With a bit of creativity, there are so many budget-friendly meals you can throw together on a whim and feel good about feeding your friends and family, but today we’re talking about the trend-setting loaded baked potato bar. Use your imagination and dress the toppings up or down for the occasion. You can serve baked potatoes with different cheeses, veggies, cooked meats, and condiments. Really, there are no rules!
How to Create a Baked Potato Bar
- Russet potatoes – To be fair, you can “bake” any type of potato, but to be a proper baked potato, it must be a russet.
- Olive oil – Rubbing the potato skins lightly with oil helps the skins get crispy instead of burning.
- Cheddar cheese – Use cheese grated off the block if you can. It’s much creamier and more flavorful than bagged shredded cheese and typically cheaper.
- Green onions – or chives or both!
- Sour cream & butter – Loaded baked potato standards.
- Prep potatoes for baking. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Meanwhile, scrub the potatoes well, rinse under cool water, and pat dry. Rub lightly with oil, sprinkle with coarse salt, and prick several times with a fork.
- Bake potatoes. Bake the potatoes on a baking sheet or directly on the rack (with a lined baking sheet underneath to catch the drippings) until the skin is crispy and the insides are tender (40-60 minutes). Once cool enough to handle, wrap it in foil, and keep warm in the oven while you finish assembling the bar.
- Assemble the bar! Serve the baked potatoes buffet-style. As for the anything goes! We love loading baked potatoes with shredded cheddar, sliced green onion, sour cream, and butter.
Here are some of the more innovative topping combinations to pile on top of a baked potato:
- Pulled Pork with BBQ Sauce and Coleslaw
- Broccoli, Spinach, and Cheese Sauce
- Taco Seasoned Ground Beef with Salsa, Corn, Black Beans, and Monterey Jack Cheese
- Chili, Diced Onion, Cheddar, and Sour Cream
