Author: Soft fluffy vegan baked potatoes loaded with saucy BBQ beans and drizzled with melty vegan nacho cheese… yes please! These loaded baked potatoes are hearty, comforting, and seriously satisfying. With crispy skins, fluffy centers, smoky BBQ beans, and creamy cheese sauce, every bite is packed with flavor.
I'll admit something surprising. I'm not even the biggest potato person. Unless we're talking Crispy Baked French Fries, which obviously count as their own magical category. But even as a not-potato-crazed human, I am completely obsessed with these vegan loaded baked potatoes. They are cozy, filling, and layered with so many good things that they absolutely deserve to be the main event at dinner.
How I Was Wooed by These Vegan Baked Potatoes
- The perfect texture: The potatoes have a lightly crisp skin on the outside and are soft and fluffy in the middle.
- Big flavor: The beans are simmered in my favourite BBQ sauce, making them totally flavour packed.
- Ultra cheesy: It's drizzled with my favourite Melty Stretchy Gooey Vegan Nacho Cheese sauce... I mean 😍
- Versatile serving options: These potatoes make a great side, but they are so flavour-packed and hearty that I always just serve them as the main. I mean really, look at them, they deserve to be the main.
Ingredients for Vegan Loaded Baked Potatoes
- Russet potatoes: Russets are ideal for baked potatoes because they develop crispy skins while staying soft and fluffy inside.
- Olive oil (optional): Rubbing the skins with oil helps them crisp up a little extra while baking.
- Black beans or kidney beans: These add protein and heartiness to the dish.
- Vegan BBQ sauce: Simmering the beans in BBQ sauce makes them smoky, saucy, and packed with flavor.
- Melty Stretchy Gooey Vegan Nacho Cheese: The must-have topping that brings creamy, cheesy goodness to the potatoes. (This Easy Vegan Cheese Sauce would also work.)
- Chives or green onions: A fresh finishing touch that adds color and brightness.
How to Make Loaded Vegan Baked Potatoes
- Bake the Potatoes: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Pierce the potatoes all over with a fork so steam can escape. If you like, rub the skins lightly with olive oil. Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack with a baking sheet underneath to catch any drips. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the skins are crisp and the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Prepare the Toppings: Add the drained beans and BBQ sauce to a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the beans are heated through and the sauce thickens slightly.
Prepare the Melty Stretchy Gooey Vegan Nacho Cheese according to its recipe instructions so it is hot and ready to drizzle.
- Open the Potatoes: Carefully cut a slit down the center of each baked potato. Using a towel or oven mitts, gently push the ends toward each other so the potato pops open. Fluff the inside with a fork.
- Assemble: Spoon the BBQ beans into the potatoes, drizzle generously with the nacho cheese sauce, and finish with chopped chives.
Tips & Topping Ideas
- Crispier skins: Placing the potatoes directly on the oven rack helps them crisp up better than baking them in foil.
- Test for doneness: A knife should slide easily through the center of the potato when it is fully cooked. If you meet any resistance, keep baking!
- Extra toppings: If you want to load your baked potatoes up even more, try adding vegan sour cream, vegan cheddar, nutritional yeast, chopped onions, jalapeños, cilantro, or even salsa.
Air Fryer Method
Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Pierce the potatoes with a fork and rub with olive oil if you'd like. Cook in a single layer for 35 to 48 minutes, until the skins are crisp and the potatoes are fork-tender.
What to Serve With Loaded Vegan Baked Potatoes
Storage
If you somehow have leftovers, store them in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days and reheat in the oven at 350ºF until warmed through to re-crisp the skin. They make a fantastic take-to-work lunch!
If you try this vegan baked potato recipe, let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and don't forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
(click stars to vote)
Loaded Vegan Baked Potato
Servings: Potatoes
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Ingredients
- 4 russet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided, (optional)
- 1 19 oz can black beans or kidney beans (2 cups), drained and rinsed
- ½ cup vegan BBQ sauce
- 1 batch Melty Stretchy Gooey Vegan Nacho Cheese, hot
- 1 small handful of chives, chopped
Instructions
- OVEN: Preheat your oven to 425F (220C).AIR FRYER: Preheat your air-fryer to 400F (200C).
- Pierce the potatoes all over with a fork so steam can escape. Optionally, you can lightly rub the potatoes with a bit of olive oil over the skin. OVEN: Place the potatoes on a baking tray and bake 45 - 60 minutes or until the skin is crisp and the potato is fork-tender.AIR FRYER: Place the potatoes in a single layer in the air fryer and bake 35 - 48 minutes or until the skin is crisp and the potato is fork-tender.
