Potatoes are a staple food that can be transformed in countless ways. Healthline states they have a high amount of potassium and vitamin C, so they work as an excellent base for a meal. One of the most satisfying ways to enjoy them is by creating a baked potato bar, where you can experiment with different toppings to create a customized, flavorful dish. The classic combo of sour cream and chives is always a crowd-pleaser, but there are possibilities beyond that! We have a list of 24 options for you to try.
You can add veggies, meats, and condiments to create unique and themed baked potatoes that excite your taste buds. For instance, make a Mexican-inspired potato by topping it with creamy guacamole, zesty pico de gallo, sweet corn, and juicy shredded chicken. Alternatively, you can indulge in a broccoli cheese potato bursting with flavor from the creamy cheddar cheese spread and tender broccoli and ham. Whatever toppings you choose, a baked potato bar is a fun way to feed your family with a nutritious and scrumptious meal.
1. Crispy Fried Onions
Crispy fried onions are a delicious baked potato topping because of the contrast in textures. Although you can get crispy fried onions out of a container, they’re even more tasty when you make them yourself! Plus, they don’t have preservatives and unnecessary ingredients. You need onions, buttermilk, flour, garlic salt, and other seasonings to make them homemade. You also need some vegetable oil to fry them!
2. Seasoned Diced Tomatoes
Skip the canned diced tomatoes and make homemade Rotel tomatoes that taste incredibly fresh and flavorful. Mix diced tomatoes, onions, and hot peppers to create a mixture similar to the Rotel canned version. However, you can also add seasonings! We suggest adding dried oregano, parsley, garlic powder, and salt. This light and refreshing topping pairs well with many other garnishes!
3. Guacamole
Instead of simply putting avocado slices on your baked potato, you can take it to the next level by making homemade guacamole. Include ingredients like cilantro, garlic, jalapenos, onions, and lime juice in the guacamole! This works as a last-minute topping. If you plan to put the potato in the oven to melt cheese or warm other ingredients, you must wait to put the guacamole on until just before serving.
4. Reduced-Fat Sour Cream
Sour cream is one of the most famous baked potato toppings! It is refreshing and creamy, perfectly contrasting the fluffy potatoes. However, to make it healthier, we suggest using reduced-fat sour cream! Of course, you can pair this with nearly any other ingredients on this list since sour cream has a simple yet delicious flavor.
5. Cheddar Cheese Spread
Rather than simply sprinkling on some shredded cheese, you can go the extra mile by making a creamy cheddar cheese spread to smother on your hot baked potato. Include ingredients such as cream cheese, half and half, pepper Jack, cheddar, and seasonings to make the spread! This specific recipe has paprika and kosher salt, but you can also experiment and include spicier components like cayenne.
6. Pickled Red Onions
Looking for an ingredient that will make your baked potato have a tangy, sharp essence? Consider adding pickled red onions as a topping! These onions are perfectly crisp and fresh, and the apple cider vinegar gives them the perfect acidity. You can also include some sugar to help balance the tart flavor. This ingredient pairs with many other components on this list, such as shredded chicken or pulled pork!
7. Tomatillo Pico De Gallo
Make a unique pico de gallo with tomatillos for your baked potato bar! The vibrant green color gives it a striking appearance and pleasant flavor. In tomatillo pico de gallo, you can include onions, cilantro, jalapenos, lime juice, and tomatillos. A dash of salt and pepper enhances the natural flavors! This is a perfect garnish to include if you plan to make Tex-Mex baked potatoes!
8. Bacon Bits
Although bacon on a baked potato isn’t anything new, we just had to include it! There’s nothing classier than crumbled and homemade bacon bits to offset these soft potatoes. It is up to you whether you want to drizzle your potato with ranch dressing to complement the bacon or add Greek yogurt and onions! There are many routes you can take when you use this topping!
9. Classic Weight Watchers Chili
Make a healthy baked potato with chili using our Weight Watchers-friendly recipe! This chili is meaty and has smoky undertones. It also has some warm spices and Frank’s red hot sauce to give it fiery hints you can taste on the back of your palate. Load this chili onto a potato with some reduced-fat sour cream, and you have a satisfying meal!
10. Whipped Goat Cheese
It’s delicious to sprinkle goat cheese on baked potatoes, but have you ever thought about making whipped goat cheese? The light and refreshing cheese will help balance any hearty components that you add to the potatoes, such as ground Turkey or another type of meat. This specific recipe has goat cheese, cream cheese, garlic, lemon juice, and more. Of course, you can modify it to fit your taste preferences!
