This delicious, 'cheesy' Vegan Twice-Baked Potatoes recipe is so much healthier that traditional twice-baked potatoes! It's dairy-free, oil-free, gluten-free--without processed ingredients.
As a Wisconsin girl, I love me some cheesy potato recipes, like potatoes au gratin, beer cheese soup, or a hot creamy bowl of broccoli potato cheese soup.
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What I love about this healthy twice-baked potato recipe
I love that this vegan recipe is so much healthier than the classic, non-vegan version, which had LOADS of butter, cheese, sour cream and usually, bacon.
(This is also a much healthier vegetarian twice-baked potato recipe, since it skips all of that high fat, not-so-healthy dairy.)
And I love that even when you make a dairy free twice-baked potato without cheese and with no milk, they're still incredibly creamy and full of flavor.
These lovely, golden stuffed potato jackets are also lower in fat, low calorie, and full of fiber from a blended cannellini bean mixture, which stands in as a vegan sour cream substitute.
Plus, unlike a lot of other vegan cheesy baked potato recipes that use processed cheese made from oil--that frankly tastes like plastic, if you ask me--this recipe is completely homemade.
Here, in this WFPBNO (whole food, plant-based, no oil) recipe, we skip all those unhealthy processed ingredients (and empty calories) that have little nutritional value.
Read more about why we avoid oil in a whole food, plant-based diet.
Ingredients
- Russet baking potatoes - look for large, uniform, well-shaped potatoes.
- Vegan cheese sauce - make your own (with cashews, lemon, nutritional yeast, garlic & onion powder) or use your favorite plant-based cheese sauce.
- Cannellini beans - keep the calories/fat lower, and the fiber high
- Plant milk
- Garlic
- Lemon
- Green onion
- Smoked paprika - mimics the smoky taste of bacon.
Step-by-step instructions
Follow these photos and instructions to help make it great, every time. Please also see the full recipe card at the bottom of this page.
Step 1. First, bake your potatoes. Then, while the potatoes are baking, make the cannellini bean mixture.
Step 2. Make the cheese sauce.
Step 3. When the potatoes are fork tender, cut them in halves and allow them to cool.
Step 4. Once the potatoes have cooled, carefully scoop the potato out of the shells. Leave some potato flesh to line the shells.
Step 5. Rice the scooped-out potato into a mixing bowl. (Or use a potato masher to mash.)
Step 6. Fold the cannellini bean mixture and cheese sauce into the potatoes in the mixing bowl.
Step 7. Spoon the filling into the shells, return to the oven, heat. Garnish with sliced scallions and serve.
Pro tips
Go for a crispy baked potato skin. After scrubbing the potatoes, I like to leave them moist, and sprinkle them with a small amount of course salt. Then, bake them directly on the oven rack. This helps keep the skins crisp while baking, which produces a firmer shell.
Use caution when scooping the potatoes. It's best to wait until the potatoes are cooled. Then, carefully scoop out those shells. The key is to leave enough potato next to the skin--about ⅛" to ¼"--so you don't pierce the skin and so that they maintain a firm bowl shape for stuffing.
Use a potato ricer for the creamiest mashed potato filling. This isn't absolutely necessary--you can use a masher--but there's no substitute for the creamy mashed potato texture you can achieve with a ricer. Set it on the finest setting for the best result. Words can barely express how much I love my potato ricer. 🙂
To reheat leftover baked potatoes. Storing leftovers in a tightly sealed container can help them stay moist. But if they dry out at all, I like add a little more cheese sauce to the top before reheating. Note: you only use ½ of the easy cheese sauce recipe I've included, so go ahead and make the whole recipe if you want some extra sauce on hand.
For dry leftovers. If your leftovers get too dry, add a little more cheese sauce on top. Or, if you don't want the extra fat and calories, you can carefully remove the filling to a mixing bowl, add a tablespoon or more of plant milk, stir to combine, then refill the shells before heating. See full re-heating directions in the FAQs and recipe notes, below.
Substitutions and variations
Twice-baked sweet potatoes. Use sweet potatoes in place of the russet baking potatoes.
Low fat / low calorie / nut free cheesy baked potatoes. Substitute chickpea cheese sauce for an ever lower fat, higher fiber potato.
Twice-baked mashed potatoes. If you don't want to bother with scraping out potato skins, refilling and reheating, this recipe works well as a creamy, cheesy mashed potato dish. You could substitute Yukon gold potatoes or use the russets.
Veggie-stuffed baked potatoes. Stir in some cooked broccoli or cauliflower florets, or some well drained cooked greens.
Cannellini bean substitutes. Cannellini beans are among the creamiest, so what I used here. But you could substitute Northern beans, chickpeas, or cooked red lentils might also be a good option. Or, you could skip the beans and add an equivalent amount of puréed cauliflower--as long as it's thick and not too runny.
What to serve with twice-baked potatoes
This baked potato recipe works great as a vegan main dish or as a side dish. It's luscious enough to include in a holiday dinner recipe.
Or make a big batch and freeze, to reheat as an easy weeknight dinner.
I love these potatoes with a side of collard greens, made with my stovetop recipe or in the Instant pot.
They're also amazing as a complement to smoky, BBQ recipes like this sweet & spicy eggplant, or barbecued mushroom sandwich. Add a nice side of tangy coleslaw or this broccoli salad, or some yummy baked beans, and you have a complete, and oh so yummy dinner.
