Baked Potato Stuffed with Creamy Green Beans and Crispy Onions

If classic green bean casserole holds a special place in your heart, this simple loaded baked potato is how to bring it to the table beyond Thanksgiving. Inspired by the classic side dish, sautéed green beans are mixed with cream cheese and then stuffed in a warm baked potato and topped with crunchy onions for a truly satisfying dinner with some nostalgia sprinkled in.

First, Bake Your Potato: 3 Ways

Before you can stuff your potato with this glorious filling, you've got to cook it. There are options aplenty, so choose what works best for you.

How To Bake a Potato in the Microwave: If you're in a hurry, take to the microwave. This gets the job done in about 10 minutes.

How To Bake a Potato in the Oven: The classic method produces ultra-crispy skin and a fluffy texture. You need close to an hour for this preparation, but the texture of the potato is superior. Bake a big batch on the weekend to have on hand throughout the week.

How To Bake a Potato in the Slow Cooker: Want to make sure you can have baked potatoes for dinner and don't want to wait the hour for them to cook when you get home? Choose the slow cooker. You'll need eight to 10 hours on low, so this is actually something that works with our workday — including the commute!

How to Make This Creamy Green Bean Stuffed Potato

Heat about 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add about 1/2 cup of diced green beans, season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, and stir to coat. Cooking, stirring occasionally, just until softened, about 3 minutes. Add about 2 tablespoons of cream cheese, and stir until it's softened and well-combined with the green beans. You can also simply layer the cream cheese over the potato before adding the green beans.

Cut the cooked potato lengthwise and gently pull it open without splitting in half, then use a fork to fluff the inside of the potato. Spoon the creamy green beans into the potatoes. Top with crispy onions (like French's) and serve immediately.

All it takes is an inspired topping to turn a plain potato into a tiny miracle on a busy weeknight. This series will open your eyes to all the ways the humble potato can be loaded up with the help of no more than four common pantry ingredients

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