What Goes Good With Baked Potatoes: 16 Appetizing Side Dishes

After a long busy day, it’s always great to come home and prepare the simplest and most appetizing meal to have on a weeknight. When it comes to baked potatoes, their versatility is something to take advantage of. With a variety of delicious recipes starring a perfectly baked potato, topped with cheddar cheese, and tasty sides, let’s take a look at some of these scrumptious appetizing side dishes for ourselves.

Table of Contents

• Why Do We Need Side Dishes for Baked Potatoes?
• How to Make Twice Baked Potatoes
  • Ingredients
  • Method
• Appetizing Side Dishes for Baked Potatoes
  • Roasted Leg of Lamb
  • Beef Wellington
  • Steak Fajitas
  • Lasagne
  • Mushroom Risotto
  • Baked Ham with Pineapple Glaze
  • Stuffed Mushrooms
  • Mississippi Pot Roast
  • Steak with Garlic Butter
  • Cheeseburger Meatloaf
  • Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs
  • Honey Glazed Salmon
  • BBQ Baked Beans
  • BBQ Chicken
  • Amish Broccoli Salad
  • Homemade Vegetarian Chilli
• Bottom Line
• FAQs

Why Do We Need Side Dishes for Baked Potatoes?

Whether you’re planning to make twice-baked potatoes or a simple loaded baked potato, baked potatoes are the perfect simplified dish to emerge from any kitchen. They’re so versatile, scrumptious, and just incredible. Sprinkled with salt and pepper, they make a good main dish on their own. Many flavors and contrasting textures compliment this simple fluffy dish well. It’s always good to expand even the simplest of meals with a couple of your favorite side dishes to make a completely satisfying meal. You can choose from a variety of chicken dishes to make these potatoes taste even more incredible. What good is a baked potato without some fried chicken?

How to Make Twice Baked Potatoes

Twice baked potatoes involve the method of cooking or baking your potatoes twice, enjoying the tasty baked potatoes, mashed and loaded back into their potato skins. The initial bake is to roast the russet potatoes till they’re nice and fork tender, with a crisp exterior. The second bake involves combining your cooked potatoes with butter, cheese, milk, and other delicious mix-ins, then loading the potato skins back and baking until everything is thoroughly baked through. Here’s how to bake this delicious home-cooked meal.

Ingredients

• 6 large russet potatoes
• 1 tbsp extra virgin oil
• Salt
• 110g butter (softened)
• 120ml milk
• 120g sour cream
• 150g grated cheddar cheese
• 2 spring onions thinly sliced
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Meanwhile, pat your potatoes till they’re completely void of moisture. Poke the entirety of the potatoes with a fork, then rub them down with some oil and add a sprinkle of salt. Place the potatoes on the oven racks, and bake until they’re pierced easily with a fork. Place your baked potatoes on a large baking tray and allow them to cool
2. Cut a thin layer off the top of each baked potato. Scoop the innards of each potato out, leaving a 1.5cm border. Place this into a large bowl, keeping the potato tops, as you can always roast them to enjoy as a snack.
3. In the same bowl, add butter, milk, and sour cream, and smash until the butter has melted and the potatoes have transformed into a smooth and chunky consistency. Add cheese and green onions, stirring until properly combined. Then season with salt and pepper
4. Fill the baked potato skins with this potato mixture and place them on a large baking tray. Top with some more cheddar cheese, and bake until the cheese is beautifully gooey, with a crispy exterior
5. Garnish with more green onions before serving.

Appetizing Side Dishes for Baked Potatoes

You have the russet potato baked to perfection, with a scrumptious fluffy interior, which makes for a fantastic evening meal. But what should you serve with it? Pluck your favorite recipes from the list below, and have a go at anything that tickles your fancy:

• Roasted Leg of Lamb
• Beef Wellington
• Steak Fajitas
• Lasagne
• Mushroom Risotto
• Baked Ham with Pineapple Glaze
• Stuffed Mushrooms
• Mississippi Pot Roast
• Steak with Garlic Butter
• Cheeseburger Meatloaf
• Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs
• Honey Glazed Salmon
• BBQ Baked Beans
• BBQ Chicken
• Amish Broccoli Salad
• Homemade Vegetarian Chilli

Roasted Leg of Lamb

A single leg of lamb is a complete meal, enough to feed an entire party, and is the perfect side dish to have with almost any main meal serving baked potatoes.

