Give Baked Potatoes A French-Style Makeover With Just 2 Ingredients

Baked potatoes can be a vessel for just about any topping, and there are plenty of ways to upgrade a basic one. If you're looking for a rich, savory way to do it, you actually only need two ingredients: caramelized onions and Gruyére. Both come together to make a French onion inspired potato dish, similar to the flavors of the classic soup.

Caramelized onions can be made with any kind of onion, but yellow onions are generally the best variety because they offer a good balance of acidic, pungent taste with the subtle sweetness that gives the topping its signature flavor profile. To caramelize onions, you just need a little bit of heat and fat, such as oil or butter, plus some time. Slice or chop the onions, add them to a pan with the fat, then stir them frequently on low heat until they turn a beautifully-rich brown color; it could take up to an hour. If you want to remove any stuck-on pieces by deglazing, just use a little water, but wine or beef broth will add more savory flavor, subsequently upgrading your baked potato further. From there, cut open the cooked potato, fluff it, then top it with the onions and Gruyére.

You can keep the potatoes simple with these two ingredients, but for the best texture and flavor, don't skimp on the butter. When the potato is done cooking, cut it and fluff it with about a tablespoon of salted butter to add rich, salty flavor. To get that bubbly, cheesy top layer that French onion soup is known for, place the entire potato under the broiler once it's stuffed with Gruyére and caramelized onions. Leave some onions exposed, too, so the broiler can crisp up just a few onion ends, adding a mildly-charred flavor to the dish as well.

This French onion twist would also work well with mashed potatoes or potatoes au gratin. For the former, make the mashed potatoes with butter and cream, then fold in the onions and cheese. And for a quick potatoes au gratin or scalloped potatoes, thinly slice the potato and layer it with the caramelized onions and cheese before baking. Hot potatoes, caramelized onions, and Gruyére are a winning combination in any form.