12 Ingredients To Upgrade Basic Baked Potatoes

Baked potatoes are incredibly versatile. You can pile them high with almost any toppings you like and, as it turns out, they don't even have to be baked to earn the title. Even so, learning which ingredients upgrade basic potatoes and turn them into true culinary delights may not be so straightforward. That's why I consulted several experts to find out the tricks of the trade so we can all start making baked potatoes just like the pros. From special prep work to dazzling toppings, the chefs who weighed in had quite a bit of helpful tips to share.

As far as potato experts go, I consulted four people. The first of which is Ryan Moran, Owner and Chef of Alaina's Ale House and Alaina's Food Truck in Richmond and Providence, Rhode Island. I also received insight from Ashley Schuering, an ex-line cook and the blogger behind Confessions of a Grocery Addict; Ashley Lonsdale, chef-in-residence at ButcherBox; and Marsalis Wilson (a.k.a, @Ayo Marly), a non-traditional chef. Keep reading to find out what they have to say so you can apply their tips to your cooking process and upgrade basic baked potatoes like the best of them.

As we know, a baked potato has the potential to be so much more than basic. Even so, beginning with a few basics, like oil and salt rubbed on the exterior is typically the best place to start your upgrades. When done properly, you really don't need anything else (more is better, though).

Chef-in-Residence at ButcherBox Ashley Lonsdale says, "I keep it simple and rub a little olive oil and salt on the outside of my potatoes before baking. This helps crisp and season the skin while the flesh becomes fluffy and tender." Considering that's the ideal texture for the interior and exterior, this is a fantastic place to start.

Potato expert Ashley Schuering backs up the use of oil and salt as a starting point by saying, "I prick it all over with a fork, rub it with avocado oil (or another high smoke point, neutral flavored oil like canola or grapeseed) and liberally sprinkle it all over with either kosher or sea salt."

I also worked in restaurants for 20 years and can confirm that this technique is one of the reasons restaurant baked potatoes taste so much better than the ones many people make at home — don't sleep on this tip. Setting yourself up for success from the very start is the only way to go.

Another outstanding way to ensure your baked potatoes come out of the oven with extra crispy skin every single time is to incorporate cornstarch into your salt and oil rub. In fact, non-traditional chef Marsalis Wilson goes so far as to say, "My favorite ingredient to use is cornstarch because that's the main star of the show when I'm frying a potato. I need it to make sure the coating sticks and also stays crunchy." Calling it the main star is quite the endorsement, and considering how well-versed Wilson is in potatoes, we can definitely take his word for it.

If you want to give this tip a go, stir a tiny spoonful of cornstarch into a small amount of oil and salt. Then, rub the mixture onto the skins of your potatoes and bake, air fry, microwave, or grill like normal. The simple addition of cornstarch not only helps the oil and salt stick to the potato skins better, as Wilson says, but also pretty much guarantees they come out beautifully crispy all over. Let's face it, crispy skinned baked potatoes are the way to go. While there are plenty of mistakes that lead to bland baked potatoes, like putting cold toppings on them, using cornstarch to achieve an ultra-crispy skin certainly isn't one of them.

Adding something fatty to your baked potatoes is a surefire way to take them from basic to banging. Actually, butter and sour cream are pretty much considered standard baked potato toppings and you'd be hard-pressed to find a classic recipe that doesn't include them. They slide right into a cut potato and seep throughout the flesh in a delicious way. Just remember to always cut your baked potatoes immediately after taking them out of the oven, or whatever other cooking method you use to ensure the flesh stays as light and fluffy as possible.

Ashley Lonsdale takes the classic fatty ingredients described above a step further though. While she does use butter and sour cream, she also experiments with other fatty elements: "I always include something fatty like sour cream, butter, coconut cream, or chili oil to add some richness to the flesh of the potatoes. Texture and flavor follow with help from ingredients like roe, pickles, seeds, and fresh herbs." So, a fatty, rich ingredient is a fantastic base for other flavor additives. Lonsdale goes on to say that. "My toppings mostly depend on what I have hiding in my refrigerator. Baked potatoes are a great way to clear our excess ingredients." What this means is that you don't necessarily need to get hung up on the details. Just use what you have on hand, make sure to include a fatty enhancement, and you should be good to go.

Now it's time to branch out a bit and venture past the usual suspects, starting with BBQ-style toppings. The flavors associated with BBQ (roasted meats, cheese, coleslaw, BBQ sauce, and more) taste phenomenal when paired with baked potatoes. In fact, they are so tasty two of the experts I consulted recommended using them.

