Healthy Eating

Vegan Loaded Baked Potato (Crispy and Flavor-Packed!)

October 14, 2024

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Nothing can beat my gluten-free and vegan loaded baked potatoes, topped with a ton of flavorful ingredients! My special trick gives a crisp outer layer with a buttery soft inside that will melt in your mouth. This is one of those meals or side dishes that the whole family can get behind, since it is so easy to customize.

Potatoes are a great staple to have on hand when on a plant-based diet. They’re filling, nutritious, and versatile! Transforming them into these loaded baked potatoes is one of my absolute favorite ways to enjoy potatoes.

Each bite offers a blend of salty garlic flavor and the perfect crispiness of the skin. Not to mention, the inside of the potatoes remain so soft and fluffy!

If you are as big of fan of potato recipes as I am, be sure to also check out my vegan roasted potatoes and my healthy vegan cottage pie!

There’s nothing like a classic loaded baked potato – I definitely had them in mind when creating my vegan baked potato soup! I love how versatile they can be, and they work so well as part of an easy lunch or tasty dinner.

My vegetarian loaded baked potatoes are kid-friendly and everyone can pile on their favorite toppings so there’s something for everyone when serving these. This helps reduce dinnertime stress and tantrums – my whole family loves when I whip these up for dinner!

I also appreciate how anyone can make this recipe, even beginner cooks, since you only need to prepare the potatoes and set them in the oven to cook! With just 5 minutes of prep time and about an hour of baking, it is one of the easiest recipes ever.

🥘 Ingredients

In order to make my loaded vegan baked potato recipe, you will need the following ingredients:

Whole potatoes, with bowls of cheese, sour cream, green onions, garlic, salt and pepper on a wooden surface

Potatoes: I find that russet potatoes give the fluffiest results, but you can use any potato variety you prefer. The cook time will need to be adjusted if there is a difference in size.

Garlic Cloves: I love adding garlic to any of my potato recipes! The garlicky flavor takes these potatoes to the next level.

Oil: To coat the potatoes as they cook, I like to use avocado oil or olive oil. You can skip using the oil but the finished product will not be as rich and moist. If you’re skipping the oil, try coating it in broth as a substitute.

Salt, Pepper, And Toppings: For that final touch of flavor, I use a sprinkle of sea salt and some ground black pepper. I also used shredded vegan cheese, green onions, and vegan sour cream when serving these to my family, but I have changed up the toppings in a variety of ways – see my suggestions below on how to do this!

🔪 How To Make Vegan Loaded Baked Potatoes

My vegetarian baked potato is so amazing and easy to make! Follow my simple steps to get perfect baked potatoes every time. Here’s how you make them:

Preheat Oven & Prep Potatoes: I start by preheating my oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit / 175 degrees Celsius. As it heats up, I clean the potatoes and rub them dry. Using a knife or fork, I poke holes in them.

White plate with two whole potatoes, garlic, salt and pepper and a knife

Season The Potatoes: Next, I cut the garlic cloves in half and rub them all over the potatoes. Then, I drizzle with oil, salt and pepper and rub all over.

Bake: I place the potatoes directly on the rack of the oven, putting a baking sheet or tin foil underneath to catch any drippings. I bake them for 60-75 minutes, depending on size, until soft to the touch.

Two potatoes that have been baked and cut open on the top sitting in a dark blue shallow bowl.

Add Toppings & Serve: Let the potatoes cool for about 5-10 minutes after baking. Once the potatoes are ready, I cut them open with a sharp knife and add my toppings!

A shallow blue bowl with two baked potatoes cut open and topped with shredded orange and yellow cheese.

Shredded cheese and sour cream on two baked potatoes in a blue shallow bowl surrounded by other ingredients.

Two baked potatoes in a shallow blue bowl topped with cheese, sour cream and chopped portobello bacon on a yellow checkered towel.

