Baked Potato Boats with Cheese and Jalapeño Recipe
Baked potato boats with cheese and jalapeño are a popular bar snack in the USA, often served for game night or an evening with friends. The potatoes are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and topped with melted cheese and mildly spicy peppers. The flavor is reminiscent of a mix between fries, nachos, and a cheesy baked potato casserole.
Baked potato boats with cheese and jalapeño taste just like a bar snack straight from an American pub – crispy skin, soft center, stretchy cheese, and spicy peppers. They’re somewhere between fries, nachos, and a street-style cheesy baked potato, but made at home, with full control over the heat level and amount of toppings. They’re perfect for the atmosphere of watching a game or a movie night when everyone wants something to nibble on.
Chef's tips
Bake the potatoes until fully tender before scooping – the fork should slide in without the slightest resistance, otherwise the boats will break. After scooping, don’t rush to fill them: give them a minute to steam off, then the skin will crisp up better and become truly crunchy. If you’re worried about the heat, remove the seeds from the jalapeño or replace part of the slices with mild bell pepper.
How to serve
Serve them immediately after taking them out of the oven, with a dollop of thick sour cream or Greek yogurt and an extra bowl of salsa or ketchup in the middle of the table. They go perfectly with cold beer while watching the Champions League final, or with homemade lemonade for a board game night. You can also serve them as a warm appetizer at a house party instead of classic chips and pretzels.
Ingredients
- potatoes - 6 pieces
- oil - 3 tablespoons
- cheese - 120 g
- jalapeño pepper - 30 g
- sour cream - 100 g
- chives - 2 tablespoons
- garlic - 0.5 teaspoons
- paprika - 0.5 teaspoons
- salt - 0.75 teaspoons
- pepper - 0.5 teaspoons
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (top and bottom heat). Scrub the potatoes thoroughly, but do not peel them.
- Prick each potato several times with a fork and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Brush lightly with 1 tablespoon of oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
- Bake the potatoes for about 35–40 minutes, until they are soft inside – check by inserting a fork into the thickest part; it should slide in without resistance.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven and set aside for 5–10 minutes to cool slightly so they are easier to handle.
- Cut each potato in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, gently scoop out the center, leaving about 0.5 cm of flesh next to the skin so the boats keep their shape. You can save the scooped-out potato for another dish, such as mashed potatoes.
- In a small bowl, mix the remaining oil with granulated garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper. Brush the inside and skin of each potato boat with this mixture.
- Place the boats skin-side down on the baking tray. Grate the cheddar cheese on a coarse grater and sprinkle it evenly over the potatoes.
- Slice the jalapeño peppers into thin rounds and arrange them on top of the cheese.
- Return the tray to the oven and bake for 8–10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and lightly browned around the edges.
- Meanwhile, finely chop the chives. Remove the baked boats from the oven, place a teaspoon of thick sour cream on each one, and sprinkle with chives. Serve hot.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
I always make these boats when friends come over to watch the Super Bowl – the first tray disappears before the broadcast even starts. Sometimes I prepare the pre-baked, scooped-out potatoes the day before, and on the day of the get-together I just add the cheese and jalapeño and quickly bake them.