For starters, Ryan Moran — who actually sent me an entire baked potato menu — says one of his popular builds is "pulled pork, cheddar, and BBQ sauce, topped with either fried onion straws or dixie cut cole slaw for a nice crunch!" I mean, wow. Fried onion strings sound delectable, coleslaw too for that matter. It kind of makes me wish I was In Providence, Rhode Island, to swing by his food truck.

Ashley Schuering also has a similar suggestion and said "Chopped or shredded BBQ chicken or pork, slaw, and cheese" is one of her favorite combos. While similar to Moran's recommendation, Schuering shows us that you don't have to stick with just pork. Chicken works just as well. Just go for it. Plus, the addition of BBQ sauce ensures your baked potatoes will never be dry, so you can forget about that pesky issue and stick to savoring the varying textures — of which there are many.

Buffalo chicken and ranch are an iconic duo, but just wait until you add them to a baked potato. According to Ryan Moran, they are quite the popular baked potato flavoring. Obviously, the tasty combination doesn't need anything else to be a huge hit. Still, combining them with potatoes only makes them better — but hey, potato goes with most things so this probably isn't much of a surprise, even if it is an unexpected mash-up.

Moran told us that "shredded cheddar, crispy boneless buffalo chicken bites, buttermilk ranch, and scallions" is a winner when it comes to his baked potato offerings. Honestly, we can't think of any reason it wouldn't be. You might even be able to swap out the ranch for blue cheese. After all, you're either a blue cheese or a ranch person, right? We really like Moran's addition of scallions too, it gives the other ingredients a nice bite and a touch of crunch, two things we all know and love.

Sometimes, all you need to take your baked potatoes to new heights is more vegetables. Sure a bit of meat definitely doesn't hurt, but for all the people who practice a plant-based diet, the following recommendations are for you. Meat eaters are also more than welcome, even if you decide to just add chicken or something else as well.

Ashley Schuering offered up several baked potato recommendations that make veggies the star of the show. First, "mixed roasted veggies (e.g., bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms) with cheese (I like feta or goat here) or nutritional yeast to keep it vegan-friendly." She also suggested "Trader Joe's canned Greek chickpeas, halved cherry tomatoes, tzatziki or Greek yogurt, red onion slices, and crumbled feta," which sounds unbelievably tasty. You probably don't have to stick to Trader Joe's brand, either, even if the extra seasoning really amplifies flavor though. Lastly, Schuering advocated for "roasted or steamed broccoli and cheddar—sometimes with cubes of chicken if I need some extra heft." While somewhat simple, it'll definitely hit the mark.

Another one of Ryan Moran's popular builds is the "Vegetarian 'Steakhouse' Potato" with sauteed local mushrooms, grilled onions, steak sauce, and a dollop of horseradish sour cream. While it is totally plant-based, the amazing combination of ingredients and textures is so perfect even a meat-eater can get behind this one.

Now for one of my favorites, Italian-style toppings. While the term Italian-style encompasses quite a lot, lucky us just about any flavor and ingredient combination that falls under the umbrella is a welcome addition to baked potatoes.

It's no surprise, but Ryan Moran couldn't agree more. "I love an Italian-style baked potato," he said. "Bake with rosemary salt and simply top with your favorite sauces and cheeses." As it turns out, this could include virtually anything that leans Italian. Some of his favorite combinations in the realm include, "crumbled hot Italian sausage in a spicy vodka sauce with peas or whole clove roasted garlic with chili flakes and broccoli rabe." He also goes on to recommend making a "Bolognese and parmesan stuffed potato." Really, he thinks "the possibilities are endless," and we couldn't agree more.

Ashley Schuering also jumps on the Italian-style baked potato bandwagon, as is evident by her recommendation for topping baked potatoes with "marinara, mozzarella, and your favorite pizza toppings (pepperoni, sausage, veggies, etc.)." Since we all love pizza, using the same flavors and ingredients on your baked potatoes instead of a traditional crust just makes sense. If you've ever tried pizza with potatoes, you know what I mean. Seriously, I'm starting to drool just thinking about this and I'm pretty sure I know what I'm making for dinner tonight.

If you love the bold, bright flavors associated with Thailand and India, you're in for a treat with this next basic baked potato upgrade. Brought to us by potato expert Ashley Lonsdale, it hits all the marks of a truly delightful dish and I for one am here for it. She says "a drizzle of spicy coconut curry and some fresh cilantro" makes a wonderful addition to baked potatoes for some warmth. Just imagine whipping up a baked potato like this on a cold winter day — um, yes, please!

