Potato Stacks
Potato Stacks are thin-sliced potatoes tossed with garlic, fresh herbs, butter, olive oil, and parmesan, then baked in a muffin tin until the edges crisp and the centers turn tender. An easy side dish or appetizer.
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If you’ve ever tried a similar recipe, you know how potato stacks can go wrong. They slide apart on the platter, stick to the tin, or bake down into flat discs. When I started making these years ago, I ran into all of these issues. It took me dozens of tries with lackluster results to get to a muffin tin version that worked consistently. Now that I’ve worked out the fixes, they’re a go-to side dish or appetizer that looks like it takes more effort than it does.
Thin-sliced russet potatoes get tossed with garlic, thyme, rosemary, parmesan, butter, and olive oil. Then they’re stacked into a muffin tin and baked until the edges crisp and the centers turn tender. If you like the layered look of my Potato Pavé, muffin tin potato stacks give similar vibes with less time. They work as well on a weeknight as they do for Thanksgiving or holiday dinners.
Ingredients You’ll need
The recipe card below has full measurements and details. Here is a brief overview of the simple ingredients you’ll need to make potato stacks.
- Russet potatoes, small, similar in size, and unpeeled. Yukon Gold works if you can’t find small russets.
- Butter and olive oil, butter for greasing the tin, then both together for tossing.
- Garlic, pressed so it spreads through every layer.
- Fresh thyme and rosemary, chopped, with extra thyme for garnish.
- Parmesan, freshly grated, tossed in with the potatoes and sprinkled on at the end.
- Kosher salt and black pepper
How to Make Muffin Tin Potato Stacks
Prep the tin and the butter mixture. Brush the muffin cups with melted butter. Whisk the rest of the butter with the olive oil, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper.
Slice and toss. Slice the potatoes thin and even on a mandoline (see photo above). Toss them with your hands in the butter mixture and the parmesan until every slice is coated.
Stack them high. Pile the slices into each cup so they rise above the rim.
Bake. Bake until the edges turn golden and a fork slides easily through the center.
Release, rest, and plate. Loosen the edges as soon as the tin comes out of the oven. Let the stacks set for a few minutes, then lift them onto a platter. Finish with a light sprinkle of parmesan and fresh thyme.
Tips for Potato Stacks That Hold Together
- Grease the tin with butter, not oil. In my tests, stacks baked in olive oil-brushed cups released unevenly and were more greasy. Butter lets them lift out cleanly.
- Use both butter and olive oil in the toss. Butter alone or oil alone works, but the combination tastes better.
- Keep the skins on. Peeling adds time and doesn’t improve the result. The skins also help the edges brown.
- Match your potato sizes. Small russets that are close in size give you slices that fit the cups without overlapping the sides. Look for potatoes that fit into the palm of your hand. If small russets are hard to find, Yukon Gold is the next best option.
- Slice evenly. A mandoline keeps every slice the same thickness, so the stacks cook through at the same rate.
- Stack higher than seems right. The potatoes shrink as they bake. Piling them at least ½ inch above the rim keeps them from baking down into flat discs with unimpressive layers.
- Use a metal muffin tin. Metal conducts heat well, and that’s what gives the edges their crisp, browned finish. You won’t get the same results with a silicone muffin pan.
- Loosen first, then rest. Run a butter knife or thin spatula around each stack as soon as the tin comes out. Then give them a few minutes. That rest helps the layers lock together, so they don’t slide apart on the platter.
- Lift, don’t flip. The top layer bakes up crispiest, so lift each stack out and set it right side up rather than turning the tin over.
Serving Suggestions & Storage
These potato stacks pair well with Salmon with Pesto Sauce for a weeknight dinner or Maple Glazed Salmon if you’re looking for a more holiday style meal. For an appetizer spread, set them out with garlic aioli or sour cream and chives.
It’s unlikely you’ll have any leftovers, but if you do, they will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a 400 degrees F oven for about 10 minutes or just a few minutes in an air fryer so they edges crisp back up.so the edges crisp back up. Reheating in the microwave works, though it soften the edges.
Potato Stacks
Ingredients
- 2 pounds small russet potatoes
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped, plus more for garnish
- 1½ teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ cup parmesan cheese, plus 2 tablespoons, freshly grated, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Brush the inside of each cup of a 12-cup metal muffin tin with melted butter. Set the remaining butter aside.
- Wash and dry the potatoes (no need to peel). Use a mandoline or sharp knife to slice the potatoes into even ⅛-inch rounds.
- In a large bowl, whisk the remaining melted butter with the olive oil, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
- Add the potato slices and use your hands to toss until every slice is coated. Add ¾ cup of the parmesan and toss again, until evenly coated
- Stack the slices into the muffin cups, piling them at least ½ inch above the rim of each cup. They shrink as they bake.
- Bake on the center rack for 35 minutes. The edges should be crisp and golden, and a fork should slide easily through the center. If needed, bake 5 to 10 minutes more, watching closely so the edges don’t burn.
- As soon as the tin comes out of the oven, run a butter knife or thin spatula around the edge of each stack. Let rest for 5 minutes so the layers set.
- Lift each stack out of the tin (don’t flip it) and set it on a platter, crisp side up. Lightly sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons parmesan and fresh thyme. Serve warm.
Notes
- Choosing potatoes: You want small russets that are close in size so the slices fit the cups. Yukon Gold works if you can’t find small russets.
- Greasing the tin: Brushing melted butter creates a crispy edge and sticks to the sides of the tin better than olive oil.
- Muffin tin: A metal tin gives you crisp edges. Don’t use a silicone muffin tin, if you’re looking for those crispy edges.
- Stack height: Pile at least ½ inch above the rim. The potatoes shrink in the oven, and shorter stacks end up looking flat.
- Releasing from pan: Loosen the edges right away, then let them rest before lifting. The rest helps the layers hold together, so they don’t slide apart on the platter.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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