- Cut a slit down the middle of the potato, (careful, it's hot!), then using a towel or oven mitts, push the ends towards each other and the potato will pop open nicely. Fluff the insides with a fork.
- In the meantime, prepare the Melty Stretchy Gooey Vegan Nacho Cheese according to directions. Then prepare the beans by adding them to a saucepan along with the BBQ sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens and the beans are heated through.
- When everything is cooked and ready, assemble by dividing the BBQ beans among the potatoes, topping with the melty nacho cheese, and finally adding a sprinkle of chives.
Theresa says
To make this recipe even MORE simple for a quick after work dinner, "bake" the potatoes in a slow cooker. Piece them with a fork, rub with oil, sprinkle with salt, and then wrap in foil. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours. They get very tender in the slow cooker. If you prefer a drier/crispier potato skin, just unwrap and pop in the oven for a bit. And it looks like you could easily prep the other bits of the recipe the night before and then reheat prior to dinner.
I make potatoes like this all the time....in fact, we're having baked potato bar for dinner tonight.
Lay says
Whenever I want to try a new recipe I visit your website first. You're the best! I love how quick, easy, and delicious this was!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thank you so much!!!
Heather says
Do you have any suggestions for keeping the bbq beans warm in a crockpot? I’m making a big batch of them for a baked potato bar and I’m not sure if they will become too dry in a crockpot?
Shannon says
Hey Sam!! I want to make some wet burritos and i was wondering how you think the nacho cheese sauce would work poured over top and then baked? Thank you for any help you can give me!
Sam Turnbull says
It will work great!! Enjoy!
Shannon says
These baked potatoes are awesome! I didn't have miso but i am waiting for it to be delivered. It was really good without it. I have never used miso paste before so i am curious what the difference will be.when i use it. I am waiting to make my burritos until i get it! I am waiting impatiently lol
Sam Turnbull says
The miso adds an aged umami taste which will make it taste a bit more like traditional cheese. So happy you enjoyed it!
Shannon says
Thank you so much!! You are my favorite food blogger!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww shucks 🙂
Curt says
This was fantastic! First time using Miso paste and everything came out great! I used the recipe with 1/4 cup of cashews and will probably do the 1/2 cup next time as this was a bit more gooey than I think I ultimately would like but still delicious and a crowd pleaser.
I used this with my modification of your baked tofu bites and in a mexican bowl. Delicious!
M says
I made this recipe for dinner tonight. Used my instant pot for the potatoes so it was a super quick meal. I made the cheese sauce* and added some salsa at the end and then... those beans! SO good.
*This is the only vegan cheese/queso that my 11 y/o has approved! Ever.
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Yay!!! Thrilled you loved it so much, M 🙂
Molly Redwood says
I made this sauce and it was was runny at first and then got really thick and you can barely put it on anything it’s so thick. Is there any way to fix it?
Sam Turnbull says
I'm guessing you are referring to the nacho cheese? If so, the cheese will be very thin at first and as you cook it the tapioca starch will thicken it to make a gooey stretchy cheese. If yours became to firm you may have just cooked it a little too long, but it's not a problem, you can just whisk in more water until desired consistency is reached. Enjoy!
Paul (Audiobook Reviewer) says
Son of gun! I have to make this. So simple, yet so tasty.
Sam Turnbull says
Haha I hope you enjoy it when you get to it!
Casey the College Celiac says
Simmering beans in BBQ sauce?!? PURE GENIUS! I'll def be trying out this recipe ASAP.
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, oh why thank you! It's one of my favourite tricks to take boring beans to awesome in 5 minutes 🙂 I hope you love the recipe!
Amber says
Soooooooo excited for this!!!!! 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!!! 😀
Bethery says
I heart carbs, too. I just don't know how to put a heart in. Tee hee.
Sam Turnbull says
Hahaha! That's ok, I feel your love of carbs from all the way over here! Haha
MarySue Szymialis says
What brand of barbecue sauces are vegan or vegetarian since most "spices" & "flavors" added are meat based? I've not found one that says vegetarian or vegan. I miss barbecue sauce. I appreciate your Awesome recipes & look forward to receiving them in my email
Melanie Forster says
Stubbs has some vegan varieties of barbecue sauce, and they are tasty. The flavors with honey state that fact very clearly in the name. Steer clear of those, and you should be fine.
Sam Turnbull says
I actually find a decent amount of vegan BBQ sauces in the grocery store. They don't say it on the label, but the ingredients check out. Anchovies and honey are the most common non-vegan ingredients I find. The one I currently have in my fridge is Bulls Eye Blazin' Chipotle. It's spicy and yummy!