These crispy vegan, gluten-free Loaded Potato Skins are stuffed full of meaty mushrooms and topped with nacho cheese sauce, vegan mayo and chives. The perfect side dish, snack or appetizer. Whether for game day, a movie night or a casual canape, this delightful, simple snack can be prepared in advance and baked just before eating to crisp up.
I made a more nourishing version with my loaded Sweet Potato Toasts which can be made with sweet or savoury fillings and eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert – how versatile is that?!
Why is this Good for Me?
- Potatoes, when consumed with the skin on, can be a great source of potassium and fibre. When the skin is removed, so are these benefits. Swap regular potatoes with sweet potatoes for a lower glycaemic index (GI) option and additional nutrients such as anthocyanins which are antioxidants found in purple sweet potatoes.
- Mushrooms are a great source of fibre and rich in B vitamins which are required for regulating our nervous system and various aspects of our metabolism. They are also very flavoursome and meaty so a great flavour addition to foods that typically taste quite meaty.
- Chives contain a vitamin called folate which is essential for our nervous systems, especially during pregnancy to help with the development of the new baby’s nervous system too. They are also rich in the lipid-soluble vitamin K, which is required for building bones and making new proteins which our bodies need. So the more you add to your dish the better!
- Garlic is a great source of vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and the minerals manganese and selenium. These vitamins and minerals are required to maintain various systems in our bodies from the nervous system to the reproductive system.
Questions about Loaded Potato Skins
How to make Loaded Potato Skins
To make Loaded Potato Skins, start by Wash 10 small to medium potatoes, prick several times with a fork and wrap in tin foil. Place on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 1 hour or until tender to touch. Remove the foil wrapping and allow to cool until comfortable to touch.
Cut in halves, lengthways and scoop out the insides, leaving about ¼ inch of potato flesh on the skin.
Mash the potato roughly with a fork and leave aside. In a saucepan, heat 1 tbsp oil and add the finely chopped mushrooms. All to cook until all water has evaporated, around 15 minutes on medium heat. Add the garlic and milk and continue to cook on medium heat to reduce until no liquid remains, around 15 minutes. Add salt and chopped chives and mix. Transfer the mashed potato to the mushrooms and mix with a spoon, but not too much, just to even out the distribution of ingredients.
Flip over the potato skins and brush the outsides with oil. Whilst still skin-side up, transfer to a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper or brushed slightly with oil and bake a further 15 minutes. When done, remove the potato skins, flip over and scoop the potato mushroom mix generously into each potato skin (you make have some leftover which you can use for another meal or add to more potato skins).
Bake a further 10 minutes. Top with vegan crème fraiche, nacho cheese, chives and smoked paprika and serve.
What to serve with loaded potato skins
- These potato skins make for a great snack on their own or can work well as a side dish or appetizer.
- Use them as an alternative to fries with your Vegan Fried Chicken, Fishless Fingers or Hamburger.
- They can also work as a main meal with other dishes such as salads or baked vegetables.
- Vegan bacon bits added before serving add a nice texture and protein boost – check out my Vegan Bacon recipe if you fancy this on top of your loaded skins.
How to make baked potato skins crispy
To make baked potato skins extra crispy, they need to be baked further after they have been cooked and the insides removed, skin-side up.
Loaded Potato Skins Substitutions
- White potatoes can be swapped with sweet potatoes
- Rapeseed oil can be replaced with any other type of oil
- Garnishes can be omitted
- Other types of mushrooms can be used in this recipe, as long as they are soft and tender when cooked, not chewy or stringy
- Less or more garlic can be added in the mushrooms
- Other spices or herbs can be added such as chillies, thyme, rosemary etc
These Loaded Potato Skins are…
- Fluffy
- Crispy
- Baked
- Flavoursome
- Dairy-free
- Gluten-free
- Vegan
- Plant-based
Shopping List
Food
- Mushrooms (crimini, oyster, shiitake)
- Garlic
- Plant milk
- Small to medium potatoes
- Rapeseed oil
- Fresh chives
- Vegan crème fraiche
- Nacho cheese sauce
- Chives
- Smoked paprika
Equipment
- Baking tray
- Greaseproof paper
- Medium or large saucepan
- Fork
- Wooden spoon
- Knife
More Recipes to Try…
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Loaded Potato Skins
Ingredients
- 400 g mushrooms crimini, oyster, shiitake finely chopped
- 8 garlic cloves crushed
- 150 ml unsweetened plant milk
- 10 small to medium potatoes
- 6 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 50 g fresh chives handful chopped
- Salt to taste
To garnish
- Vegan crème fraiche
- Nacho cheese sauce
- Chives
- Smoked paprika
Instructions
- Wash 10 small to medium potatoes, prick several times with a fork and wrap in tin foil.
- Place on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 1 hour or until tender to touch.
- Remove the foil wrapping and allow to cool until comfortable to touch.
- Cut in halves, lengthways and scoop out the insides, leaving about ¼ inch of potato flesh on the skin.
- Mash the potato roughly with a fork and leave aside.
- In a saucepan, heat 1 tbsp oil and add the finely chopped mushrooms. All to cook until all water has evaporated, around 15 minutes on medium heat.
- Add the garlic and milk and continue to cook on medium heat to reduce until no liquid remains, around 15 minutes.
- Add salt and chopped chives and mix.
- Transfer the mashed potato to the mushrooms and mix with a spoon, but not too much, just to even out the distribution of ingredients.
- Flip over the potato skins and brush the outsides with oil. Whilst still skin-side up, transfer to a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper or brushed slightly with oil and bake a further 15 minutes.
- When done, remove the potato skins, flip over and scoop the potato mushroom mix generously into each potato skin (you make have some leftover which you can use for another meal or add to more potato skins).
- Bake a further 10 minutes.
- Top with vegan crème fraiche, nacho cheese, chives and smoked paprika and serve.
Notes
- White potatoes can be swapped with sweet potatoes
- Rapeseed oil can be replaced with any other type of oil
- Garnishes can be omitted
- Other types of mushrooms can be used in this recipe, as long as they are soft and tender when cooked, not chewy or stringy
- Less or more garlic can be added in the mushrooms
- Other spices or herbs can be added such as chillies, thyme, rosemary etc
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