sure not to waste the leftover potato scraps, though. Toss them in some of the butter mixture, too, and spread across a tray to bake.
• Using the right amount of potatoes: depending on the size of your potatoes, the exact amount you need will vary. The easiest way to never end up with too much/too little is to count your slices. For 12 stacks of 7-9 slices, you’ll need 84-108 slices.
• If you peel the potatoes: save the peels to make potato peel chips!
• Make sure to flip the stacks: I tried this sliced potato recipe without doing so, and the bottom cooks unevenly and becomes overly crisp. Flipping helps to yield more even results.

More Delicious Potato Recipes

• Bolognese Scalloped Potato Roll
• Healthy Patatas Bravas (Spanish Baked/Air Fryer Potatoes)
• Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash (Vegetarian Hash)
• Lebanese Spicy Potatoes Batata Harra
• 2-Ingredient Sweet Potato Flatbread (Gluten-free)
• Home Fries (3 Ways)

If you try this crispy parmesan potato stacks recipe (aka muffin tin potatoes), I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!