Mix and match baked potato toppings for the best easy dinner party: a loaded baked potato! It is adaptable to any diet and eater.
It can be difficult to find one dinner idea that suits everyone, and here’s one that we keep coming back to: these Loaded Baked Potato! Mix and match any type of baked potato topping and you have a delicious dinner that suits almost any diet. We did this recently while feeding a crowd (visiting family in town) and everyone loved it! There are endless ideas for meal personalization and this allows every eater to let their creativity run wild. Here’s how to make a filling baked potato bar and some great topping ideas.
The type of potato to use
The best potatoes for a baked potato? Russian potatoes or sweet potatoes. Red potatoes are the kind you usually find for a baked potato. You will be named starchy potatoes and come out with a chewy texture when cooked. Compare this to waxy potatoes such as Yukon Gold, red potatoes, or fingerling potatoes: these are best for frying and mashing.
Sweet potatoes are a great choice too! They have a bit more fiber and various vitamins as well as a nice sweet taste. Interestingly, their diet is very similar to the Russian potato. (Learn more about the nutritional differences between sweet potatoes and white potatoes.)
Methods of cooking loaded baked potatoes
There are several ways to prepare a baked potato! Bake the potatoes and then top with the toppings. Here are our best ways to bake a potato, along with some alternative ideas:
- Classic: Make a classic baked whole potato! Rub the skin with olive oil and prick with a fork. Place directly on the oven racks (no foil) and bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Then flip and cook until tender for a further 25 minutes (depending on size, cook for up to 15 more minutes until tender).
- Quick Cooking Method: Make a quick baked potato! Halve the potatoes and rub with olive oil, prick with a fork. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 450 degrees for 25-35 minutes until tender. Before serving, lightly mash the tops with a fork.
- Goal: See Grilled Baked Potato for instructions.
- Sweet potato: Bake a sweet potato instead! Go to Stuffed Sweet Potatoes for stuffing ideas.
Baked Potato Toppings
Did you bake your potato in the oven? let’s load it! This is where it gets fun and creative. There are two ways to make stuffed baked potatoes: you can lay out all the toppings and let eaters choose, or you can simply dial in the ingredients for one of the following flavor combinations. Here are some of our favorite baked potato toppings:
- Classic: Sour cream, high-quality cheddar, chives, optional bacon
- Mexican: Pico de gallo, corn, black beans, guacamole, cheese, sour cream, cilantro
- Smoked salmon: Smoked Salmon, Chives, Cream Cheese
- Chili: Chili, Cheddar Cheese, Spring Onions, Sour Cream
- Broccoli Cheddar: Sauteed broccoli, sour cream, cheddar cheese or vegan queso
- Nacho: Vegan taco meat or taco meat, canned bean puree, cheddar cheese, nacho cheese or vegan nacho cheese, salsa, sliced scallions, chopped lettuce, pickled jalapenos, shredded tortilla chips
- Ranch: Sautéed veggies, Homemade Ranch (or Vegan Ranch) vinaigrette, chickpeas or shredded chicken, chopped chives
- Fajitas: Fajita Vegetables, Refried Beans or Pinto Beans, Sour Cream, Shredded Cheese
Options for every diet!
The best part about a loaded baked potato bar? There are options for many diets! A loaded baked potato is naturally gluten-free. Depending on the filling, also suitable for vegetarian, vegan, pescetarian and omnivore diets.
Of the fillings above, we recommend Vegan Queso as the vegan cheese filling. Walnut taco meat also makes a great meat substitute.
How to serve a baked potato topping
Ready to eat? To serve a baked potato topping: Do a Baked Potato Bars!
- Arrange toppings like a fried potato bar in bowls. Arranging them in small bowls is fun and allows eaters to top the potatoes at the table (or on an island or table if you’re serving a crowd).
- Serve with a green salad. Cut the starches down with a fresh green salad, like this Arugula Salad, Easy Spring Mix Salad, Kale Salad, Green Salad, or Mexican Salad.
Healthier lunch ideas
Looking for easier healthy dinner ideas? Here are some of our top picks:
This Baked Potato Toppings recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
The description
Mix and match baked potato toppings for the best easy dinner party: a loaded baked potato! It is adaptable to any diet and eater.
- 4 red potatoes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1½ cups Bought pico de gallo
- 15– ounces of black beans
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup canned corn (or thawed frozen)
- 1 cup guacamole
- Shredded cheddar cheese, optional
- Chopped fresh coriander
- sour cream (or cashew cream)
- More topping ideas:
- Classic: Sour cream, high-quality cheddar, chives, optional bacon
- Smoked salmon: Smoked Salmon, Chives, Cream Cheese
- Chili: Chili, Cheddar Cheese, Spring Onions, Sour Cream
- Broccoli Cheddar: Sauteed broccoli, sour cream, cheddar cheese or vegan queso
- Nacho: Vegan taco meat or taco meat, refried beans, cheddar cheese or vegan nacho cheese, salsa, sliced scallions, chopped lettuce, pickled jalapenos, shredded tortilla chips
- Ranch: Sautéed veggies, homemade ranch dressing, chickpeas or shredded chicken, chopped chives
- Fajitas: Fajita Vegetables, Refried Beans or Pinto Beans, Sour Cream, Shredded Cheese
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. (You can also use our Quick Baked Potato or Baked Sweet Potato Method.)
- Boil potatoes: Grate the potatoes and prick them all over with a fork. Rub each potato with olive oil. Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack (with a tray on the rack underneath to catch any dripping oil). Bake for 20 minutes and turn with tongs. Bake an additional 25 minutes, checking for tenderness with a fork. The fork should easily pierce the potato through the center. If the potatoes are not soft, cook them up to 15 minutes longer, depending on the size of the potato.
- Preparation of the toppings: Meanwhile, drain and rinse the black beans and toss them with the kosher salt. Drain or thaw the corn. Chop the cilantro. Or follow the hints above for more topping ideas!
- Surcharge: When the potatoes are cooked, open the top with a fork and garnish with the pico de gallo, seasoned black beans, corn, guacamole, cheddar cheese, cilantro, and sour cream. Or follow the instructions above of your choice. Enjoy!
- Category: main course
- Method: Cooked
- Kitchen: American
- Diet: vegetarian
Keywords: Loaded Baked Potatoes, Baked Potato Toppings
