Broccoli-Cheese Baked Potatoes + How to Make the Perfect, Fluffy Baked Potato

What do you do when you love broccoli-cheddar soup and you love baked potatoes (so much that it hurts)?!  You combine them into one filling, luscious baked potato that can be served as a side dish or vegetarian main dish.Remember those baked potatoes that were trying to steal the spotlight from these steaks I posted awhile back?  Well, it was this perfectly fluffy, crisp-skinned baked potato is stuffed with a creamy broccoli-cheese sauce.  This was my first rendition, which I wasn’t super happy with, including the fried shallots above.  I went back to the drawing board and made a few adjustments, which leads us to this recipe.

It does take a little time to put this recipe together-the potatoes will need about an hour to bake, but in the meantime, you can prepare the blanched broccoli and cheese sauce.  The sauce starts with a basic roux of butter and flour, then whisk in whole milk.  Once thickened, whisk in some crème fraîche (or sour cream) and the cheddar and pepper Jack cheeses.  I think the crème fraîche is crucial to this recipe because it adds some tang to the rich sauce, and all baked potatoes are well-served by sour cream.  Stir the blanched broccoli and season with cayenne, salt and pepper!  I like to mash a little butter into the baked potatoes before adding the broccoli-cheese sauce so the flesh doesn’t dry out.

Now, on to how to make the perfect, fluffiest baked potatoes with well-seasoned, crisp skin…

Ever wonder how restaurants and steakhouses get those beautiful baked potatoes?  Well, I set out to find out.  I used a Cooks’ Illustrated recipe and was shocked with the results!  I’m not against throwing a few potatoes in the microwave for a quick side dish or dinner, but the difference between spending the time to bake the potatoes versus microwaving is a revelation.

Here’s how to do it:

• Mix a salt-water solution and place the potatoes in to season the skins and help begin to dry out the potato skin.
• Baking in a very hot oven helps get the potato to the ideal internal temperature (205°) while keeping the interior fluffy and the skin crisp.
• Transfer to the oven to bake for 50 to 65 minutes, depending on your oven and the size of the potatoes.
• After the potato is tender, lightly coat with vegetable oil and return to the oven for 10 minutes.  This will fully crisp the skin!
• Cut an ‘X’ in the top and gently squeeze the sides to open the potato.  This is what restaurants do and it helps hold the filling inside!

Broccoli-Cheese Baked Potatoes + How to Make the Perfect, Fluffy Baked Potato

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• Author: Amanda
• Yield: 2 servings

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Description

Perfect, fluffy baked potatoes are adorned with a cheesy broccoli-cheddar sauce; serve as a side dish or a vegetarian main (perhaps with a salad?!).

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 4 Perfect Baked Potatoes, recipe follows
• 2 heads (about 1-1/2 pounds) broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1-1/3 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup crème fraiche or sour cream
• 8 ounces (about 2 cups) shredded sharp Cheddar
• 8 ounces (about 2 cups) shredded Pepper Jack cheese
• Cayenne pepper, to taste
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter, or more to taste
• Thinly sliced green onions, for serving

PERFECT BAKED POTATOES:

• Two to four 1-pound baking/russet potatoes, unpeeled, rinsed, scrubbed and lightly pricked with fork
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Vegetable oil

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Instructions

1. To make the Perfect Baked Potatoes: Adjust the oven rack to the middle position in the oven and preheat to 450°.  Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire cooling rack on inside.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons kosher salt in 1/2 cup lukewarm water to dissolve.  Place the potatoes in the saltwater mixture and toss so potatoes are coated.  Transfer the potatoes to the prepared pan and bake until the center of the largest potato reaches 205°, 50 to 65 minutes (start checking at 50 minutes).
3. Remove the potatoes from the oven and lightly coat with vegetable oil.  Return the potatoes to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
4. Remove the potatoes from the oven; using a paring knife, cut an X in the top of the potato, taking care not to cut completely from end-to-end.  Using a dish towel, hold the ends and squeeze slightly to open where the X was cut.  Season the inside with salt and pepper.  Serve hot.
5. To make the Broccoli-Cheese Baked Potatoes: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Once boiling, add the broccoli florets and cook for 2 to 2-1/2 minutes, until bright green and tender when pierced with a knife.  Drain and transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.  Drain and reserve.
6. In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat.  Once melted, whisk in the flour and cook for about 2 minutes, until the roux is a very light blonde color.  Slowly whisk in the milk and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thick and coats the back of a spoon, about 4 to 5 minutes.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the crème fraiche.  Slowly add the cheese, stirring constantly, until all the cheese has been added and is melted.  Season to taste with cayenne, salt and pepper.  Add the drained broccoli and stir together.  Add 1 tablespoon of butter (or more, this is a personal choice!) to the opened potatoes and mash in lightly.  Pour the cheese sauce on top of the baked potatoes and sprinkle with green onions to serve.

Notes

Inspiration: Best Baked Potatoes for Two on cooksillustrated.com

• Category: Vegetable Sides, Vegetarian Mains