Name: Turn a Simple Baked Potato Into a Memorable Dinner
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 large Russet potatoes (about 8 ounces each); 2 teaspoons vegetable oil; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 pound 80% lean ground beef; 1 yellow onion, diced; 1 tablespoon sazón seasoning mix, optional; 4 to 6 slices American cheese; Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; 1/4 cup sour cream; 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded; 2 roma tomatoes, chopped

1 Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2 Wash the potatoes and pat them dry. Use a fork to poke holes on all sides, pricking each one 10 to 12 times all over. Rub each potato all over with the oil and sprinkle with the salt. Set the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake, turning once or twice during cooking, until their skins are wrinkled and they’re easily pierced with a fork through the middle, about 45 minutes.

3 While the potatoes are baking, set a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Use your hands to form the ground beef into four equal-sized patties and place them in the preheated pan. Let cook, undisturbed, until the bottoms of the patties are crisp and browned, about 8 minutes. Use a spatula to flip each patty, then break them up slightly and continue to cook for another 5 minutes.

4 Add the onions and sazón, if using, and use the spatula to break up the patties into small crumbles. Cook until the onions are translucent and there the ground beef is cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Turn off the heat until the potatoes are done; I like to use this time to prep the tomatoes and lettuce.

5 Once the potatoes are cooked through, remove them from the oven and use a sharp knife to slice them open lengthwise. Carefully fluff up the interior to make room for the filling. Place the slices of American cheese over the ground beef mixture in the skillet and transfer the pan to the still-hot oven to melt the cheese, about 2 minutes. Once the cheese is melted, take the pan out and use a spatula to “chop” the cheese into the filling; you can also skip this step if you desire a blanket of cheese over your ground beef instead.

6 Use the spatula to add about a quarter of the chopped cheese filling into each potato, tucking it in as much as possible. Top as desired with sour cream, shredded lettuce, and chopped tomatoes before serving immediately. Wrap leftover baked potatoes in foil and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Leftovers of the filling and toppings can be stored separately in airtight containers for up to 5 days. To serve, unwrap and reheat the potato in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes, in a 375°F airfryer for 5 to 8 minutes, or in the microwave until hot all the way through. Reheat the chopped cheese filling in a nonstick skillet or in the microwave, then top and serve. Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!