The legs of a lamb are fairly simple to prepare, without needing to be cooked for as long as you would with other cuts of meat. Simply add a little salt and pepper to the meat before roasting it in a pan for a couple of hours.

Not only is this leg of lamb delicious on its own, but it pairs perfectly with potatoes, and hot roasted potatoes, so why not try this with a twice-baked potato for maximum satisfaction?

Beef Wellington

Beef wellington is a type of meat that is commonly served in fancy restaurants, meaning that it is equally as perfect to have served at dinner parties.

As complicated as it may seem to make, you can simply purchase frozen beef wellingtons from your local grocery store and pop them into the oven till you’re ready to serve. Cooking this dish on an eventful day may not always be the best idea, so try to plan ahead of time to get it absolutely perfect. Once you’ve achieved that incredible mouth-watering side dish, you’ll be back for more in no time.

Steak Fajitas

The best part about this side dish is the simplicity of its preparation. Simply fry some steak in a pan and drop some of your favorite vegetables and spices into the mix. This is a great way to achieve that satisfying dinner we’re all desperate for.

Lasagne

Lasagne is the type of dish that everyone gravitates to. With layers of perfected pasta, it’s so hard to say no! So delicious and easy to prepare, it’s the ultimate comfort food that pairs with almost anything. Since many of us can agree on the greatness of lasagne, it’s a must-have to serve alongside your best-baked potatoes.

Mushroom Risotto

When in doubt, choose a risotto, and if it’s mushroom risotto, then even better! This savory dish is even more incredible when served alongside a hot baked potato, making it the perfect combination.

Simply melt some butter in a saucepan, add mushrooms and shallots and sauté for a couple of minutes, allowing the mushrooms to release their own delicious juices. Add butter and rice, stirring to combine. Then add some stock, and allow the contents of the pan to cook for 25 minutes. Stir in parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper. This is a wonderful dish to have on its own or alongside some loaded baked potatoes.

Baked Ham with Pineapple Glaze

Ham is a delicious meat that is almost the perfect partner to baked potatoes. Coupling baked ham with a pineapple glaze is almost like a match made in heaven. Simpler meat to prepare always makes any evening meal easier than you had planned. All you need to do is pop your ham into the oven to heat until it reaches the perfect temperature, and then drench the meat with some pineapple glaze for a sweeter addition to your easy dinner.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed mushrooms are the perfect side dish to have with baked potatoes, and they’re so simple to make that you’ll be ready to eat in no time. Combine bread crumbs with a variety of cheeses and stuff the mushroom caps with this mixture for a fun, flavorful explosion that will accompany your baked potatoes, making it the delicious meal you hoped for.

Mississippi Pot Roast

Mississippi pot roast is another flavorful side dish you can make to accompany your perfect baked potatoes, and it happens to be incredibly easy to prepare.

Start by seasoning your meat with lots of salt and pepper, then add your favorite vegetables such as carrots and potatoes. Drown this in a lovely beef broth or stock and seal this using a Dutch oven, allowing it to simmer for several hours. Once a few hours have passed, you can add some lovely creamy mushroom soup to the pot to enhance the flavors of your meat, making this recipe taste even better.

This wonderful dish is incredibly simple and definitely worth trying. If you’re looking to serve a particular delicious side dish with your baked potatoes, then the Mississippi pot roast has your name written all over it.

Steak with Garlic Butter

Cooking steak might appear daunting at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’ll quickly become a regular dish in your home.

To achieve the perfect homemade steak, always use room-temperature meat, meaning your steak should be on the counter at least 30 minutes before cooking. Once you’re ready to cook the steak, ensure that your pan is perfectly hot before the meat touches it. Once the steak is in the pan, don’t disturb it; allow the meat to cook, achieving a brilliant crust on one side before turning and repeating.

