Fluffy baked potato topped with creamy broccoli-cheddar sauce, fresh scallions, and crispy fried onions for textural contrast.
Crispy fried onions soften quickly; add them just before serving to maintain crunch. If using homemade crispy onions, fry thin-sliced onions in oil at 325°F until golden, then drain on paper towels.
For crispier broccoli, steam for 3–4 minutes instead of 5 to keep it slightly firmer. Bake potatoes ahead: cool, wrap, and refrigerate up to 2 days. Reheat wrapped in foil at 350°F for 15 minutes before topping.
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 2 medium russet potatoes (about 8 oz each)
- 2 cups fresh broccoli florets (about 8 oz)
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 ½ tbsp all-purpose flour (for roux)
- salt (to taste)
- black pepper (to taste)
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- 3 stalks scallions
- ½ cup crispy fried onions (store-bought or homemade)
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 2 medium russet potatoes (about 8 oz each)
- 2 cups fresh broccoli florets (about 8 oz)
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 ½ tbsp all-purpose flour (for roux)
- salt (to taste)
- black pepper (to taste)
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- 3 stalks scallions
- ½ cup crispy fried onions (store-bought or homemade)
Instructions
Bake the potatoes
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Pierce each of the 2 medium russet potatoes (2 medium) several times with a fork.
Place on a baking sheet and bake until tender when pierced, about 40–45 minutes.
Equipment: baking sheet, fork
Prepare the broccoli-cheddar sauce
While potatoes bake, bring a small pot of salted water to a boil.
Add 2 cups broccoli florets and steam until tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain well.
In a small saucepan, melt butter (2 tablespoon) over medium heat.
Whisk in 1.5 tbsp flour to form a roux; cook, stirring, for 1 minute until it smells toasted.
Slowly whisk in 0.5 cup milk, stirring constantly to prevent lumps, until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, garlic powder (¼ teaspoon), salt, and black pepper until smooth.
Fold in the drained broccoli until evenly coated.
Equipment: small saucepan, whisk
Assemble the loaded potatoes
Split each baked potato lengthwise and fluff the insides with a fork.
Divide the broccoli-cheddar sauce evenly between the two potatoes, spooning it over the fluffy centers.
Top each potato with half of the scallion white parts and half of crispy fried onions (½ cup) (about 0.25 cup each).
Scatter the sliced scallion green parts over the top and serve immediately.
Equipment: fork
Before you cook
Cook notes
- • Bake potatoes ahead: cool, wrap, and refrigerate up to 2 days. Reheat wrapped in foil at 350°F for 15 minutes before topping.
- • Make the cheese sauce up to 4 hours ahead; reheat gently over low heat, stirring often, and thin with a splash of milk if needed.
- • For crispier broccoli, steam for 3–4 minutes instead of 5 to keep it slightly firmer.
- • Crispy fried onions soften quickly; add them just before serving to maintain crunch.
- • If using homemade crispy onions, fry thin-sliced onions in oil at 325°F until golden, then drain on paper towels.
Ratings
Loading ratings…
Your rating
Have you cooked this?
Comments
Loading comments…
Ready to cook? Or want to explore more recipes?