Baked Potato Dinner Ideas

Why these items are on the list

1. Shredded roast chicken. Epicurious calls last night's roast chicken the fastest way to bulk up a potato.
2. Barbecue pulled pork. Finish with cheddar or Monterey Jack, plus scallions or pickled jalapenos for crunch.
3. Leftover chili. Epicurious says chili's better the next day, and better still over a potato. Add cheddar, scallions and sour cream.
4. Herby beans or lentils. Toss beans with olive oil, fresh herbs, salt and pepper. Lentils are an easy win too.
5. Roasted vegetables. Roast whatever you have at the same time the potatoes bake.
6. Savory yogurt with pesto. Yogurt brings tang, creaminess and protein. Add savory extras like pesto, toasted seeds or chili flakes for a meal.
7. Feta, blue or ricotta. Epicurious says these all work, alongside another topping or as the star of the show.
8. Fried egg on top. Epicurious says a fried egg on top makes a baked potato instantly dinner.
9. Twice-baked potatoes. Crispy shell, fluffy filling and cheese. The Kitchn pitches the bacon-cheddar version as a Super Bowl party hit.
10. French onion baked potato. Jammy caramelized onions and melted Gruyère on top. Make a double batch of onions next time.
11. Buffalo chicken on sweet potatoes. Hot sauce-poached chicken breast and ranch dressing go on baked sweet potatoes for an easy five-ingredient dinner.
12. Slow cooker taco-stuffed potatoes. Classic ground beef taco flavors, cooked in the slow cooker.
13. Baked potato bar. Build it from leftovers for a weeknight, or go all out for a party.
14. Sweet potato with black beans. Add avocado, cilantro and chipotle yogurt for a weeknight-friendly vegetarian dinner.
15. Loaded baked potato casserole. A way to use any baked potatoes you made too many of.
16. Baked beans and sharp cheddar. Taste of Home calls it the traditional jacket potato topping, and an inexpensive one. Finish with chopped scallions for color.
17. Shepherd's pie filling. Ground lamb is traditional, or use ground beef for a cottage pie version.
18. Black beans and salsa. Pepper jack, jalapenos, salsa and pickled onions all work here. Go easy on cold toppings or it goes lukewarm.
19. Sausage, sauteed kale and sour cream. Leftover sausage and kale soup works too, just go easy on the broth.
20. Ground beef with chili crisp. Roasted vegetables like broccoli or asparagus work with it. Swap in taco seasoning or special sauce for a different dinner.
21. Quesabirria with sour cream. Top shredded birria with melting cheese, broil, then add onions, cilantro and sour cream.
22. Scrambled eggs, sausage, maple syrup. Breakfast for dinner. Bacon or ham works instead of sausage, with shredded cheese on top.
23. Roasted cabbage and caramelized onions. Taste of Home's Catherine Ward makes her version with roasted cabbage and caramelized onions.
24. Broccoli and sharp cheddar. Steamed broccoli and a pat of butter, so the cheese melts into the florets.
25. Bacon, tomato and white cheddar. Add green onions, sour cream and avocado for the classic loaded version.

Tick off the toppings you already have before you shop, and share the list with whoever's cooking so the potatoes go in on time. Several of these toppings use up leftovers.