5 British-Style Toppings To Level Up Your Baked Potato

The baked potato is a classic for a reason: It couldn't be easier to prepare, and it yields a delicious, starchy dish with only a few simple ingredients. Of course, you can get more ambitious with your baked potato recipes as well. The addition of the right toppings can make them heartier and more flavorful. You can even turn a baked potato into a meal with the right toppings. 

Some classic American toppings include sour cream and chives, chili, bacon, or a heaping helping of cheese. But really, there's no limit to what you can put into a baked potato. It's an empty canvas for your culinary dreams. If you're looking for some inspiration outside of the United States, why not take a journey across the pond to the United Kingdom to see how they prepare their spuds? Consider adding any of these toppings to your next potato to take it in a different direction. 

We've written before about how a can of beans can bring a delicious protein boost to your baked potato, and while this may sound a bit odd to Americans, they have been doing it in Great Britain basically forever. Baked beans are the classic choice for an English jacket potato (their term for baked potatoes), and be sure to add some cheddar cheese as well for the true British culinary experience. 

Coronation chicken is essentially a chicken salad made from minced chicken, mayo, yogurt, curry powder, and mango chutney. It was specifically created by chef Rosemary Hume and cookbook writer Constance Spry for Queen Elizabeth II's 1953 coronation, and it's been popular in the U.K. ever since. Chicken breast is usually used for this recipe, but if you've got some other leftover chicken pieces around and aren't quite sure what to do with them, this zesty salad recipe will work great with them. 

If you've never considered mixing seafood and hot potatoes, let this British recipe serve as your inspiration. One Reddit user referred to it as "an old school English pub recipe [landlords] used to knock up to try and look posh," which mixed ketchup with mayo, plus a "dash of tabasco and some tiny cheap frozen prawns." Other recipes call for the addition of Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice, or even paprika and horseradish if you really want to up the spice. 

For Americans, tomato sauce is not an obvious choice for a baked potato — although, it is often an ingredient used in chili, so maybe it's not that weird after all. For Brits, slathering a potato in a meat and tomato sauce is a popular option, but just don't forget to add some cheese! One Reddit user said, "Boyfriend occasionally requests a bolognese potato. Beef mince in bolognese sauce with cheese on top." Another Redditor similarly shared that their favorite topping was bolognese sauce, writing, "Dead good. Lots of cheese on top of that as well obvs."

This one's a little divisive, even amongst Brits. "Personally I love cheese and tuna mayonnaise," one British potato fan wrote on Reddit, "but that's a bit controversial for a first timer I reckon." However, others chimed in with their love for this combination, as well, with one person calling it their favorite baked potato topping, and another Redditor replying, "Tuna melt baked potato.. I could get on board with this." For an even further twist, some recommend adding sweetcorn or baked beans to the mix.