When I don’t have time to do a lot of cooking, or I’m just not in the mood to be in the kitchen long, one of my favorite go-to meals is vegan baked potatoes with toppings like beans, noodles, vegetables, and so much more!
Baked potatoes are one of our favorite foods because they’re…
- So versatile
- Wholesome
- Low-fat
- Satisfying
- Can be topped with SO many different things
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Baking potatoes in the oven
My favorite is to bake them in the oven, wrapped in a layer of parchment paper, then foil, and bake for an hour or so. But, if time is limited, I wrap them in parchment paper and microwave for 7-8 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes.
Once the potatoes are cooked, cut them open and fill them up! There really are SO MANY options. Take a look at the list of suggestions below.
Best way to cut open a baked potato
An old friend of mine used to work at a restaurant when she was a teenager, and she showed me years ago the best way to soften a potato when you are about to load it up. Simply cut baked potatoes open and press on sides like this.
Press a little firmer and it breaks up the potato flesh inside to create a softer bed for a toppings landing.
Now, it’s time to fill the potatoes up with any of your favorite toppings. Below, I list some of our favorite ways to load them up!
List of healthy potato toppings
- Tofu Sour Cream
- salsa
- Vegan Cheese Sauce
- beans
- noodles
- roasted veggies: corn, broccoli, asparagus, carrots
- steamed broccoli with vegan cheese
- Chipotle Sauce
- leftover curry or stew
- baked beans
- chili
- sautéed mushrooms and onions
- gravy
- hummus
- nutritional yeast
Other times we heat up a McDougall noodle cup (Pad Thai, Teriyaki, Spicy Szeuchuan, or Tortilla Soup) and dump it on top of our warm, soft, fluffy baked potatoes. McDougall cups are not gluten-free.
These low-fat, oil-free, healthy noodle cups can be ordered on amazon.com. Our local health food store carries them, and they are only about $2 per cup. Click picture to view on Amazon.
Taco potato toppings
Taco Potato is a great way to spice it up a bit. Delicious, healthy baked potatoes stuffed and seasoned with your favorite taco toppings like salsa, vegan sour cream, green chives, and Cheese Sauce! It’s time for a fiesta!
This can be a quick, easy, completely nutritious meal that fills you up, and provides loads of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. You won’t be hungry for many, many hours after a Baked Potato Bonanza kind of night!
Nothing better than a loaded baked potato with my Creamy Vegan Cheese Sauce, onion, cilantro, and spices! YUM!
Tofu Sour Cream
Nutrition in potatoes
All potatoes contain a variety of B vitamins, including thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, folate and B-6. These vitamins help keep you healthy by powering your metabolism and pulling energy out of the foods you eat.
You’ll also get roughly 10 percent of your daily vitamin C requirement. Vitamin C boosts your immune system and blocks free radicals that try to damage cells. All potatoes have a small amount of vitamin A, which preserves your eye health and vision.—LiveStrong
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