If you’ve ever eaten a well-made baked potato, you can attest that the soft, buttery, fluffy textures make it one of the best ways to enjoy potatoes. As the benchmark for an epic barbecue lunch or on its own topped up with butter and crushed pepper for a quick snack, baked potatoes are an extremely effective and inexpensive way to add bulk to meals. The starchy root vegetable, when baked, pairs beautifully with meat dishes like pork ribs, meatloaf, fried chicken and even a juicy steak. While they are perfect eaten just with a pat of butter and freshly cracked pepper, we bring you four ways to enhance your baked potato experience, the next time you eat one.
Go Classic
Image Credits: Vicky Wasik/Serious Eats
You can never go wrong with a baked potato that has been topped off with cold but luscious sour cream, crispy bacon bits and chopped chives. Imagine your favourite brand of cream and onion potato chips but make it a meal! You’re of course, free to play around with the proportions but in this case, more is always more. If you don’t happen to find sour cream in stores near you, dollop some cream cheese or Greek yoghurt to add a tangy layer of flavour to the fluffy potato.
More Cheese Please
Even if you’ve never had a baked potato before, anyone in their right mind knows that cheese and potatoes are a match made in heaven. Split your baked potato in half and add any cheese you like – bocconcini, cheddar, gruyere, brie, halloumi; the options are endless. Go a step further and add some pepperoni and marinara sauce for a pizza-style potato. If you’re vegetarian, add some broccoli or plant-based sausage for that ‘meaty’ chew. If you prefer a mix of many cheeses, who are we to stop you!
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Plant-Based Goodness
Vegan doesn’t always mean boring or ultra-healthy food at all times. Sometimes, vegan means an extra-large scoop of guacamole or beans in your baked potato. Go Mexican with refried beans and picco de gallo or add some fajita veggies and vegan cheese, for an extra dose of veggies. Deep fry some chickpeas until they’re crunchy and stick them into a split baked potato and sprinkle your favourite spice seasonings for a flavoursome and protein-packed snack.
Sweeten It Up
Image Credits: Jamie Geller
While the idea of a baked potato is mostly associated with savoury offerings, a baked sweet potato with loads of marshmallow fluff and maple syrup is a nutritious but delicious way to get complex carbs into your body. Chocolate lover? Add a few pieces of dark chocolate into a freshly baked sweet potato and add a scoop of ice cream. It might sound absurd at first, but hey, don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.