Who doesn’t enjoy a good old baked potato? Simple to make, super-tasty and versatile, the humble jacket potato is a brilliant, speedy mid-week meal.
If you’re vegetarian and tired of the proverbial cheese and beans or coleslaw filling in your jacket potato, fear not. We’ve pulled together five must-try meat-free toppings that work wonderfully atop a baked potato.
- Jacket Potato Topped with Spinach Chana Masala
Go Indian with this delicious sweet baked potato topped with a spinach and chickpea filling in a rich curried coconut sauce. You definitely won’t miss having meat at all and the sweet potato and chickpeas are so filling, you’ll be fuelled up for quite a while!
INGREDIENTS
- 4 medium sweet potatoes
- 260g spinach
- 3 tomatoes
- 400g chickpeas
- 400g chopped tomatoes
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 to 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 thumb of ginger
- 400ml vegetable stock
- 100g grated creamed coconut
- juice of 1 lemon
- small bunch fresh coriander
- olive oil
- salt & pepper
METHOD
- Preheat oven to 200°C.
- Rinse the sweet potatoes thoroughly. Lay on a baking tray and prick all over with a fork. Drizzle some olive oil on top and cook until soft. Cooking time will depend on the size of the sweet potatoes.
- Meanwhile, warm up some olive oil in a large saucepan. Tip in the finely chopped onion and crushed garlic, garam masala, ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, chilli powder and grated ginger. Cook on a medium heat until onion is tender.
- Combine the tin of chopped tomatoes and quartered fresh tomatoes, vegetable stock, grated creamed coconut and spinach. Cook on a medium heat until the spinach has wilted.
- Cook for roughly 10 more minutes to reduce some of the sauce. Pour in the drained chickpeas and cook for an additional couple of minutes.
- Squeeze in the lemon juice and season to your liking with salt and pepper.
- Once the sweet potatoes are cooked thoroughly, split in half.
- Plate up and garnish with the spinach chana masala and a generous handful of chopped fresh coriander leaves.
- Baked Potato with Aubergine and Smoky Baked Beans
Take an ordinary jacket potato with beans to new heights with this smoky bean dish. It’s bursting with flavour and makes the ultimate veg-friendly filling for a baked potato or as a side to your Sunday brunch.
If you’d rather not spend extra time preparing and cooking baked potatoes, another idea would be to serve this mouth-watering filling alongside jacket potato wedges from McCain.
The wedges can be cooked in just over 20 minutes and have crispy skins and are fluffy inside.
INGREDIENTS
- 6 large Russet potatoes, washed and scrubbed clean
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 tsp tamari sauce
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 aubergine, peeled and chopped
- 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 400g tin of haricot beans
- freshly ground black pepper
METHOD
- Preheat oven to 170°C. Prick potatoes all over with a fork then rub with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for roughly one hour and 15 minutes, until you can pierce the potatoes with a fork.
- Leave oven on.
- Warm up the olive oil in a big oven-proof saucepan. Tip in the chopped onion and cook over a low-medium heat for roughly 10 minutes until soft. Stir frequently.
- Combine the garlic and sauté for a few minutes, mixing well. Add the tamari, smoked paprika, mustard powder and maple syrup.
- Pour in the aubergine, turn the heat down to low and cover the pan. Stir intermittently until the aubergine has softened and starts to break down.
- Combine the chopped tomatoes, haricot beans and a little freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle over a generous pinch of salt, if needed.
- Put the pan in the oven and cook for roughly four hours until the aubergine is tender and broken down. Stir intermittently.
- Serve hot on top of a baked potato.
- Spinach and Artichoke Baked Potatoes
Give the baked potato a major renovation with this delicious spinach and artichoke recipe. It’s totally yum and 100% vegetarian.
- 6 large Russet potatoes, washed and scrubbed clean
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 115g cream cheese, softened
- 60g sour cream
- 110g shredded mozzarella
- 25g Parmesan cheese
- 170g tin of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 670g baby spinach, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
METHOD
- Follow step one in the above recipe on how to cook the jacket potatoes.
- In a large bowl, stir together all the cheeses, tin of artichokes, baby spinach and garlic so they’re mixed well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Once the potatoes are soft, slit each potato, end to end, and push sides together to open.
- Spoon generous dollops of the spinach-artichoke mixture into each potato. Place back into oven and bake until the cheese in the filling has melted.
- Twice-Baked Potatoes with Cheddar and Broccoli
Move aside, bacon, because this moreish, meat-free recipe proves that broccoli is the ultimate taste bomb.
INGREDIENTS
- 4 medium Russet potatoes
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 120ml sour cream
- 475g Cheddar, grated
- 350g steamed broccoli, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 60ml milk, warmed
METHOD
- Preheat oven to 200°C.
- Pierce potatoes all over with a fork and rub with olive oil. Bake until tender for roughly one hour. Put to one side to cool.
- Cut potatoes in half, then, in a large bowl, spoon out the majority of the flesh.
- Mash together with butter, sour cream, one-third of the Cheddar, and the broccoli. Stir in the onion powder, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Pour in the warm milk and stir well to combine.
- Divide filling between eight potato halves, then scatter with the rest of the cheddar. Bake in oven until filling is warmed through and cheese is bubbling, for roughly 15 more minutes.
- Sweet Potatoes Filled with Lentils, Kale and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Packed with nutrients, this hearty dish will no doubt satiate your hunger. The sweet potatoes are filled with lentils, kale and sun-dried tomatoes for a real flavour explosion.
METHOD
- 4 sweet potatoes,
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- sea salt
- 150g dried green lentils
- 1/2 white onion, diced
- 3-4 kale leaves
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
- 5-6 sun dried tomatoes, finely chopped
- fresh coriander leaves
- natural yoghurt (optional)
METHOD
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Brush the four sweet potatoes with one tablespoon of olive oil, and season with sea salt. Bake until the potatoes are cooked through.
- Next, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, sprinkle over a bit of salt and simmer the lentils for about half an hour. Drain thoroughly once cooked.
- Meanwhile, sauté the onion for a few minutes until it starts to turn clear in colour. After a couple of minutes, combine the garlic and fry for an additional minute or so.
- Dice the kale finely and tip into the onion mixture together with the water. Cook until the kale has wilted, and all the water has been soaked up.
- Pour in the tin of chopped tomatoes and the sun-dried tomatoes. Simmer so the mixture has warmed through.
- Serve the freshly baked sweet potato, topped with a dollop of natural yoghurt, if you like, and scatter with fresh coriander.
Thanks to these five delectable vegetarian jacket potato fillings, you’ll never wonder what to fill your spuds with again!