11. Garlic Chive Butter
If you use butter on your baked potato, you might as well use savory-flavored butter while you are at it! Although you can use many infused types of butter, the garlic chive butter will bring you waves of comfort. Since many people enjoy garlic and chives on their potatoes, it only makes sense to incorporate it into the organic grass-fed butter. Moreover, you can also whip the butter to make it lighter and fluffy!
12. Diced Ham and Cabbage
Potatoes are often a side dish for ham and cabbage, so it’s quite fitting to use ham and cabbage as a baked potato topping! This topping will leave you satisfied since the ham is hearty. Also, the cabbage is nice and tender. You can impart extra flavor with chicken broth, garlic powder, black pepper, and more.
13. Shredded Chicken
Everyone in your family will love shredded chicken on top of their baked potato! For best results, use boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs and simple seasonings like salt and pepper. If you cook it in a skillet, add some chicken broth to ensure it stays juicy and shreds easily. Fortunately, chicken complements many other toppings on this list, so you can make all sorts of creations.
14. Steamed Broccoli
Looking for something simple and healthy to top your potato with? Broccoli is an excellent choice! If you steam it, it becomes the perfect texture, not too tough and not mushy! It retains its bright green color if you put it in a water bath afterward. When you put it in on baked potato, chop the broccoli into bite-sized pieces so it is easier to eat.
15. Restaurant Style Salsa
Make a zesty and refreshing salsa to drizzle over your baked potato! You can include ingredients like diced tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, fresh cilantro, and garlic. The combination of fresh and jarred tomatoes makes the salsa yummy. This topping can be used with other options, like sauteed bell peppers and mushrooms! Alternatively, use it with meat on the potato to make it saucy.
16. Pulled Pork
Everyone loves a juicy, flavorful pulled pork, especially when you serve it with potatoes! There are many ways to season pork. Of course, making it BBQ-flavored is one of the most popular ways, but you can also make it spicy or season it with herbs, depending on what you are going for. Cook the pork and shred it before loading it on top of a crispy baked potato!
17. Caramelized Onions
Caramelized onions have a deeper, more complex flavor than plain diced onions! A chemical reaction happens when you make these called the Maillard reaction, which gives them a dark color and yummy taste. All you need is onions, water, butter, and salt to make these! If you want them on the sweeter side, you can add a small amount of brown sugar.
18. Sauteed Bell Peppers
Bell peppers are a nutritious and colorful addition to baked potatoes! You can make a mixture of green, red, yellow, and orange peppers to make a showstopping appearance. To cook them quickly, chop them into strips and cook them on high heat with olive oil! They take as little as 5 minutes this way.
19. Ground Turkey
Use lean or extra-lean ground turkey next time you make a baked potato bar! This is an excellent alternative to ground beef if you want something less greasy. Since ground turkey doesn’t have much flavor, it can take on the flavor of different seasonings you use. This specific recipe has cumin, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder, but you can always add other spices!
20. Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt has more protein than sour cream, which can be a fantastic replacement for baked potatoes. It has a similar tangy flavor, although it is a little stronger. Nevertheless, it is still just as silky and creamy as sour cream and will be a great addition if you add any spicy components! It also ensures that the baked potato isn’t dry.
21. Roasted Corn
Did you realize you can make roasted corn in a skillet? This is a delicious garnish for your baked potatoes, whether you want to throw on multiple kinds of veggies or mix it with meat. Roasted corn has a pleasant, savory, yet sweet taste to it. You can add seasonings and herbs to brighten the flavor more! Also, it has a gorgeous presentation since the skillet gives it a darker color.
22. Sauteed Mushrooms
Mushrooms will give your baked potato an umami kick. You can use any type of mushroom you like, but baby Bella or button mushrooms are fantastic. The Portobello mushrooms will give a deeper flavor but are more expensive. Saute the mushrooms with garlic, butter, and other seasonings to accentuate their natural, delicious flavor!
23. Chipotle Sauce
No matter what other toppings you use, you can drizzle some of this homemade chipotle sauce on it afterward for a breathtaking presentation and added flavor! The creamy yet spicy sauce does wonders for a simple baked potato, taking it to new heights. It’s relatively simple to make since you only need chipotle peppers, sour cream, mayo, and lime juice. You can also add some garlic in there!
24. Roasted Red Peppers
Instead of taking red peppers out of a jar, you can make your own roasted red peppers to use as a garnish for your baked potatoes. The peppers come out soft and flavorful from the oven roasting. You don’t even need to add any spices or additional ingredients. Slice them into strips or smaller pieces so they are easy to eat on the potato!
