Recipes / Comfort Food

Cheddar & Broccoli Jacket Potatoes

Crisp skins. Fluffy middles. Proper cheddar sauce. Oven-baked russet potatoes split open and filled with tender broccoli in a rich cheddar sauce. A little cheese on top melts into the warm filling; the crisp skins stay uncovered until serving.

80 minApprox. time
EasyEffort
4 loaded potatoesMakes
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Cheddar & Broccoli Jacket Potatoes — homemade finished dish
Everything you need

Ingredients

Batch size

Choose a batch size above. Portion to your appetite.

Jacket potatoes

Broccoli cheddar filling

Milk, wheat and mustard. Use vegetarian-labelled cheese for a vegetarian meal.

Let’s cook

Make it tonight.

  1. Bake the potatoes

    Heat oven to 220°C / 425°F. Scrub potatoes, dry thoroughly and prick each several times with a fork. Rub with oil and 1/2 tsp salt. Place on a baking tray, unwrapped. Bake for 60–70 minutes until the skins are crisp and a knife slides easily through the centres. Larger potatoes may need longer.
  2. Steam the broccoli

    About 15 minutes before the potatoes finish, steam small broccoli florets over simmering water for 4–5 minutes until just tender. Drain well so the sauce stays thick. Keep warm while making the sauce.
  3. Make the cheddar sauce

    Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer and stir for 3–5 minutes until it coats a spoon. Remove from the heat; stir in 150 g cheddar a handful at a time, then mustard, garlic powder, 1/4 tsp salt and pepper. Fold in drained broccoli.
  4. Split and load

    Rest cooked potatoes for 5 minutes. Cut a deep slit lengthways without cutting through the base. Use a clean towel to gently squeeze the ends, then fluff the centres with a fork. Divide the hot broccoli-cheddar filling among them and scatter over the remaining 30 g cheddar. Serve straight away.

Make it yours.

Crisp skins

Dry the potatoes before oiling and bake without foil. Add the filling just before serving.

Smooth sauce

Grate a block of cheddar and add it off the heat. If the sauce thickens too much, stir in an extra splash of milk.

A little heat

Add a pinch of cayenne to the sauce or a few drops of hot sauce at the table. Choose vegetarian cheddar if needed.

Leftovers

Refrigerate within 2 hours and use within 3 days. Store potatoes and sauce separately when possible. Reheat until the centre reaches 74°C / 165°F; loosen sauce with a little milk.

Equipment

Baking tray, fork, knife, clean kitchen towel, steamer, saucepan, whisk and grater..

A note on the nutrition

The recipe, in pictures.

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