Description
Delicious cheesy baked potatoes topped with a creamy broccoli cheese sauce, perfect for a comforting main course or hearty side dish. This recipe combines tender oven-baked russet potatoes with a smooth cheddar broccoli sauce made from scratch.
Ingredients
Scale
Potatoes
- 2 large russet potatoes
- Olive oil for drizzling
- Kosher salt or sea salt for sprinkling
- Black pepper to taste
- Fresh chives or scallions for seasoning to taste
Broccoli Cheese Sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 cup milk (whole or 2%)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 5.5 ounces freshly grated medium cheddar cheese (approx. 3/4 block)
- 2 cups finely chopped broccoli florets
Instructions
- Prep and Bake Potatoes: Preheat the oven to 425℉. Wash and scrub the potatoes, then poke each several times with a fork. Brush each potato with olive oil and sprinkle all over with kosher or sea salt. Place on a sheet pan and bake for 60 minutes until fork-tender and slightly soft when pressed.
- Make Broccoli Cheese Sauce: When the potatoes have about 5 minutes left, prepare the sauce. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk constantly until the mixture bubbles and darkens slightly. Gradually whisk in milk and add cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Cook over medium heat until thick and simmering. Lower heat and add cheese a handful at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Stir in finely chopped broccoli and remove from heat.
- Stuff Potatoes and Serve: Remove potatoes from oven and let cool for a few minutes on the pan. Slice each potato lengthwise and fluff the insides with a fork. Season with black pepper and fresh chives or scallions. Spoon the broccoli cheese sauce over the potatoes and add additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve hot.
Notes
- For faster cooking, microwave potatoes for about 9 minutes but note the skin won’t be as crispy.
- Nutrition information is estimated for one large stuffed potato with the broccoli cheese sauce.
- Divide sauce among 3 smaller potatoes or serve half a potato per person for a lighter side dish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 stuffed potato with sauce
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
