Nacho-Style Baked Potatoes Recipe

By
Morgan Eisenberg
Morgan Eisenberg is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Morgan Eisenberg
Morgan Eisenberg is a creative blogger at Host the Toast. She has an absolute obsession over all things edible.
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Updated Apr. 22, 2019
20170928-nacho-style-baked-potatoes-all-four-morgan-eisenberg.jpg
Load up baked potatoes with your favorite nacho toppings to transform them into a main course-worthy dish. . Morgan Eisenberg

Why This Recipe Works

  • A moderate oven produces a creamy, fluffy potato interior.
  • Oiling the skin makes it crisp and flavorful, not thick and leathery.
  • Scooping out the flesh and mashing it with butter, then refilling the skin, guarantees that every bite is delicious.

Reinvent the meaning of "loaded baked potatoes" with this nacho-style version, which includes sour cream, refried beans, seasonings, pico de gallo, avocado, and an easy, creamy cheese sauce, all using Daniel Gritzer's ultimate baked potato technique.

Recipe Details

Nacho-Style Baked Potatoes Recipe

Active 30 mins
Total 60 mins
Serves 2 to 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 (12-ounce; 340g) potatoes, preferably russets

  • Canola, vegetable, or olive oil, for rubbing

  • 1/3 cup sour cream (80ml), plus more for topping, if desired

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder

  • 1 cup refried beans

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1 1/2 cups cheese sauce

  • 1 cup pico de gallo

  • 1/2 ripe Hass avocado, halved, pitted, flesh scooped from skin, and cubed

Directions

  1. If Using Only the Oven (see note): Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Using a fork or paring knife, puncture potatoes in several spots. Rub each potato with a light coating of oil. Arrange on a rack set on a baking sheet, or directly on an oven rack, and bake until a fork can easily be inserted into the center of each potato, about 1 hour. If setting potatoes directly on oven rack, set a sheet of foil on the rack below to catch any oil drips.

  2. If Using the Microwave and Oven (see note): Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Using a fork or paring knife, puncture potatoes in several spots. Microwave potatoes for 5 minutes. Rub each potato with a light coat of oil. Arrange on a rack set on a baking sheet, or directly on an oven rack, and bake until a fork can easily be inserted into the center of each potato, about 20 minutes. If setting potatoes directly on oven rack, set a sheet of foil on the rack below to catch any oil drips.

  3. Let potatoes rest 5 minutes. Slice each open lengthwise and carefully scoop flesh into a mixing bowl. Mash the potato flesh with the sour cream, cumin, and chili powder. Gently stir in the refried beans until well-combined.

  4. Scoop mashed potatoes back into skins. (You can refill each skin, making 4 smaller potatoes, or use all the mashed potato to refill only half the skins, making 2 overstuffed potatoes.) Using your hands, reshape each stuffed potato back into a classic baked-potato shape. Pour over the cheese sauce, then top with pico de gallo, avocado, and sour cream, as desired. Serve immediately.

Special equipment

Baking sheet, baking rack

Notes

Baking the potatoes in the oven produces only marginally better results, but takes longer. The microwave speeds things up.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
697 Calories
27g Fat
98g Carbs
20g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 697
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 27g 34%
Saturated Fat 9g 46%
Cholesterol 38mg 13%
Sodium 1416mg 62%
Total Carbohydrate 98g 35%
Dietary Fiber 14g 51%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 20g
Vitamin C 53mg 266%
Calcium 290mg 22%
Iron 5mg 30%
Potassium 2476mg 53%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)