Baked Potato Bar
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Want a cheap, tasty dinner that the whole family will love? This classic Baked Potato Bar is it! With lots of hearty toppings, the humble potato gets elevated from side dish to main dish.
Why I Love This Meal
- Customizable: Much like our family’s beloved Taco Bar nights, our Baked Potato Bar goes over well with everyone. That’s because they can individualize their baked potato however they like.
- Cheap: Hearty, economical potatoes make up most of this meal, while the toppings add the flavor. This only costs me about $3-4 per person!
- Veggie-Forward: A fun way to eat your veggies. With potatoes as the base and broccoli and green onion on top, you can get several servings in. The homemade cheese sauce drizzled on top make them so tasty!
- Easy: While it will take over an hour to pull all the components together, there’s not much thinking involved for this recipe! I’ve nailed the timing on how to bake the perfect potato while also making your toppings and cheese sauce all at the same time.
- Make Ahead Meal: You can make all the toppings a day or two ahead of time and warm the bacon, cheese sauce, and broccoli in the microwave before it’s time to eat. Make the potatoes 1-2 hours in advance and keep warm in the oven.
Ingredients Needed
Here are the real food ingredients you’ll need to build your Baked Potato Bar…
- Large baking potatoes
- Avocado oil or olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Pepper
- Uncured bacon
- Homemade Cheese Sauce (sub: shredded cheddar cheese)
- Chopped broccoli florets
- Green onions, thinly sliced (sub: minced chives)
- Optional toppings: Butter, sour cream (see some creative topping ideas below)
How to Make a Baked Potato Bar
Now, let’s walk through how to make a classic Baked Potato Bar for your family or a group. I’ve worked out the timing so you can prep everything while the potatoes are baking.
Prep the Oven & Pan
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Adjust the two oven racks to be equidistant from the center. Cover a rimmed sheet pan with foil and then set a cooking rack on top.
Prep the Potatoes
Scrub the potatoes and dry them off. Working on a cutting board, pierce each potato a few times on each side with a fork or knife. Rub the potatoes with oil and season with Kosher salt and pepper (optional) on all sides.
Bake the Bacon
Lay out the slices of bacon on the pan. Bake on bottom rack until crispy, about 20-30 minutes, depending on the thickness of your bacon.
Bake the Potatoes
While the bacon bakes, place the potatoes directly on the top rack (over the sheet pan, so it catches any drips as they begin to cook) and bake for 50-60 minutes, until a fork or paring knife slides easily into the center of the potato. Remove with oven mitts or tongs to a serving dish.
Why Bake the Potatoes in the Oven?
I prefer to bake the potatoes because the skin gets perfectly crispy and salty in the oven.
However, if you’d like a faster option, microwave your pierced potatoes in 2 minute increments until done (about 6 minutes total, but you’ll need to work in batches). Or, try cooking them in a crockpot…
Tip: Cook Potatoes in the Crockpot
Another way to prepare your baked potatoes is in the slow cooker. The crust won’t be crispy like the oven, but it’s a really easy, hands-off method.
Steam the Broccoli
While the potatoes bake, steam the broccoli using one of these methods:
- Stovetop: Fill a medium-sized pot with 1 or 2 inches of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the broccoli and partially cover with the lid. Steam for 2-3 minutes, until fork tender. Carefully drain off the water and set aside.
- Microwave: In a medium-sized, microwave-safe bowl, add 1-2 inches of water and the broccoli, cover with a napkin or plate. Microwave on high for about 2-3 minutes, or until fork tender. Carefully drain off the water and set aside.
Make the Cheese Sauce
Using our Cheese Sauce recipe, double the recipe and make in a medium-sized pot on the stove (I use the same one I steam the broccoli in). This takes about 10 minutes at the most. Keep the sauce warm over low heat, stirring occasionally.
Prep the Toppings & Serve
Chop the bacon into small bits. Set out other toppings like sliced green onions, sour cream, butter, salt, and pepper. Slice open each warm baked potato from end to end and push the ends together to open it up.
Everyone can individualize their baked potato with toppings from the Baked Potato Bar. I like mine with broccoli, cheese sauce, sliced green onions, and bacon bits.
How to Make It Ahead
You can make the bacon, cheese sauce, and broccoli a day or two ahead of time and warm in the microwave before it’s time to eat.
The baked potatoes can be made 1-2 hours in advance. To keep them warm, place in an oven safe dish, cover with foil, and put in a 200°F oven.
