The Protein-Packed Ingredient That Supercharges A Plain Baked Potato

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Dare we be so bold as to state confidently that a baked potato is the perfect food for encouraging culinary creativity? Oh, sure, it's grand on its own when cooked properly: fluffy with a crispy jacket and bedecked only with salt and butter. But spuds really shine when you pile 'em high. We've taken an old-school steakhouse side (loaded baked potatoes) and turned it into a feast; we've also added canned chicken pot pie soup to a baked tater for a fresh spin on "soup that eats like a meal."

Perhaps the least-expected topping for a baked potato that also makes so much flippin' sense is an egg. Think about it! You eat hash browns for breakfast and brunch with eggs, and how many times have you enjoyed the runny yolks of said eggs saucing your potatoes? We think that, at any time of the day, an egg is the perfect partner for your baked potato, whether you cook it in the oven, air fryer, or even the microwave. 

There are a few different ways to go about pulling this off, though all you need are some piping-hot baked potatoes, your eggs of choice — size or even poultry source doesn't really matter — and your imagination. We've heard of a so-called "Idaho Sunrise," in which eggs are nestled into the shell made from a hollowed-out potato skin and baked with cheese and toppings. Of course, we wouldn't turn our noses up at a beautiful fried egg draped over a potato, either! Eggy potatoes prove that you don't need meat to add a protein punch to spuds, although meats of all kinds also play nicely with this combination.

For a delicious, simple repast, all you need are eggs and potatoes plus S+P. Bake your potatoes, scoop out most of the innards (save them for croquettes or repurpose them tomorrow night as mashed potatoes!), crack an egg into the cavity, and bake, air fry, or nuke until set to your preference. All by itself, this is a beautiful all-in-one addition to your brunch spread, especially if you lay out toppings like crème fraîche, hot sauce, or — for those with deep pockets and an adventurous spirit — a little caviar. But the deeper we get into the eggy potato world, the more possibilities emerge. What do eggs and potatoes have in common? They pair beautifully with cheese, bacon, and scallions! Feel free to bake them into your potatoes or serve 'em on top. Diced ham or crumbled chorizo? Sautéed veg? If you'd eat it in an omelet, put it over or under your egg in a potato.

You don't need to stop there. A common mistake people make cooking sweet potatoes is not using them as a russet potato substitute, albeit with a slightly different profile. With a soupçon of fresh nutmeg (you just need all-natural whole nutmeg pods and a handheld heavy-duty grater) and some feta cheese, you have a nutritious, delicious meal loaded with protein, vitamins, and fiber. Serve with a crisp green salad, and you have a particularly hearty breakfast, a lunch pretty enough for a party, or a dinner that's hardly any effort but will fill your belly and fuel your body after a long day.