My #1 Secret Tip for this recipe is to poke the potatoes really well prior to baking.

As I mentioned in my steps for making these potatoes, you will need to poke holes in them with a knife or fork. Do not skip this step, as it is essential to the baking process.

This helps to release steam from the potato as it is cooking in the oven. Without the holes, the potato could potentially burst.

Additionally, the holes allow for the potato to cook evenly and a bit faster!

Other Tips To Keep In Mind:

Choose The Right Potatoes: Use large, starchy potatoes like Russet for a fluffy interior and crispy skin. I don’t recommend red potatoes or yukon gold – are waxy and have a higher moisture content, which makes them not ideal for baking because they won’t fluff up or have the desired texture:
Test For Doneness: To make sure the potatoes are done cooking, I test them by gently pushing a knife or fork into the potato. It should glide easily to the center once tender.
Fluff The Interior: After slicing the potato open, feel free to use a fork to fluff up the potato flesh inside before adding toppings for a lighter, airier texture.

📖 Variations

Whenever I want to switch things up from the classic loaded baked potato, I make a few simple changes:

Baked Sweet Potatoes: Instead of russets, I sometimes use sweet potatoes since they provide a totally different flavor profile to keep things interesting! They do bake faster, so keep an eye on them in the oven.

More Garlic: To give these extra garlic flavor, I love to add in some roasted garlic after the potatoes have baked. I spread it over the top of the fluffy potatoes after slicing them open.

🥔 Vegan Baked Potato Toppings

When serving these up for my family, I love to create a DIY vegan baked potato bar to offer up various toppings that everyone can pick from. Here are our favorite vegan toppings and combinations:

🍽 Serving Suggestions

For a simple side dish, I just add some sort of sauce over top of my vegan baked potatoes. There are vegan butters available, oils, dressing, etc! For a more filling meal, try pairing your loaded baked potato with any of these plant-based recipes:

With Soups & Salads: I love to serve baked potatoes as a hearty side dish to go along with soups and salads. My favorite pairing is my vegan minestrone soup alongside my spinach and arugula salad.

More Ideas: I find that baked potatoes pair really well with classic BBQ or backyard party foods like this healthy macaroni and cheese or portobello mushroom steaks.

🧊 Storing And ♨️ Reheating

Make Ahead: To save some time later on, I sometimes bake the potatoes ahead of time. When I am ready to whip up an easy lunch or quick dinner, I reheat the potatoes and add the toppings.

Refrigeration: I store my baked potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. Preferably, store the potatoes and topping separate for the freshest taste and texture.

Freezing: The cooked potatoes can be frozen as well, but the longer they are frozen the more the taste and texture will deteriorate. I tightly seal the potatoes before freezing, but keep in mind even with the tightest seal the texture will become more mushy and soft after defrosting.

Reheating: I allow the potatoes to come back to room temp and bake in a 350 degree F oven until warmed through. When I am in a hurry, I have also quickly microwaved them.

❓Recipe FAQs

SHOULD I WRAP MY POTATO IN FOIL WHEN BAKING?

It is not necessary to wrap a potato in foil. In fact, if you want a crispy outer skin and fluffy interior I recommend that you avoid wrapping it in foil!

SHOULD I PEEL THE POTATOES BEFORE BAKING?

It is best to leave the skin on the potatoes, as the crispy skin is one of the best parts about a baked potato! Not only is it flavorful, it provides structure for the potato. Plus, it is a nutritious part of the potato to add in extra fiber to this dish.

Can I bake the potatoes in the microwave instead of the oven?

Yes you absolutely can bake them in the microwave! I recommend piercing the skin, placing the potatoes on a microwave safe plate or in a dish, and microwaving for 5-10 minutes, flipping the potato over at the halfway mark. You can also just microwave the potato on the “baked potato” setting for those of you who have that setting on their microwave!

Fork getting a bite of a loaded baked potato that is in a blue bowl

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