Cheese And Potato: Melty Topping Ideas For Baked Spuds

Baked potatoes are a classic comfort food, and there are endless ways to load them up with delicious toppings. One popular option is to stuff them with cheese, sour cream, and bacon for a hearty and indulgent meal. When it comes to choosing a cheese for your baked potato, the options are vast. While cheddar is a classic choice, other cheeses such as pepper jack, goat cheese, gruyère, mozzarella, and blue cheese can also be used to add a sharp, creamy, or tangy flavour to your spud.

Cheddar cheese

Once the potatoes are baked, remove them from the oven and turn the temperature down to 400°F. Cut a slit in the top of each potato and carefully scoop out the flesh into a bowl, leaving the shells intact. Add butter, sour cream, and shredded cheddar cheese to taste, along with salt and pepper. Mix the ingredients until well blended and creamy, and then refill the potato shells with the mixture, mounding it slightly.

Set the potatoes on a baking sheet and return them to the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until heated through. For an extra cheesy touch, sprinkle the tops of the potatoes with additional shredded cheddar cheese and bake for another 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Finally, serve the cheddar-stuffed baked potatoes immediately, perhaps with some crispy bacon and scallions on top.

Brie

Overview

Recipes

There are several recipes for baked potatoes with brie. Here is one example:

Ingredients:

• 4 medium hot baked potatoes (Idahoes or russets are good)
• 3 ounces brie cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 tablespoons butter or margarine, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon minced chives or green onion top, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Ground nutmeg, to taste (optional)

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Slice 1/2 inch lengthwise off each potato.
• Scoop out the flesh, being careful not to pierce the skin, leaving a 1/4-inch thick shell.
• In a medium-size bowl, mash the potato flesh until smooth.
• Add the brie, butter, chives, salt, pepper, and nutmeg (if desired); mix well.
• Stuff each potato shell with the mixture, mounding it in the centre.
• Transfer to a shallow baking dish and bake, uncovered, until the cheese has melted and the stuffing is heated through (12-15 minutes).
• For a browned top, place under the grill for 3-5 minutes.

Another recipe idea is to make brie smashed potatoes. Here is one way to do this:

Ingredients:

• Garlic cloves, minced
• Rosemary, finely chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Brie, cut into small slices
• Chopped parsley, for garnish

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 375° and line a medium cooking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, combine potatoes with butter, garlic, and rosemary and season with salt and pepper.
• Spread potatoes out in an even layer on a baking sheet.
• Bake until tender when pricked with a fork, 25-30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and flatten with the bottom of a drinking glass, or a fork.
• Top with a small slice of brie and return to the oven.
• Bake until the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.
• Garnish with parsley and serve.

Swiss cheese

To make Swiss potatoes, you'll need the following ingredients:

• Red potatoes (sliced very thinly)
• Swiss cheese (shredded)
• Butter (unsalted)
• Chicken broth
• Salt and pepper to taste

Here's a step-by-step guide to making Swiss potatoes:

• Preheat your oven to 425°F.
• Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Add half of the potatoes evenly to the bottom of the dish.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Spread 1 1/2 cups of Swiss cheese on top.
• Dot evenly with 2 tablespoons of butter.
• Repeat the layers.
• Pour chicken broth on top.
• Bake for 45 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked and the cheese is golden brown.
• Serve hot.

You can also make variations of Swiss potatoes by adding cooked and crumbled bacon, sour cream, and green onions, or by using different types of cheese such as Gruyere, Parmesan, Mozzarella, Cheddar, Gouda, Monterey Jack, or Havarti.

Gruyère

For a simple side dish, toss bite-sized pieces of Yukon gold potatoes in a homemade sauce of shallots, garlic, thyme, and grated Gruyère. Bake this mixture in an oven-safe casserole dish until golden and delicious.

For a more complex dish, try making a gratin with Gruyère. Thinly slice Yukon gold potatoes and toss them with flour, salt, garlic powder, and grated Gruyère. Layer half of the potatoes in a buttered baking dish, sprinkle with cheese, then add the remaining potatoes and cheese. Pour half-and-half or heavy cream over the potatoes and cover with aluminium foil. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 20-30 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through and golden brown.

Raclette

To make a raclette baked potato, you will need to first bake your potato of choice. A waxy variety such as Charlotte or new potatoes are ideal. Prick the potatoes with a fork and microwave for 2 minutes on each side. Then, rub the potatoes with olive oil and sea salt and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until soft.

While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the raclette cheese by placing slices of it onto lightly oiled foil. When the potatoes are almost ready, put the cheese in the oven for 3 minutes or until melted.

Once the cheese is ready, carefully scrape it on top of the sliced, hot potatoes and sprinkle with black pepper.

For an original way to serve raclette, you could try making Raclette Hasselback potatoes. To do this, cut thin vertical slices into the potatoes without detaching them from the whole potato. Baste the potatoes with a mixture of melted butter and olive oil, ensuring the fat gets between each slice. Bake the potatoes for 30 minutes, then coat them with the remaining butter and oil mixture and bake for a further 45 minutes until golden and tender. Cut the raclette cheese into small pieces and place them between each slice of potato. You can also add other ingredients such as ham, pepper, or broccoli. Place the potatoes under the grill for 5 minutes and serve hot.

Frequently asked questions