Level Up Baked Potatoes With One Canned Addition

A baked potato loaded with butter, sour cream, and crispy pieces of bacon (a boiling water hack can help there) is always a crowd-pleaser. But after you've experienced it for the hundredth time, it can start to lose its appeal. Thankfully, spuds are like flavor sponges that soak up the essence of any elements you add to them, and there is so much more you can do with a baked potato than piling on the same components nearly every steakhouse in the country uses. One ingredient many should give a try is canned lentils.

Because of their relatively high protein content, lentils are commonly tossed into vegetarian dishes to add some nutrients, but these legumes have more to offer than basic nutrition. There are plenty of canned ingredients that can upgrade burgers and numerous other cuisines, yet lentils are in a category of their own. Simply crowning your baked potato with them will give it some satisfying earthy and slightly nutty notes, but they are exceedingly more versatile than that. Lentils are like potatoes in that they can be complemented by various ingredients, soaking up the flavors they are prepared with.

Baked, fried, or expertly grilled like other produce – obviously, there is no one right way to prepare potatoes. There are likewise dozens of ingredients that can make them a next-level dish. When baked, the insides transform into a pillowy trove of untapped potential practically begging to be elevated. Canned lentils like the Westbrae organic variety or other brands will do the trick as they come, but they can be seriously upgraded for spuds in countless ways.

While fat is an excellent addition to any tater, sometimes you want something lighter. Adding canned lentils with a touch of citrus and lively herbs like dill or tarragon transforms the tuber into a side dish bursting with vivacious personality. If you're craving a baked potato that tastes like it means business, stewing the legumes in savory chili seasonings like garlic and cumin can give make spud a hearty meal on its own. Because the lentils sponge up flavors the same way a potato does, anything that sounds like it might work together is worth a try.

It's not just your russets and Yukon golds that can benefit from a spoonful or two of lentils, either. Baked sweet potatoes are remarkably complemented by nutty, earthy flavors that balance their natural sweetness. While they may not need as much help on their own, sweet potatoes still welcome many enhancements, and canned lentils are one of the easiest ways to lend them some extra flavor.