Seven topping ideas for jacket potatoes
Seven quick, tasty topping ideas for jacket potatoes — from beans & cheese to coronation chicken and smoked salmon.
Jacket potatoes are the ultimate blank canvas — economical, comforting and endlessly customisable. Here are seven toppings that take a humble baked potato from student staple to proper supper: everything from a classic beans & mature cheddar to a posh smoked salmon with dill crème fraîche.
Each topping is quick to assemble while your potatoes roast, so you can mix and match to please meat-eaters, vegetarians and fussy eaters without multiple pans or fuss.
Ingredients
- 4 large baking potatoes
- 60 ml olive oil — for roasting and frying
- 5 ml sea salt
- 25 g butter — for serving and mushrooms
- 5 ml black pepper
- 400 g tinned baked beans
- 120 g mature cheddar — grated
- 320 g tinned tuna in brine — drained weight
- 120 g mayonnaise
- 150 g tinned sweetcorn — drained
- 1 lemon — zest and juice as required
- 400 g minced beef
- 1 brown onion — finely chopped
- 5 garlic cloves — crushed or finely chopped
- 5 ml chilli powder
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
- 240 g tinned kidney beans — drained weight
- 150 ml beef stock — hot
- 300 g cooked chicken — leftover or shop rotisserie, shredded
- 80 g mango chutney
- 15 ml mild curry powder
- 25 g sultanas — optional
- 1 aubergine — medium, sliced
- 1 courgette — medium, sliced
- 100 g soft goats cheese — crumbled
- 15 ml balsamic vinegar
- 120 g smoked salmon
- 100 g crème fraîche
- 5 g fresh dill — finely chopped
- 300 g chestnut mushrooms — sliced
- 100 g fresh spinach — washed
Equipment
- baking tray
- saucepan
- frying pan
- grater
- mixing bowls
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C conventional. Scrub the potatoes, dry, prick each several times with a fork. Rub each potato with 1 tbsp olive oil and a little sea salt, then place directly on the oven shelf or a baking tray. Bake for 1 hour, until a skewer slides in easily.
While the potatoes bake, make the mushroom, spinach and garlic topping: heat 1 tbsp olive oil and the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add sliced chestnut mushrooms and 2 crushed garlic cloves and fry, stirring, for 6–8 minutes until golden. Add the fresh spinach and cook 1–2 minutes until wilted. Season with a pinch of sea salt, black pepper and a squeeze of lemon.
Make the tuna mayo topping: in a bowl flake the drained tinned tuna, add the mayonnaise, drained sweetcorn, 1 tsp lemon juice and a grind of black pepper. Stir and taste, adjusting lemon or pepper as needed.
Heat the tinned baked beans in a small saucepan over a medium heat for 3–5 minutes until piping hot. Keep covered and warm until ready to assemble.
For the chilli con carne topping: heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Fry the finely chopped brown onion and 1 crushed garlic clove for 4–5 minutes until soft. Add the minced beef and brown for 5–6 minutes. Stir in the chilli powder and ground cumin, then add the tinned chopped tomatoes, drained kidney beans and hot beef stock. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 15 minutes until thickened. Season to taste.
Mix the coronation chicken topping: in a bowl combine the shredded cooked chicken, mayonnaise, mango chutney, mild curry powder, sultanas and 1 tsp lemon juice. Adjust seasoning and set aside.
Roast the aubergine and courgette: on a baking tray toss sliced aubergine and courgette with 1 tbsp olive oil, a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Roast in the oven (can go in with the potatoes for the last 20 minutes) for 20 minutes until tender and slightly charred. Remove, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and crumble over soft goats cheese.
Prepare the smoked salmon option: mix the crème fraîche with a little lemon zest and the chopped fresh dill. Keep the smoked salmon loose on a plate so it can be piled onto the potato, then spoon over the dill crème fraîche.
Assemble: when the potatoes are ready, remove from the oven, cut a lengthways slit, push the ends to open and fluff the flesh with a fork. Add a little butter and season with sea salt and black pepper. Spoon over your chosen topping(s) and serve immediately.
Tips
- Cook potatoes on the oven shelf for crispier skins; a baking tray will catch drips but softens the skin slightly.
- If short on time, microwave the potatoes for 6–8 minutes then finish in a hot oven for 15–20 minutes to crisp the skin.
- Make the coronation chicken ahead and keep chilled for up to 24 hours — it improves after a short rest.
- For extra flavour in the mushroom topping, add a splash of white wine or sherry as the mushrooms brown.
- If you want to offer all toppings at once for sharing, keep hot toppings in covered dishes on a low oven shelf and cold toppings in the fridge until needed.
Substitutions
minced beef → lentils (200g dried, cooked) or a meat-free mince for a vegetarian chilli
Stays closemature cheddar → grated mozzarella or a mature vegetarian cheddar for a milder or vegetarian option
Stays closesoft goats cheese → crumbled feta for a tangier, saltier finish
Noticeably differentsmoked salmon → smoked mackerel flakes for a stronger, oilier fish flavour
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 640
- Calories
- 28 g
- Protein
- 82 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 700 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
How long should I bake a jacket potato?
About 1 hour at 200°C fan/220°C conventional for large baking potatoes. Smaller potatoes need less time; test with a skewer.
Can I prepare toppings ahead?
Yes — coronation chicken, tuna mayo and the dill crème fraîche can be made up to 24 hours ahead and kept chilled. Hot toppings are best made on the day.
How do I get crispy skins?
Rub the skins with olive oil and salt, then bake on the oven shelf rather than a tray. A final blast under a hot oven for 5–10 minutes crisps them further.
What’s the best potato for jackets?
Look for floury baking potatoes such as Maris Piper or King Edward — they give a fluffy interior when baked.
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