Boston Pizza-Style Cactus Cut Potatoes (Copycat)

Name: Boston Pizza-Style Cactus Cut Potatoes (Copycat)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 3 large russet potatoes (scrubbed); 360 ml jalapeno brine (liquid from a jar of pickled jalapenos); 1 L canola oil (for frying); salt (to taste); 240 ml sour cream (for the dip); 120 ml creamy Caesar dressing (for the dip); 60 g shredded Parmesan cheese (for the dip); 60 ml green onion (finely chopped, for the dip); 0.5 tsp crushed chilli flakes (for the dip)

Independent copycat-style recreation, not Boston Pizza’s official recipe (theirs is a trade secret) and not affiliated with Boston Pizza. This is a home version inspired by the menu item, worked out for a normal home kitchen.

A home version of the Cactus Cut Potatoes format: thin russet slices marinated in jalapeno brine, fried crisp, and served with a sour cream and Caesar dip. The potatoes need an overnight marinade and the dip tastes better made the day before, so plan ahead. It has not been kitchen-tested for this site yet, so treat it as a starting point. The home cost below is an estimate for the ingredients listed, per serving.

Servings

10 min

Prep

15 min

Cook

25 min

Total

Medium

Difficulty

380

Est. calories / serving

What it costs: restaurant vs home

Option	Cost
VegCactus Cut Potatoes at Boston Pizza (typical price, from the menu page)	$13.99
This home version, per serving	$3
You save	$10.99 (79%)

Restaurant price is the typical figure from our Boston Pizza menu data (prices vary by location). Home cost is an estimate for the ingredients listed, per serving.

Ingredients

Amount	Ingredient	Note
3	large russet potatoes	scrubbed
360 ml	jalapeno brine	liquid from a jar of pickled jalapenos
1 L	canola oil	for frying
n/a	salt	to taste
240 ml	sour cream	for the dip
120 ml	creamy Caesar dressing	for the dip
60 g	shredded Parmesan cheese	for the dip
60 ml	green onion	finely chopped, for the dip
0.5 tsp	crushed chilli flakes	for the dip

Method

Whisk the sour cream, Caesar dressing, Parmesan, green onion and chilli flakes together for the dip, cover, and chill overnight so the flavours meld.
Slice the scrubbed potatoes very thinly, about 2 mm, with a mandoline or a sharp knife, and blot the slices dry between paper towels.
Toss the dried slices with the jalapeno brine in a covered container and marinate overnight in the fridge.
Lift the slices from the brine and pat them dry again, then heat the oil to 180 degrees C in a deep heavy pot.
Fry the slices in small batches until crisp and golden, then drain on a rack and salt at once.
Serve warm with the chilled cactus dip.

Tips

A mandoline gives the even thin slices that fry crisp; thick slices stay soft in the middle.
Drying the slices before frying is what keeps the oil from spitting and the potatoes crisp.
Make the dip the day before; it tastes noticeably better after a night in the fridge.

Allergen caution: whether the home version contains allergens depends entirely on the ingredients and brands you use. Check every label, and take extra care with shared surfaces and frying oil if anyone eating has an allergy.

Recipe credit: adapted in our own words from the tested recipe by Celebration Generation. Their Cactus Cut Potatoes and Dip replica recipe, developed from the Boston Pizza original, was the reference point for the jalapeno brine marinade and the cactus dip here. Our wording, quantities and method above are our own. The recipe above is complete as published here; the original is credited only as a reference for readers who want to compare: original tested recipe at Celebration Generation.

See the full Boston Pizza menu & prices The original item: VegCactus Cut Potatoes