Broccoli cheddar baked potatoes

Lindsay Mattison

Contributing Writer

At least once a week, I have a baked potato for dinner. It's not what you think - it's not always the same old boring baked potato with sour cream and chives. I use baked potatoes as a way to explore new and exciting vegetarian recipes, so every week it's a different meal. The baked potato is the perfect canvas to play around with sauces, flavors, and textures because the potato's flavor is pretty neutral. One of my favorite meals is the recipe below, a rich and creamy cheese sauce loaded up with tons of broccoli.

You can totally open up a can of broccoli cheese soup, heat it up, and pour it over the potato. No one here will judge you! But, I think it's so much more fun to make the sauce from scratch. It's easier than you think and it allows you to have better control over the salt level of the dish. And don't forget to eat the potato skin, too. It's filled with so many good nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

Cooktop Cove

Broccoli cheddar baked potatoes

1 hour

1 hour 10 minutes

4 large russet potatoes

3 tablespoons butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons AP flour

3 cups whole milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon Cholula hot sauce

6 ounces grated cheddar cheese

2 heads broccoli, cut into small, bite-sized florets (or 1/2 pound frozen broccoli florets, thawed)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Wash the potatoes well, scrubbing off any dirt that clings to the surface. Pierce the potatoes all over with a fork and place them directly on the oven rack.

Bake the potatoes for 1 hour, until they are soft when pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat in a medium-sized saucepan.

Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the smell of flour is no longer present, about 5 minutes.

Slowly add the milk, whisking as you add. Bring the mixture up to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the mixture has thickened, about 5 minutes.

Add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, hot sauce.

Add the cheddar cheese one handful at a time, whisking with each addition until the cheese is fully melted and incorporated.

Add the broccoli florets and cook over a very low flame until the broccoli is softened, about 5 minutes.

When the potatoes are finished cooking, slice them in half and gently mash the insides.

Ladle the broccoli cheese sauce over each potato and serve.

Resources Budget Bytes

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