Food Cooking Tips & Techniques Recipe Prep The Best Baked Potato Toppings For a Scrumptious Spud Here's how to give a humble baked potato a major makeover (not that it needs it). By Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner is a writer and recipe developer. She's a regular contributor to The New York Times, Time Out New York, Forbes, and many more publications. She also writes the food newsletter, Specialty. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 12, 2024 It's well known that baked potato toppings have the power to take a spud from humdrum to heavenly. And this humble starch is about to become the meal of your savory, overstuffed, saucy dreams. Any potato—sweet, Idaho, red—works for a baked potato, and if you have a method you love for baking, stick with it or try something new. Ahead, we go layer by layer of toppings so your potato comes out flawless and flavorful every time. Plus, we share some topping combos to try for your next baked potato night. Let's get to garnishing. How Long to Bake a Potato So It Tastes Perfect Every Time The Base Layer Whether you're starting with a Yukon gold, dimpled Kennebec, hefty sweet potato, or even a cute selection of fingerlings, your starch is going to need splitting. Let the baked potato cool a bit before splitting it open—lengthwise, with a knife—to release some steam and create a nice pocket for your baked potato toppings. This first layer is your canvas, and a well-baked potato will absorb some of the base so you can taste it in each bite. Start by spreading a dollop of butter (dairy or plant-based) on the center of your split potato and letting it melt. Other creamy spreads like tahini, mayo, pesto, gravy, and more work to start building that flavor that will seep into the starchy insides of your baked potato. The Main Event The next layer (or layers) is going to be solid: Think protein, veg, or more starch. Pretty much anything works as the main component of a baked potato—steamed broccoli, chili, macaroni and cheese, taco meat, roasted peppers, and so much more. If it's delicious to you, it will work. Of course, baked potatoes are also a perfect way to reuse leftovers and give them a new life. The Sauce All of the best-baked potatoes are topped with a sauce to ooze all over the main ingredients and over the outside. A simple cheese sauce is never a bad idea, nor is marinara, pesto, curry, chimichurri, or salsa. Heat it up (if relevant), and drizzle it generously over your potato. And why stop at one sauce? Consider multiple sauce drizzles for full flavor. If you're not into making cheese sauce, add thin-sliced or shredded cheese on top of the potato and pop it in a warm oven for five minutes to melt. The Accoutrements Here's where things get dolloped, sprinkled, and extra crispy. This last element adds another layer of texture and flavor to your baked potato, to elevate it from humble at-home dish to guest-worthy (or at least post-worthy) gold. Consider fried onions, furikake, sesame seeds, shredded or crumbled cheese, bacon bits, breadcrumbs, or nuts. Essentially, if it's in the toppings section of a salad bar, it belongs as the crown of your potato. This is also the time to add a dollop of sour cream, Greek yogurt, ricotta, or perhaps some hummus or guacamole, depending on the theme of your baked potato. Getty Images Baked Potato Topping Combinations Overwhelmed with options? Try these combos for the perfect upgraded baked potato: Broccoli Cheddar Baked Potato = Butter + Steamed Broccoli + Cheese Sauce + Shredded Cheddar + Sour Cream BBQ Pulled Pork Potato = Butter + Cheddar Cheese + Pulled Pork + Barbecue Sauce + Sour Cream + Green Onions Tex Mex Potato = Monterey Jack + Ground Beef + Avocado Slices + Cilantro + Pico de Gallo + Sour Cream Pizza Baked Potato = Marinara Sauce + Melted Mozzarella + Sausage crumbles + Olives + Fresh Basil + Grated Parmesan Fajita Baked Potato = Cooked Fajita Meat + Peppers + Sour Cream + Guac + Crumbled Tortilla Chips Bagel Style Baked Potato = Cream Cheese + Lox + Capers + Everything Bagel Seasoning Chili Baked Potato = Butter + Chili + Sour Cream + Cheese + Crispy Onions Veggie Lasagna Baked Potato = Marinara Sauce + Thinly Sliced Roasted Veggies + Ricotta + Pesto + Parmesan Cheeseburger Baked Potato = Butter + Cooked Ground Beef + Melted Cheese + Pickles + Ketchup Spicy Tuna Roll Baked Potato = Spicy Mayo + Tuna Salad + Nori Strips + Pickled Ginger + Sesame Seeds Breakfast Baked Potato = Butter + Scrambled Eggs + Bacon + Melted Cheese + Hot Sauce + Avocado + Everything Bagel Seasoning Are Potatoes Good for You? We Asked a Nutritionist to Explain Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit