Broccoli, Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Twice-Baked Potato
The perfect blend of potatoes, cheese and vegetables, these stuffed twice-baked potatoes are an amazing filling yet simple dairy meal.
Years ago, there was a tiny pizza shop called Benny’s next door to my grandmother’s house in New York. It was the kind of place that if you blinked, you’d miss it. Whenever I went there, I always ordered pizza and fries. I love pizza and fries, whether from a pizza shop or my own homemade recipes. Anything pizza related, I’m in! My mother, however, likes to order different things at pizza stores. One time, I was with my mother at Benny’s and she ordered a broccoli-stuffed baked potato. Never one to shy away from a potato dish, I asked her if I could taste it. She pushed her plate toward me. It was an explosion of the most delicious flavor in my mouth! The creaminess of the potato with the smooth melted cheese and the tender-crisp texture of the broccoli created the most incredible dish ever. Just wow!
For some reason, I never tried recreating that potato on my own. Instead, over the years, I would order it at restaurants whenever I saw it on the menu. And I was always disappointed. More often than not, the broccoli would be cooked very al dente, leaving it too crunchy to enjoy with the soft potato and cheese. I started wondering if that was how it was meant to be — but if it was, I didn’t like it too much! Eventually, after ordering one disappointing potato too many, I said to myself, “That’s it! There are two options. Either I drive to New York to get a stuffed baked potato from a shop that may or may not still exist, or I recreate their potato myself!” And then I did what I do best and recreated it!
This is an extremely easy recipe that comes together relatively quickly. I do take the extra step and sauté the onions and broccoli. In my opinion it’s so worthwhile and makes the whole dish so much better. These are best served fresh, so if you’re going to prep ahead of time, bake the potatoes and make the filling in advance, but do the last step of baking them a second time with the cheese right before serving.
I use Idaho potatoes, but you can use whatever baking potato you prefer. I used to think the only way to make a baked potato was to individually wrap each one and bake or boil them whole in water on the stovetop. While both these methods work, I figured out an even easier one. I slice the potatoes in half, place them face down on a baking sheet and bake them. They come out delicious this way, with a little bit of a crispy top, and it’s much faster.
I am a purist when it comes to stuffed baked potatoes — I only like them this way. But you can feel free to add any fun toppings you’d like. My kids love putting in imitation bacon bits and drizzling on some spicy mayo. You can also add small diced tomatoes and cucumbers, chives, sour cream…really whatever your family likes!
Broccoli, Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Twice-Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 potatoes
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 tsp olive oil, divided
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup frozen broccoli, defrosted
- 3/4 cup frozen spinach, defrosted
- 2 cups shredded cheese, divided
- 3 Tbsp feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Drizzle 1 tsp olive oil on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with salt.
- Scrub potatoes well, pat dry, and slice in half. Place potato halves face down on top of the oil mixture.
- Bake for about 45 minutes until fork tender.
- Flip over potatoes and scoop out the insides, being careful to leave the skins intact, and reserve to use for the filling.
- In a frying pan over medium flame, heat remaining 2 tsp oil. Add onion and sauté for about 10 minutes until lightly browned. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add broccoli and spinach and sauté for about 20 minutes until soft.
- Let mixture cool. Add 1 cup shredded cheese, feta cheese, milk and the scooped-out potato. Mix well, mashing potato slightly.
- Spoon mixture into the potato skins. Top with remaining shredded cheese.
- Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Recipe by Faigy Murray | https://mykitchenmystudio.com/broccoli-spinach-and-cheese-stuffed-twice-baked-potato/
