Vegan Loaded Baked Potato

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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!

🥘 Ingredients

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

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.

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.

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!

📖 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:

• Shredded vegan cheese
• Sour cream
• Green onions or chives, peas, and corn
• Vegan bacon bits or tempeh bacon bits
• Vegan cheese sauce or alfredo sauce with broccoli.
• Vegan BBQ sauce 
• Steamed broccoli, cut into very small florets
• Marinara sauce with tofu meatballs and Parmesan or ricotta.
• Nacho cheese sauce with jalapeños and mushroom walnut taco meat
• Black beans topped with chipotle corn salsa and guacamole
• Silken tofu scramble with roasted veggies
• Vegan black bean chili with all the good chili toppings

🍽 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 and my vegan macaroni salad without mayo.

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.

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