Pleasant savory and creamy taste without a crunchy skin like french fries, baked potatoes are a fantastic side dish to pair with various foods. It adds healthy carbs that will fill you up, and the subtle and mild flavor supports a range of spices, herbs, and seasonings to improve the results.
What to eat with baked potatoes? Baked potatoes are served with classic foods such as grilled or barbecue meats, steak, chicken, lamb, pork, and meatloaf.
Other than lean or rich proteins, baked potatoes are frequently enjoyed by itself with fun toppings such as garlic butter, sour cream, herb butter, bacon bits, diced onions, chives, salad, chili, and guacamole.
Nothing beats perfectly baked potatoes for a complete lunch or dinner. The deliciously salty skin and the soft, fluffy interiors make you fall in love with this delicacy over and over again.
As delicious as they are, they’ll taste even better when paired with the right foods. Wondering what to pair with baked potatoes? Here are some classic pairings for you to pursue.
What to serve with baked potatoes?
When serving baked potatoes, selecting the right ingredients is crucial.
Pair baked potatoes with:
- Vegetables: garlic, arugula, kale, carrots, cauliflower, celery, leeks, parsnips, shallots
- Dairy: cream, unsalted butter, buttermilk, sour cream, yogurt
- Herbs: chives, mint, cilantro, basil, bay leaf, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano
- Spices: cinnamon, cardamom
- Condiments: mayonnaise, mustard
- Oil: olive, canola, peanut, vegetable
- Cheese: Brin d’Amour, cantal, cheddar, comté, jack, emmental, fontina, goat, gouda, gruyere, manchego, parmesan, pecorino, raclette, Roquefort
What side dishes go with baked potato?
When the meat is the center focus of the dish, complete a fulfilling meal with some sort of greens or veggie and a baked potato.
Depending the main dish, choose the flavor of the baked potato toppings wisely. If the toppings have bold and complex flavors, go with simple and mild sides to balance the overall taste.
Pair baked with these side dishes for an amazing experience:
- baked beans
- coleslaw
- caesar salad
- steamed broccoli
- chili
- guacamole
- soup
What meat to eat with baked potatoes?
Like cookies and milk or chocolate and red wine, some combos are long lasting classics, and this holds true for baked potatoes and meat.
The bold, fatty, and juicy taste of meat complements well with the buttery creaminess of potatoes. Freshly baked and topped with olive oil, sour cream, and chopped fresh chives, they become the perfect side dish for a main course.
Best meat options to pair baked potatoes with:
- Beef: Comforting, cozy and delicious. A salty, caramelized, juicy steak with roasted potatoes on the side feels like home.
- Chicken: Any herbed or citrusy flavored chicken pairs perfectly with baked potatoes.
- Fish: Baked potatoes enhance flaky, delicate baked fish, adding contrast and texture to any fish plate. Salmon and tilapia are excellent choices, but are not the only ones.
- Pork: There are many cuts and specifications of pork, but bacon and sausages have got to be the biggest hit with baked potatoes. These two are packed with flavor and complement each other perfectly without one overpowering the other.
- Lamb: This is a fabulous side dish served as a fancier dish. Use leg, minced, or loin chops that goes well with potatoes. The choice of other ingredients plays important role to enhance the flavor of lamb such as white wine, olive oil, and red wine vinegar.
What flavor goes well with baked potatoes?
Try the spicy trio of thyme, oregano and garlic with baked potatoes for an incredible flavor boost. Be sure to go in with sea salt and oregano for uniqueness that sets the dish apart.
For that extra heat, sprinkle black pepper on the skins ,or better yet, crack a generous amount of black pepper on the insides once the potato is fully baked.
Rubbing some butter on the skins before baking crisps up the exteriors, giving them that intense golden brown color, and adds loads of flavor.
Here are classic flavor combinations that goes well with baked potatoes:
- baked potatoes + bacon + cheese + onions
- baked potatoes + chives + sour cream
- baked potatoes + cream + garlic + parmesan cheese + rosemary
- baked potatoes + cheddar cheese + olive oil + black pepper
- baked potatoes + bacon + sour cream + sea salt + butter
Eat with Baked Potato: Conclusion
What would be better than being able to make an amazing dish from simple ingredients that you probably have? Baked potatoes are insanely incredible when done right, and they add wholesome nutrition to complete a meal with loads of fiber to make you feel full.
Baked potatoes burst with savory, crispy, salty, and a fluffy inside with a golden skin; thus, you will never go wrong with its pairing.
Typically, baked potatoes are served as a side with grilled or barbecue meat, steak, chicken, lamb, pork, and meatloaf. The selection of meat complement well with buttery and soft potatoes and does not overwhelm the dish.
In addition, baked potatoes can be enjoyed by itself with fun toppings. Simply scoop sour cream with chopped chives or dived onions, sprinkle bacon bits, or spoonful of garlic butter, herb butter, chili, or guacamole.
Other than meat as main dish to pair with, consider greens or veggie side dishes to serve with baked potatoes including baked beans, coleslaw, caesar salad, steamed vegetables, soup, and salad.
Use the tips in the guide and you will never fall short of ideas to serve with baked potatoes. The classic flavor combination are to die for, and the potential for new are exciting baked potato pairings is endless.