Slice the potatoes thinly into 1.5mm slices using a mandolin or sharp knife. Place the rounds into a large bowl and sprinkle in the salt and baking soda. Fill the bowl with enough cold water so that it covers the potatoes by an inch or so. Using your hands, give it a gentle mix to combine. Set aside for 10 minutes. Drain and pat the rounds dry.

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F.

Line a large, rimmed baking tray with parchment paper. Working with 2-3 potato rounds, make 15 even stacks on the baking tray. Sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of cheddar shreds onto each stack and top with 2-3 more potato rounds. Repeat twice. Try to match the potato rounds by size so they don’t tumble over when baking.

For the final stack, use 1 round instead of 2-3 and drizzle each stack with 1 tablespoon of the melted vegan butter – there should be some remaining cheese shreds – save those for later. Cover the stacks loosely with tin foil and bake until the potatoes are cooked through, 45 to 50 minutes. A small sharp knife or toothpick should go through with no resistance.

Remove the foil – if cheese is oozing out and the stacks are falling a bit, that’s okay! Simply reposition them as best you can! And the crispy bits of cheese oozing out are the best part! Season each stack with fresh ground black pepper and the remaining cheese shreds. Place back into the oven without the foil, and bake until golden and crispy, 10 to 15 minutes. If you’d like, you can broil them for the last 5 minutes or so. If broiling, make sure to keep an eye on them so the cheese doesn’t burn! Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Garnish each stack with sour cream, bac’n bits, chives, flaky salt, and enjoy!