For thicker cuts of meat, cook the steak for a few minutes on either side in your pan before transferring it to the oven for 5 minutes. Allow your steak to rest and smear with butter before serving with a perfect baked potato or two.

Cheeseburger Meatloaf

Fries are a simpler choice when it comes to finger food, but if you’re up for the challenge, then why not try this cheeseburger meatloaf recipe? It’s especially delicious due to the abundance of melted cheese stuffed into it. For this easy meatloaf recipe, you’ll need:

• Ground beef – fresh ground beef is your best bet
• Bread crumbs – these bind the meatloaf together, and if you’re using seasoned bread crumbs, even better!
• Onion – these are enough to add flavor
• Eggs – shape the meatloaf
• Salt and pepper – always have these around so that you can add these to your meatloaf
• Cheddar cheese – this is the perfect cheese for this recipe because it melts with ease, so you’ve got nothing to worry about
• Ketchup and mustard – for the perfect glaze

Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs

Short ribs are the ultimate cut of meat that must be devoured. With tender bits of moist meat that are incredibly rich and juicy, it’s impossible to resist, so why not use this mouth-watering dish as a side dish for your baked potatoes?

The best way to achieve perfectly tender short ribs is through the use of a slow cooker. However, you can use a regular oven or crock pot instead.

Season the ribs with some salt and pepper, and pop them into a large skillet, searing each side for about 60 seconds. Pour some beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and onion powder into a slow cooker and stir. Place the short ribs into the mix, add a rosemary sprig on top, and pop the lid on. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours until the meat is tender.

This is a lengthy process, so unless you plan to prepare this dish a day before, it might not be wise to consider quick, easier dinner recipes.

Honey Glazed Salmon

If you’re a fan of salmon, you’ll love this super meaty, satisfying side dish to serve alongside your baked potatoes. The taste of salmon can easily be elevated with an additional ingredient – honey glaze. Smear your salmon in this brilliant glaze so that it develops a spectacular crust, with flavors of sweetness seeping into your mouth upon every bite. Serve this with your brilliant baked potatoes for a fantastic addition to your delicious meal.

BBQ Baked Beans

Traditionally baked potatoes are served with a walloping topping of baked beans. So it’s no wonder they had to be included in this list of spectacular side dishes, or it just wouldn’t be complete! Canned beans might’ve been an easier option to go for, but let’s provide a twist on this idea.

These beans will be delicious, smoky, and meaty with an incredible sweet flavoring that is just enough to make your taste buds sing. You’ll quickly find that this is what makes the best potatoes once you top these with some fresh herbs, and you’re good to go!

BBQ Chicken

Barbeque chicken is the perfect side dish to have alongside your baked potatoes. Smoky flavourful chicken combined with creamy deliciousness is what makes it the perfect dinner to serve to your friends and family. You can bake the BBQ chicken on aluminum foil, then use the same foil for baking your potatoes.

Amish Broccoli Salad

A salad that includes bacon bits might actually be the salad recipe you were looking for. Sure, a simple broccoli salad is nice, but adding a little more personality will never go unappreciated.

This recipe calls for:

• Broccoli and cauliflower – cauliflower makes a wonderful addition
• Mayonnaise – a primary component of your salad dressing
• Sour cream – add this with your mayo to make a rich, creamy dressing
• Bacon – transforms the salad from ordinary to outstanding
• Cheddar cheese – for a rich, salty flavor use shredded cheese

Homemade Vegetarian Chilli

This vegetarian recipe is incredibly filling and great for those following a vegan diet. In the absence of meat, anyone can enjoy it! A slight change in textures and flavors is what makes an evening meal incredible. Using onions, pepper, carrot, celery, tomatoes, and black beans, this is a gorgeous side dish you must try!

Bottom Line

Baked potatoes are a simple yet delicious dinner to have, especially when they’re topped with your favorite toppings or simply a dollop of baked beans. Additionally, you can use some of these fun and creative side dish ideas to transform a simpler dinner into a more incredible and savory meal.

FAQs