Healthy Stuffed Potato Skins

Ingredients

• 3 mediumpotatoes
• 7.5 ml (½ tbsp)oil
• 1 small or medium, choppedonion
• 2 cloves, mincedgarlic
• 240 g (1½ cups)corn, fresh, frozen or canned (drained and rinsed if canned)
• 255 g drained (1½ cups; or one 425 g/15 oz can, drained and rinsed)black beans or kidney beans
• 80 ml (⅓ cup)vegan sour cream
• 1 tsponion powder
• ½ tspsmoked paprika
• ½ tspcumin
• To tastesea salt, black pepper and hot sauce
• 2 tbsp (optional)nutritional yeast
• 6–8 tbspvegan cheese
• 4, or a few tablespoons choppedspring onions or chives

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven

   Preheat the oven to 200°C.

2. 2

   Prepare potatoes

   Wash the potatoes, prick each one a couple of times with a fork and brush them with a little oil.

3. 3

   Bake until soft

   Bake the potatoes for about 45–60 minutes, or until soft.

4. 4

   Brown corn

   Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan or skillet. Add the onion and fry over a medium heat for about 2–3 minutes. Add the corn and spice mixture, then cook over a medium heat until nicely browned.

5. 5

   Cook the garlic

   Add the garlic and cook for a further 1 minute.

6. 6

   Add filling ingredients

   Turn off the heat. Add the beans, vegan sour cream, nutritional yeast and chopped spring onions or chives.

7. 7

   Scoop out potatoes

   Once the potatoes have cooled, cut each in half lengthways and scoop out most of the flesh, leaving a thin layer inside the skins. Arrange the skins on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment.

8. 8

   Mash potato flesh

   Mash the potato flesh with a fork and add it to the pan with the corn and beans.

9. 9

   Season the filling

   Combine the mixture and adjust the seasonings to taste.

10. 10

    Fill the skins

    Spoon the filling into the potato skins and top with vegan cheese.

11. 11

    Grill to finish

    Grill at 200°C for about 5 minutes.

What are stuffed potato skins?

Stuffed potato skins are baked potato halves with some of their flesh removed, filled and cooked again with a topping. They are a familiar American-style appetiser or casual meal, and this version uses a corn and bean mixture for a plant-based filling.

Potatoes provide crispable shells and a soft centre to mash back into the filling. Corn, beans and vegan cheese bring contrasting sweetness, savoury flavour and richness.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 250 calories, 9g protein, 40g carbs, 6g fat.

The potato and corn provide most of the carbohydrates, while the beans contribute protein as well as some carbohydrate. Oil, vegan sour cream and vegan cheese are the main sources of fat; serve a portion with a fresh salad or extra vegetables to balance the plate.

Choose the potatoes

Potato size: The recipe calls for three medium potatoes to make six halves. Baking them until tender makes the flesh easier to scoop and mash.

Keep a lining: Leave a thin layer of potato inside each skin when scooping. It helps the shells hold their shape and keeps the filling from sitting directly against the tray.

Build flavour in the pan

Onion and corn: Fry the onion first, then cook the corn with the spice mixture until it has browned. This gives the filling a deeper, toasted flavour.

Garlic: Add it after the corn and cook for just 1 minute. The beans, sour cream, nutritional yeast and chopped spring onions or chives go in after the heat is turned off.

Get the filling texture right

Mash: The mashed potato joins the corn and beans to make the filling more cohesive. A fork keeps some texture rather than turning everything into a purée.

Seasoning: Taste the combined mixture and adjust the salt, pepper and hot sauce before filling the skins. Vegan cheese adds another savoury layer on top.

Allow time for baking

First bake: The potatoes take about 45–60 minutes at 200°C, depending on when they become soft. Start preparing the filling while they bake.

Second bake: The filled skins go under the grill at 200°C for about 5 minutes. Keep to the stated time and watch for the cheese to finish to your liking.

Serve as a meal

These potato skins can be served on their own for dinner or alongside a crisp salad or other vegetables. Their filling already includes beans and corn, so a fresh, lightly dressed side makes a simple contrast.

Serve soon after grilling, while the skins are warm and the cheese topping is fresh from the oven.

Recipe notes & tips

• Prick the potatoes before baking so steam can escape through the holes.
• Use a thin layer of oil when brushing the potatoes.
• Drain and rinse canned corn and beans before adding them.
• Let the baked potatoes cool enough to handle before cutting and scooping.
• Taste the filling before it goes into the skins, as the hot sauce and salt are to taste.
• Keep an eye on the skins during the final 5 minutes under the grill.

Variations

• Use kidney beans: Swap them for the black beans as suggested in the ingredient list.
• Choose fresh corn: Cut it from the cob before browning it in the pan.
• Add chives: Use a few tablespoons of chopped chives instead of spring onions.
• Skip nutritional yeast: Leave it out, as it is optional.
• Adjust the heat: Add hot sauce to taste for a spicier filling.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Undercooked potatoes: Bake until soft before cutting and scooping them.
• Removing too much flesh: Leave a thin layer inside each skin so it can hold the filling.
• Adding garlic too early: Add it after the corn has browned and cook for only 1 minute.
• Filling before tasting: Combine the mixture and adjust its seasonings before spooning it into the skins.
• Leaving the skins unattended under the grill: Watch them during the final 5 minutes.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover potato skins in a covered container and eat within 3 days. Reheat in an oven until hot throughout; the skins may be softer after storage.

Frequently asked questions