The tangy brightness and unique taste of cilantro is the perfect match for a sweet and spicy coconut curry. That is, of course, as long as you're not one of those people who hate cilantro. If you are, simply leave it off and stick to coconut curry instead. If you're not a fan of that, either, well, that's your loss — but at least there are plenty of other upgrade options for your baked potatoes. For the rest of us, run, don't walk to try this upgrade. I did and let me tell you, it was un-freaking-believable! It was warm (just like Lonsdale said it would be), spicy, creamy, sweet, and flavorful beyond belief.

Korean-style dishes may not be as popular as BBQ or Italian-style foods, at least not in the United States. Still, Korean flavors and ingredients make delectable baked potato toppings. You may just have to warm up to them (pun intended — because they are often quite spicy).

Potato aficionado Ryan Moran tells us you can upgrade a basic baked potato if you "glaze the potato with Korean BBQ sauce and stuff with kimchi, bacon, and sliced scallion." Sounds amazing, doesn't it? I mean, bacon gives you a smoky, rich taste and scallions lend a tangy, zesty, crunchy element. The Korean BBQ sauce is a surefire winner too with its sweet and savory taste accomplished by the addition of soy and ginger. Then, top it off with kimchi, and your baked potatoes are guaranteed to overflow with drool-worthy flavors.

After all, kimchi is similar to sauerkraut, a fermented cabbage dish, but it features fish oil and lots of spicy heat. So, if you're into food that might make you sweat, something tells me you're going to love this style of baked potato — how could you not? Fortunately, you should be able to pick up kimchi at the grocery store, too, so it's not like you'll have to spend all day making it or at least trying to (I hear it isn't the easiest task).

Topping your baked potatoes with smoked salmon or salmon roe may be the most unexpected addition on this list. Who's ever heard of putting seafood on a baked potato before? Even so, since the suggestion comes to us from ButcherBox Chef Ashley Lonsdale, there's no reason to expect it wouldn't be a showstopping combination. In fact, something tells me it might be one of the best, most inventive suggestions out there. After all, we often eat potatoes alongside our salmon dinners, right?

Lonsdale recommends topping baked potatoes with "sour cream, salmon roe, scallions, and sesame seeds." She also goes on to say that "a similar flavor profile is a smoked salmon salad with pickled red onions." Both of these options are out of the ordinary, but wow — talk about taking your taste buds on a flavorful adventure. The creaminess of sour cream or maybe even mayo in a salmon salad can only be a fantastic addition. Add that to the smokiness of salmon or salmon roe and prepare to be amazed.

Mexican-style toppings are another no-brainer when it comes to topping your baked potatoes with creative ingredients. They pack a ton of bright, complex flavor and some heat as well (if you're into that kind of thing).

Our friend Ashley Schuering enjoys topping her baked potatoes with "salsa, shredded cheese, and Greek yogurt." She goes on to say, "You can also add taco meat if you want, but it's surprisingly filling without." Whether you opt for the meat or not, the blend of spicy and cheesy with the creaminess of Greek yogurt makes perfect sense. After all, Greek yogurt is the perfect substitute for sour cream. Plus, you've likely had this flavor and texture combination before with tacos, burritos, and other classic Mexican dishes.

In addition to Schuering's topping recommendation, adding things like a squeeze of lime, chili powder, or Tajin seasoning, and diced or sliced jalapenos could only upgrade your baked potatoes even more. Finely diced red onions, fresh cilantro, and corn aren't bad ideas either. Or, for a touch of smokiness, add a sprinkle of paprika over the top as a finishing touch.

We have taken quite the culinary tour regarding adding worldly flavors to baked potatoes so far, but that doesn't mean you should overlook classic American flavors. They lead to baked potatoes that are just as flavorful and mouth-wateringly delicious.

Potato expert Ashley Schuering has quite a few suggestions when it comes to classic American toppings. First, she recommends topping baked potatoes with "eggs (scrambled or fried), bacon bits, and cheese." Cheese and bacon bits are classic favorites but fried and scrambled eggs are truly unique (in a good way). Of course, the addition of an egg also boosts protein and has the ability to turn a simple baked potato into a complete meal any time of the day. "Gravy (any kind—mushroom, beef, turkey, etc.) and cheese curds" is another drool-worthy topping combination suggested by Schuering. Think of it like a play on poutine, Canada's most famous dish. Lastly, Schuering delights in adding, "Chili, grated cheddar, Greek yogurt, and green onions" to her baked potatoes.

Really, you can't go wrong with topping your baked potatoes, especially if you stick to tasty, classic American flavor combinations. Just remember to choose your toppings wisely, follow the previous expert tips, and your baked potatoes will taste like they came from a restaurant, maybe even better — yum!