Unless you live your life better than me (probably!), I bet it’s been way too long since you’ve had a baked potato for dinner – or, as they’re more charmingly called across the pond, “jacket potatoes.” And it’s a crime because they are so comfortable and simple to make that we could solve this problem now.


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While no one at my table needs convincing of the usual toppings—butter, cheddar, sour cream, bacon bits, and chives (it’s just not good without green confetti everywhere)—I’ve been afflicted with that pesky whining and nuts problem in which I need every meal to also contain a solid plant-based component. Over the years I have tried to solve Baked Potatoes with Mushroom Stew, Baked Potatoes with Cauliflower and Cheese (in Loving kitchen keepers), twice-baked potatoes with kale, and even baked potato soup with mixed greens. But nothing, nothing has even come close to the standing ovation success of bites of broccoli and bacon roasted together until both are salty and crispy. You put them in the oven halfway through cooking the potatoes and, hopefully, congratulate yourself on the economy and ease with which you prepared tonight’s dinner.

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Now that dinner is settled, I have, well, an edit to share, one that I’ve thought carefully about over many critical bites of baked potatoes,

The only true correct order for loading a baked potato:

  • Step 1: A baked potato, pressed and split open so the soft center is exposed.
  • Step 2: A generous pat or two of butter which will melt down to the fluff on contact.
  • Step 3: Salt and pepper. “Season as you go!” as the chefs say.
  • Step 4: The cheddar, which – I’m not making the rules – must be the orange type. He too will melt shortly after making contact.
  • Step 4: All the crunchy components, like the bacon and, here, the broccoli too. They’ll take a nap in the melted cheddar hammock, just like we all wish.
  • Step 5: A dollop of sour cream, Breakstone’s or bust.
  • Step 6: A final sprinkling of salt and pepper then chopped chives all over. Honestly, if we’re not sweeping them off the floor, we probably haven’t done it right.
  • Step 7: If you’re my kids and I’ve pretty much given up on table manners (some nights!) by the time the potato is mostly emptied of these toppings, a second, smaller layer of topping will be added, the pressed potato closed, and eaten like a taco.

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Video

Baked Potatoes with Crispy Broccoli and Bacon

  • 4 (about 8 ounces or 225 grams each) russet potatoes, washed
  • Olive oil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound (455 grams) fresh broccoli, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 4 ounces (115 grams) bacon (about 4 slices), diced
    • To finish
  • Butter
  • Sharp orange cheddar, coarsely grated
  • Sour cream
  • Chopped fresh chives
Cook your potatoes: Heat your oven to 450°F (230°C). Prick each potato several times with a fork (this helps keep it soft). Use your hands to lightly, very lightly coat each potato with olive oil; you probably won’t need more than 1 teaspoon per potato. Sprinkle the potatoes with kosher salt and black pepper and bake them directly on your oven rack for 45 minutes to 1 hour. I usually keep them aside so I have room to add the pan of broccoli shortly. A fully cooked potato can be easily pierced in the center with a skewer.

Meanwhile, roast the broccoli and bacon: Toss the broccoli with a few tablespoons of olive oil (just to lightly coat it as there will also be bacon fat to season it), salt, and freshly ground black pepper on a small to medium sized baking sheet. Add the diced bacon and mix so that it is distributed throughout the pan. After 15 minutes of cooking the potatoes, add this mold to your oven. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes total or until the bacon is crisp and the broccoli is almost charred, turning the pieces and moving them once or twice during the roasting time so they cook evenly.

Your potatoes can be cooked at the same time or they may need up to 15 minutes more.

To serve: I find that the potato opens better where I want it if I pierce it once or twice in the middle with a fork. Use hands covered with a towel or potholder to press the ends of the potato to open it, then remove them so you have plenty of room to add the toppings. Fill each potato with butter, salt and pepper, cheddar cheese, a large scoop of roasted broccoli and bacon, sour cream, chives and more salt and pepper. Eat right away.