10 Best Smothered Baked Potato Recipes

Baked potatoes aren't just a side dish. Once you smother them with any number of delicious toppings, they take the starring role in dinner. Plus, they're easy, cheap, and full of nutrients, whether you use a good old russet or a sweet potato. 

If you need a reminder on how to bake a potato, start by pricking holes all over a potato with a fork. Rub with some neutral oil, then sprinkle generously with salt. Bake in a 450-degree oven for about an hour for a nice, crispy skin. (You can also pop them in your air fryer or microwave, but the good old oven gets the best results.) Then just smother them with any of these filling, comforting toppings.

A quick, creamy spinach and artichoke dip flavored with shallots, garlic, and plenty of cheese tops these potatoes. If you're pressed for time, you can easily heat up some of your favorite store-bought dip and load it up.

Recipe: Serious Eats

Related: Old-Fashioned Dips That Are Surprisingly Delicious

What's stopping you from piling your favorite taco ingredients into a baked sweet potato? Nothing! This recipe includes the classic seasoned ground beef, cheese, guacamole, and sour cream, but anything goes in a taco.

Recipe: Belle of the Kitchen

Using shredded grocery store rotisserie chicken means there's not a lot of hands-on time to this recipe. Mix it with your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce, melt some cheese on top and you're done.

Recipe: Delish

Ketchup and chili sauce form the base of the sloppy joe mix in this recipe. But you can easily adapt it to your family's tastes by using your favorite recipe or a can of Manwich. Just don't forget the cheese on top.

Recipe: Food Network

Related: 13 Ground Turkey Recipes To Help Clear Out the Freezer

Swap tortillas for potatoes for a heartier fajita meal. Flank steak is a great cut of beef to use, but chicken is also delicious. The smoky avocado chipotle crema complements sweet potatoes well.

Recipe: Half-Baked Harvest

Related: Delicious and Inexpensive Mexican Dishes

This recipe called for cooked chicken, so it's a great time to use up some leftovers or a Costco $5 rotisserie chicken. Otherwise, it's made with pantry staples — at least if your family is obsessed with buffalo wing sauce. Top them with ranch or bleu cheese.

Recipe: Gimme Delicious

This vegan recipe tops a roasted sweet potato with a quick, fresh black bean salsa that's packed with protein and fresh flavors. Simple guacamole and a plant-based sour cream made with lime juice finishes it off.

Recipe: Two Spoons

Ever have leftover steak or prime rib that you don't know what to do with? These loaded baked potatoes are your answer. Garlic butter is the secret to making it amazing, but the bacon, sour cream, and cheese don't hurt either.

Recipe: Easy Family Recipes

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You can make the easy beef-and-bean chili in this recipe, or you can use leftover chili if you have it. Once the chili is complete and the potatoes are cooked, all you need to do is ladle them full, and let everyone add their own toppings.

Recipe: Baking Mischief

Related: Chili Casserole and Other Creative and Unexpected Chili Recipes

Making your own cheese sauce from scratch really takes broccoli cheese-stuffed baked potatoes to another level. They're messy, gooey, and irresistible. Cheddar is the classic cheese here, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand, or even throw in some leftover ham.

Recipe: Budget Bytes

Looking for more potato inspiration? Check out 27 Tasty Ways to Cook Potatoes