Ideas for Baked Potato Bar Toppings
My recipe sticks to a classic loaded baked potato, but don’t be afraid to get creative with your toppings. Here are several variations and toppings for a potato bar:
- Classic: Cheese sauce, bacon, sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt), chives or green onions
- Chili: Stovetop Chili or Pumpkin Chili, shredded cheese, sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt), chives or diced red onion, cilantro
- Southwest Chicken: Shredded Southwest Chicken, Southwest Ranch Sauce, shredded cheddar cheese
- Vegan Delight: plant-based butter, sautéed mushrooms/peppers/onions, black beans, salsa
- Greek: shredded Greek pork, Tzatziki Sauce, sliced Kalamata olives, chopped cherry tomatoes, feta cheese
- BBQ: shredded BBQ Pork or BBQ Chicken, 5-Ingredient Coleslaw, blue cheese crumbles
What to Serve with Baked Potato Bar
Aside from all the toppings I shared, here are some meaty main dishes, soups, or sides that would pair well.
Be sure to save this recipe for family dinner night or when serving a crowd. I’ve made sure to perfectly time this meal so you can complete it all while the potatoes bake. Enjoy!
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Baked Potato Bar
A classic Baked Potato Bar recipe that includes instructions for making the potatoes, a cheese sauce, bacon crumbles, steamed broccoli, and more toppings. Perfect to serve to a large group or for family dinner. Leftovers are great, too.
Ingredients
- 6–8 large baking potatoes (i.e. russet)
- Avocado oil (sub: olive oil)
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 12–16 ounces uncured bacon
- Ingredients for 2 batches of Cheese Sauce: 2 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 cups milk, 2 tablespoons cream cheese, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 cups bite-sized, chopped broccoli florets (about 2 heads)
- 1/2 – 1 cup sliced green onions or minced chives (about 1 bunch)
- Butter
- Sour cream
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Instructions
1. Prep Oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Adjust the two oven racks to be equidistant from the center. Cover a rimmed sheet pan with foil and then set a cooking rack on top*.
2. Prep Potatoes: Scrub the potatoes and dry them off. Working on a cutting board, pierce each potato a few times on each side with a fork or knife. Rub the potatoes with oil and season with Kosher salt and pepper (optional) on all sides.
3. Bake the Bacon: Lay out the bacon side by side on the rack on the sheet pan. Place on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, until crispy. Move on to next step right away, so the potatoes cook at the same time.
4. Bake Potatoes: While the bacon bakes, place the potatoes directly on the top rack (over the sheet pan, so it catches any drips as they begin to cook) and bake for 50-60 minutes, until a fork or paring knife slides easily into the center of the potato. Remove with oven mitts or tongs to a serving dish.
5. Steam Broccoli: While the potatoes bake, steam the broccoli using one of these methods:
-
- Stovetop: Fill a medium-sized pot with 1 or 2 inches of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the broccoli and partially cover with the lid. Steam for 2-3 minutes, until fork tender. Carefully drain off the water and set aside.
- Microwave: In a medium-sized, microwave-safe bowl, add 1-2 inches of water and the broccoli, cover with a napkin or plate. Microwave on high for about 2-3 minutes, or until fork tender. Carefully drain off the water and set aside.
6. Make Cheese Sauce: Using our Cheese Sauce recipe, double the recipe and make in a medium-sized pot on the stove (I use the same one I steam the broccoli in). Keep the sauce warm over low heat, stirring occasionally.
7. Prep Toppings: Chop the bacon into small bits. Set out other toppings like sliced green onions, sour cream, and butter, salt, and pepper.
8. Serve: Slice open each warm baked potato from end to end and push the ends together to open it up. Everyone can individualize their baked potato with toppings from the Baked Potato Bar. I like mine with broccoli, cheese sauce, sliced green onions, and bacon bits.
*If you don’t have a cooking rack, skip that part. The bacon will cook faster, so keep an eye on it. You’ll also want to drain the bacon on paper towels, since it will be greasier.
Notes/Tips
How to Make Ahead: You can make all the toppings a day or two ahead of time and warm the bacon, cheese sauce, and broccoli in the microwave before it’s time to eat. The baked potatoes can be made 1-2 hours in advance. To keep them warm, place in an oven safe dish, cover with foil, and put in a 200°F oven.
Dairy-Free Version: In place of the butter use plant-based butter. Avoid the cheese sauce and sour cream. Use mashed avocado with salt and pepper to add richness instead.
Gluten-Free Version: Use gluten-free flour in the cheese sauce or replace the cheese sauce with shredded cheese instead.
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