15 Ways to Turn Your Baked Potato Into an Amazing Complete Meal

Could the baked potato be the world’s most perfect food?

Think about it—one large potato costs less than a dollar. It's an inexpensive, filling, nutritious and easy-to-make food in the college dorm*, a handy dinner for one, or even comfort food for an upset tummy. (Bet you didn't know that).

But that's not all. Multiply the number of potatoes, add a few simple toppings, and you have an easy weeknight dinner for your family.

*NOTE: Yes I know that dorm potatoes are microwaved, not baked. However, even though a microwaved potato is not perfect, it is better for you than a bag of popcorn.

Before you create the perfect baked-potato meal, you need to have a perfectly-baked potato.

• Move the rack in your oven to the middle level.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Scrub each potato with a stiff-bristled vegetable brush under cold running water, but don't let them soak in water.
• Dry each potato with a clean paper towel.
• Pierce each potato 4 times on each side with the tip of a sharp knife.
• Rub some olive oil on the skin of each potato and then sprinkle lightly with salt.
• Place prepared potatoes directly on the oven rack (no pan).
• Bake until tender (about 40 to 45 minutes).

And two very important rules:

• NEVER EVER wrap your potatoes in foil. If you do you will have steamed, not baked, potatoes.
  
• AND, always used russet potatoes; Yukon golds, reds, and other "new" potatoes are waxy, not starchy and so will never produce a potato with a crisp outer skin and fluffy interior.

Everything you love in a Greek salad.

Ingredients

• diced tomato
• crumbled feta cheese
• minced Kalamata olives

You know how much our former President loves broccoli. Use broccoli florets and this light and easy cheese sauce recipe to make a great vegetarian meal. Or try this idea for broccoli and cheese loaded stuffed baked potatoes from Katie, author of GoodLifeEats

Ingredients

• steamed broccoli florets
• vegetarian bacon slices, cooked and diced (or real bacon if you prefer to go to the dark side)
• low-fat Cheddar cheese sauce from Cooking Light Magazine.

Nachos are corn or flour tortilla chips topped with everything you love in a taco. Why not try those same toppings on a baked potato?

Ingredients

• salsa
• shredded Colby Jack cheese
• sour cream
• diced avocado

(4) The Julia Child

Julia Child gave us "Mastering the Art of French Cooking", and taught us how to poach the perfect egg. Topping a baked potato with a poached egg makes a satisfying and quick-to-fix vegetarian meal.

Ingredients

• one beautiful poached egg
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Watch your favorite team at home, heat up some chili, and enjoy a hearty baked potato. Use this tasty recipe from NeighborhoodFood or canned chili.

Ingredients

• chili con carne
• shredded Cheddar cheese
• sour cream
• minced green onions
• diced tomato

What makes a messy potato? How about cooking up a batch of sloppy joes but ditch the bun and use a fluffy baked potato instead.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey (93 percent lean)
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Cook turkey in large sauté pan over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer 30 minutes.

What is poutine? Yes the name is French; this dish of pome frites (French fries) covered with gravy and cheese curbs originated in Quebec, but it is now a favorite comfort food in Wisconsin too (where the best cheese curds on the planet are made). What makes this "lazy"? There is no real cooking involved; simply use leftover gravy or even from a jar. Trust me.

Ingredients

• jar or leftover beef gravy, heated
• cheese curds

(8) The Gobbler

This one is great the day after Thanksgiving. Leftover turkey, some turkey gravy; it's so easy you might feel a bit guilty.

Ingredients

• leftover turkey, chopped
• leftover turkey gravy

Perhaps a bit silly, but so good.

Ingredients

• broiled hamburger patty, crumbled
• minced onion
• grated Cheddar cheese
• diced dill pickle

Summertime is barbecue time. Hot and salty pulled pork plus crisp cole slaw; a great combination of contrasts. The food blog paleoleap.com uses a baked sweet potato as the foundation for their pulled pork. I think a baked russet potato would work equally well, or you could try this great recipe for pulled pork and slaw from Tyler Florence on The Food Network.

Ingredients

• BBQ pulled pork
• cole slaw

Buffalo chicken without the mess; the amount shown below is for one potato.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup diced cooked chicken (leftover rotisserie is GREAT for this!)
• 2 teaspoons melted butter
• 1 teaspoon (or more) buffalo hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon crumbled bleu cheese

Directions

Heat chicken in microwave. Toss with melted butter and buffalo hot sauce. Spoon on top of potato and garnish with crumbled bleu cheese.

When I think of Northern Italy, I remember the fresh seafood and the tangy Parmesan cheese. Warm some cooked shrimp in your favorite Alfredo sauce. Add a simple green salad and you have a complete meal.

Ingredients

• cooked shrimp
• jarred, homemade, or deli alfredo sauce
• grated Parmesan cheese

(13) The French Café

Ingredients

• Baked or poached salmon
• sour cream
• minced chives

Smoked salmon or lox; perfect on a bagel, or on a baked potato. Follow this easy recipe, May I suggest a few capers on top?

Ingredients

• smoked salmon
• capers, rinsed and drained
• sour cream

This recipe makes enough to top four baked potatoes:

Ingredients

• Two 6 ounce cans water-packed tuna, drained and broken up with a fork
• 2 tablespoons minced celery
• 2 tablespoons minced yellow onion
• 1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon whole grain (not yellow or Dijon) mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat oven broiler and set the oven rack to 5 inches from the heat source. Combine all ingredients except the cheese in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Evenly distribute over 4 baked and split potatoes. Top each with 1/4 cup of the cheese. Broil 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is bubbling. Watch carefully so that it does not burn.

Fifteen ideas for topping a hot baked potato to turn a simple side dish into a hearty meal. Do any of these sound interesting?