FAQs
In the oven. For best results, re-heat them in the oven at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes or until hot. I like to bring them to room temperature first to minimize the reheating time, which helps keep them from drying out. Dolloping a little extra cheese sauce on top also helps keep them moist.
In the microwave. Cover with damp (not wet) paper towel and microwave on high 2-3 minutes. Add a little more cheese sauce if they've dried out.
From frozen. For best results, thaw completely in the refrigerator before re-heating, then use one of the methods above. If heating without thawing, you'll need to cook at 350 degrees F for about 50 minutes to one hour. Again, I'd recommend adding a little more cheese sauce (in the last 15 minutes of cooking) to moisten.
Sautéed dark leafy greens like collards, BBQ recipes and grilled recipes are all great complements for creamy, cheesy, twice-baked potatoes.
For most people, potatoes are a healthy part of a plant-based diet, when eaten in moderation. But research shows that for people with diabetes or who are overweight, it may be better to avoid consuming this particular starchy vegetable.
This recipe will last 3-4 days in the refrigerator when stored in an air tight container. To freeze, I like to place individual potatoes in an air tight container in the freezer.
Once frozen, wrap them tightly individually in foil, plastic wrap or parchment paper, and place back in the freezer for up to 3 months. (I recommend using foil if you plan to re-heat without thawing first.)
Happy, whole food plant-based cooking, y'all!
-Elizabeth xo
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More whole food, plant-based side dishes
📖 Recipe
Vegan Twice-Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 large baking potatoes such as Russets
- 1 15 ounce can cannellini beans drained and rinsed (about 1 ¾ cups)
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice about 1 lemon
- ¾ cup plain, unsweetened non-dairy paint milk
- 1 ½ cup Easiest Vegan Cheese Sauce about ½ recipe, or more for topping and/or reheating - see notes.
- 2 green onions diced
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika plus more for garnish
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Scrub the potatoes clean. For a crispy, lightly salted skin, rub the potatoes with a small amount of water and course sea salt before baking. See notes.
- Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack, and bake for 1 hour, or until tender. (Or if you prefer, on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.)
- While the potatoes are baking, make the cheese sauce. (Use 1 ¼ cup of broth/water for the thinner version. Click here for recipe and instructions.)
- In a food processor, combine the cannellini beans, garlic and lemon juice. Process until smooth and creamy.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the cheese sauce, pureed cannellini beans, non-dairy milk, ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika. Stir to combine.
- When the potatoes are finished, remove them from the oven, and lower the heat to 350 degrees F. (Test them by poking a fork along one side where you'll cut them in half. It will insert easily if the potatoes are done.) Allow them to cool for a few minutes so they're easier to handle.
- Cut each potato in half lengthwise and carefully scoop out the potato flesh, leaving about ⅛" to ¼" of potato with the skin to make a shell. (See recipe notes for detailed tips). Set the potato shells aside on a baking sheet.
- For perfectly smooth potatoes, I like to use a potato ricer. (Or, gently mash them in a medium mixing bow with a potato masher.) Add the riced/mashed potatoes and ½ of the green onions to the large mixing bowl with other ingredients. Stir well until everything is combined, but don't over mix. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Fill the potato shells with the mixture until heaping full. Spread the potatoes out evenly on a baking sheet, and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until heated through, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven. Garnish with smoked paprika and the remaining diced green onion.
Notes
- In the oven. For best results, reheat them in the oven at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes or until hot. I like to bring them to room temperature first to minimize the reheating time, which helps keep them from drying out. Dolloping a little extra cheese sauce on top also helps keep them moist.
- In the microwave. Cover with damp (not wet) paper towel and microwave on high 2-3 minutes. Add a little more cheese sauce if they've dried out.
- From frozen. For best results, thaw completely in the refrigerator before re-heating, then use one of the methods above. If heating without thawing, you'll need to cook at 350 degrees F for about 50 minutes to one hour. Again, I'd recommend adding a little more cheese sauce (in the last 15 minutes of cooking) to moisten.
Debbie
I made these for dinner tonight and they were so delicious!! The cheese sauce alone was unbelievably good! Thank you for posting this amazing recipe. I will be making this again for sure!
Elizabeth Shah
Thanks for your kind words, Debbie. Very happy to hear you like these so much!
Diane Dussler
Tried it and really liked this one.
elizabeth
Hi Dianne, Thanks so much for sharing your comment about this recipe. I'm so glad you liked it--it's definitely one of the most popular recipes on the blog!
Emily
Looks delicious!!
elizabeth
Thanks Emily! I'm so glad you think so 🙂 I'll be making these for my omnivore relatives for the holidays.
Nancy
Hi there, This recipe looks yummy. I was wondering how many days in advance I can make this before serving?
Thanks.
elizabeth
Thanks, Nancy! I would say no more than a day or two as they tend to dry out, like mashed potatoes kept in the fridge. If making in advance, I'd recommend stuffing them but not heating them until you're ready to serve. Or, if possible, wait to stuff them and add a little moisture (plant milk or extra cheesy sauce) to the potato mixture before stuffing/heating, if needed. I did dollop some leftover 'Easy Cheezy Sauce' on my leftovers to moisten them up. I made the full batch of sauce, used half for the recipe, and half to top the potatoes later. Also, you can freeze them, but again, I would not cook them prior to freezing and I'd recommend thawing them before cooking so they don't dry out. Let me know how it goes!