Boring Baked Potatoes Need This Italian-Inspired Makeover

A plain oven-baked potato is not an especially exciting side dish, as it is pretty bland. But this glaring taste deficiency is also its superpower. The vegetable is a canvas waiting for a culinary artist to come along and transform it. And if there is one cuisine to draw inspiration from, it's Italian. After all, Italians figured out how to transform the potato from a big lump into beautiful gnocchi. So, why not take some of your favorite Italian flavors and create Italian baked potatoes for dinner?

The options are endless, but an easy and delicious way to dress up a baked potato Italian-style is to top it with some Bolognese sauce. This hearty and meaty sauce includes components such as beef, pork, carrots, celery, onions, and tomatoes. The ingredients come together to create a fragrant and flavorful mixture that complements the dry, bland interior of a baked potato. When you add a little Parmesan to the warm sauce, and let it melt ever so slightly, each bite will be like savoring an Italian masterpiece. But Bolognese is not the only Italian dish that can serve as your muse when upgrading a baked potato.

Another option for your Italian baked potato is to make one inspired by caprese salad. The same basil, mozzarella, and tomatoes that make the salad a favorite can also give a baked potato a sophisticated touch. To make this, cut the ingredients into bite-sized pieces and mix them together. Finish them off with a drizzle of olive oil, as well as some salt and pepper. Then, top your potato with it, and you're done!

Once you start thinking like an Italian cook, you will find it easy to combine other Italian favorites with your baked potatoes. For a carbonara-inspired baked potato, fry up some bacon and eggs to top the potato with, along with a sprinkle of pecorino Romano. You can even construct a baked potato that mimics creamy chicken Alfredo. Place shredded, seasoned chicken on your cut baked potato. Then, ladle on that garlicky Alfredo sauce, finish it with some parsley and parmesan, and the humble vegetable will start feeling like a gourmet meal.