Warm, crispy-skinned, salty snacks topped with cottage cheese. These Protein Packed Mini Potato Fans take only a few minutes to slice into healthy hasselbacks!

[Disclosure: As a co-owner of The Recipe ReDux, I was compensated to co-manage this recipe contest with Potatoes USA. Thanks for eating yummy potatoes to help support this blog.]

I know what you’re thinking:

“Those mini potato fans are cute. But I would never take the time to cut all those little slices.”

But before you dismiss these warm, crispy-skinned, salty yummies, hear this. They actually take just a few minutes to slice up.

I even timed my slicing for you. To make the four little slices in 20 mini potatoes. It took only 4 minutes. That’s it!

And now is the time to try this recipe >>>Have you seen all those mini potatoes showing up in stores now – even the beautiful little blue ones? Around the holidays, I bought several different varieties of mini potatoes and made these little fans many times: fancying them up with creme fraiche and a variety of toppings from olives to inexpensive fish roe for quick appetizers.

But my kids liked them so much when made just plain with a sprinkle of salt, that they’ve shown up on our dinner rotation – and even for after school snacks. I just throw them in the oven a few minutes before the kids get home. ad. Looks and tastes fancy. Easy to make: Protein-Packed Mini Potato Fans via @TspCurry #TheRecipeReDux Click To Tweet

So when the Potatoes USA challenged The Recipe ReDux to come up with pre- and post-workout snacks for The Potatoes Performance Challenge, these little guys popped into my head.

To be the perfect post-workout snack, a mini-meal should have the perfect combo of energy-releasing carbs and energy-staying protein. Potatoes provide the carbohydrate, potassium, and energy you need to perform at your best. A serving of about ten of these Protein-Packed Mini Potato Fans has:

• 11 grams protein
• 52 grams carbohydrates
• Only about 275 calories
• Plus electrolytes like sodium and a whopping 1173 mg potassium – which is 34% of the recommended daily amount

Potatoes in general, white, red-skinned and even blue potatoes have several nutritional benefits:

• Potatoes are nutrient-dense complex carbs.
• Potatoes have even more potassium than a banana.
• Potatoes are more energy-packed than any other popular vegetable.

So if you’ve got 4 extra minutes, grab a knife and fan out your mini potatoes….with fast flair. (:

Protein-Packed Mini Potato Fans

Warm, crispy-skinned, salty yummies, topped with cottage cheese. These Protein-Packed Mini Potato Fans take only 4 minutes to slice into fans.

• Author: by Serena Ball, RD
• Yield: 2 servings for post exercise recovery - about 4-5 appetizer servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 20 mini potatoes that are about 1-inch in diameter (about 10 ounces)
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• Optional toppings such as: roasted red pepper, pickled jalapeno slices, avocado, olives

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 425-degrees. Spray large baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Make 4-5 vertical slices in each potato cutting almost all the way through the potato – but not quite.
3. Place potatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil and toss gently. Arrange on baking sheet.
4. Bake 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are tender – but not mushy. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.
5. Divide cottage cheese among potatoes. Top with toppings if desired.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 10 potatoes

Have you tried out any of the new mini potato varieties? Have you ever made hasselback potatoes (the fancy name for potato fans!)?