Baking a potato seems like something that should be easy. You pop a potato in the oven until it’s tender right?
Well, right, but not always. Do you put it in foil? On a pan? Does a higher temperature bake it faster?
Um, no, no, and yes, but that’s not necessarily better. If your goal is to eat your potato as quickly as possible, put it in the microwave and it’s ready in 10 minutes.
The best baked potato takes time. And salt. Lots of salt. I like Colima Sea Salt; it has a crunchy, clean flavor, but kosher salt will work too.
It also takes well to roasted (roasted!) broccoli, sharp cheddar and garlic breadcrumbs. It’s creamy, cheesy, and full of broccoli flavor. The crunchy garlicky top makes up for the lack of bacon you would normally find in twice baked potatoes.
This potato takes time, but it’s mostly hands off time, I promise. But it’s worth it, I also promise. This made a filling vegetarian meal for me with a salad, but it could be a side dish to a heavier meal if that’s more your thing.
Roasted Broccoli and Cheddar Twice Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
Potatoes:
- 4 large Russet potatoes
- Olive oil
- Colima Sea Salt
Broccoli:
- 1 head broccoli cut into small florets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Breadcrumbs:
- 2 slices sourdough bread
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Putting it all together:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet in foil or parchment and put it on the bottom rack of your oven to catch any drips from the potatoes.
- Pierce the potatoes with a fork in a couple spots. Coat in olive oil and then in as much kosher salt as you can get to stick. Put them directly on the top rack and bake for about 90 minutes, depending on the size of your potatoes.
- After potatoes are baked, remove from the oven and turn the heat to 400 degrees. Toss the broccoli with the olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Lay it on a pan (it could be the foil lined pan from the bottom of the oven.) Roast the broccoli for 10-15 minutes, until tender and slightly charred.
- Make the breadcrumbs by putting the bread and garlic in a blender or food processor (I used my Vitamix) and pulsing until you have crumbs. Transfer to a small bowl and add the olive oil. Set aside.
- Put the butter, sour cream, and half the cheese in a large bowl. Cut the tops off the potatoes and scoop as much as you can out of the potatoes without breaking the skin. Add it to the bowl and mix. Season with salt and pepper (be careful with the salt however, as you’ll get residual salt from the potato skins.)
- When the broccoli is done, toss it into the potato mixture and mix. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the empty potato skins to the pan used for the broccoli and scoop the potato mixture inside, dividing it between the skins. Top the potatoes with the remaining cheese and the breadcrumbs and pop back in the oven. Bake until the cheese is melted and the top is brown. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.
