Ten Tasty Toppings for Your Baked Potato

Who doesn't love the tasty tater? When baked in an oven with a thin coating of olive oil and kosher salt, a potato is virtually impossible to ruin.

Traditionally the potato might be topped with butter, sour cream, and maybe even a little shredded cheese, but for those who are diehard fans there are many other ways to make a super spud.

BBQ Topping. This is a simple way to make a plain potato into something special. Take some sliced beef or chicken; mix with barbecue sauce and heat. Split your baked potato in half, smash it up a bit with some butter and then top with barbecue mixture and sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese.

Hamburger Topping. For this tasty topper you just need to brown ½ to ¾ pound of lean ground beef; add salt and pepper to taste and ½ cup sour cream. Mix together well and top potato.

Chili Topping. You can use a can of prepared chili or make your own for this topper. If you want to make your own, brown lean ground beef with onions, mix in tomatoes, chili beans and some chili powder and let simmer while the potato is baking. Once the potato is ready, split it open and top it with the chili and slivers of cheese.

Taco Topping. Once again you will need to brown some ground beef, onion and add a package of taco seasoning. Once ready, top your potato with the beef mixture and add a dollop of sour cream and some shredded cheese.

Cheddar Bacon Topping. Mix together 1 cup of mayonnaise, ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese, and ¼ cup of cooked, crumbled bacon. This is a more traditional topping that is sure to please any diner.

Tuna Topped Potato. Slice four baked potatoes in half and scoop the pulp out of each side. Mix this in a bowl with about 1 cup of mayonnaise, a 6-ounce can of tuna, drained and rinsed, and 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese, grated. Place the mixture back into the potato shells and bake for about 10 minutes.

Greek Topping. If you are looking for a quick and easy way to perk up your potato try this topper. Mix together some feta cheese, a dash of olive oil, sunflower seeds, and some kalamata or black olives and add it to your baked potato.

Southwest Topping. Brown lean ground beef with onions and add salsa. Add to your baked potato and sprinkle with green onions and shredded cheese.

Italian Topping. Use part skim ricotta, grated Parmesan, prepared pesto, and salt and pepper to taste, mixed with the pulp of the potato. Place mixture back into potato skin top with mozzarella and bake for about 10 minutes.

Vegetable Topping. Add steamed broccoli, chopped onions, chopped pimientos, and low fat Ranch salad dressing to your potato for a healthy meal.

Any of these toppings are sure to make your potato taste terrific.