Hot Potato! 10 Healthy Baked Potato Toppings You Should Try

Remember baked potatoes? I'll admit I almost forgot about them amidst the grain-bowl carb-swap cauliflower era. Baked potatoes are the ultimate comfort food—starchy, warm and filling. It's amazing how something so wholesome, so available and inexpensive could be so delicious too. But it's true. And, as if you needed an added bonus, baked potatoes are also healthy.

Health Benefits of Potatoes

Potatoes are rich in vitamin C—good for keeping your immune system healthy, and potassium—good for healthy blood pressure. Potatoes are also a source of fiber, especially when eaten with the skin on and eating more fiber is great for your gut health. Additionally, allowing your potatoes to cool, rather than eating them hot, increases their resistant starch content, which, according to a 2022 research article in Nutrients, may provide better glucose control after a meal with potatoes. All this for about 50 cents per potato—what a bargain!

In fact, the problem with most baked potatoes isn't even the potato itself but the less-than-healthy toppings loaded onto it. So let's get back to basics and have baked spuds for dinner tonight. Learn how to make baked potatoes here, and then try our healthy baked potato toppings.

10 Healthy Baked Potato Toppings

Ham & Broccoli

½ cup cooked broccoli florets; 3 tablespoons heated diced ham; 1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt; ¼ cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese

495 calories, 24g protein, 70g carbohydrates, 6g fiber, 3g sugar, 15g fat, 7g saturated fat, 1,785mg potassium, 233mg sodium

Italian Veggie

¼ cup chopped zucchini cooked with ¼ cup canned no-salt-added diced tomatoes and ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning; ¼ cup shredded Italian-blend cheese

394 calories, 15g protein, 74g carbohydrates, 6g fiber, 4g sugar, 7g fat, 4g saturated fat, 1,725mg potassium, 213mg sodium

Cottage Cheese & Roasted Tomato

½ cup red and/or yellow cherry tomatoes roasted in 2 teaspoons olive oil; ¼ cup cottage cheese; 1 teaspoon snipped fresh chives

425 calories, 16g protein, 71g carbohydrates, 6g fiber, 6g sugar, 10g fat, 2g saturated fat, 1,767mg potassium, 252mg sodium

Bacon & Avocado

2 slices cooked bacon; ¼ avocado; 2 tablespoons salsa; 2 tablespoons shredded Colby Jack cheese

508 calories, 18g protein, 75g carbohydrates, 8g fiber, 5g sugar, 17g fat, 5g saturated fat, 1,873mg potassium, 557mg sodium

Marinara Meat Sauce

2 ounces lean ground beef cooked with ⅓ cup sliced mushrooms and 3 tablespoons pasta sauce; 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

447 calories, 22g protein, 72g carbohydrates, 6g fiber, 5g sugar, 9g fat, 3g saturated fat, 1,804mg potassium, 327mg sodium

Scallion-Ranch

1 tablespoon low-fat ranch dressing; 2 teaspoons chopped scallions

322 calories, 8g protein, 70g carbohydrates, 5g fiber, 3g sugar, 2g fat, 1,570mg potassium, 187mg sodium

Tomato-Pesto

1 tablespoon prepared pesto; 1 chopped small plum tomato

368 calories, 9g protein, 70g carbohydrates, 6g fiber, 4g sugar, 7g fat, 1g saturated fat, 1,717mg potassium, 174mg sodium

Creamy Horseradish

1 tablespoon reduced-fat sour cream mixed with 1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish

321 calories, 9g protein, 68g carbohydrates, 5g fiber, 3g sugar, 3g fat, 1g saturated fat, 1,578mg potassium, 40mg sodium

Creamy Chive

1 tablespoon pureed low-fat cottage cheese; 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives

302 calories, 9g protein, 68g carbohydrates, 5g fiber, 3g sugar, 1g fat, 1,545mg potassium, 71mg sodium

Tex-Mex

1 tablespoon refried beans; 1 tablespoon prepared tomato salsa; 1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro

310 calories, 9g protein, 70g carbohydrates, 5g fiber, 3g sugar, 1g fat, 1,588mg potassium, 149mg sodium