Chili Baked Potatoes

Chili Baked Potatoes are an easy and filling meal that you can customize with toppings in a million delicious ways.

I mentioned in my easy chili post that chili baked potatoes are a fantastic way to eat chili, and today I’m going to show you exactly how to make them.

These potatoes are super simple to throw together and total comfort food perfection.

Ingredient Notes

• Chili: If you have leftover chili or your own favorite chili recipe, you can use it here, but the chili recipe I’ve included in the recipe card down below is my personal favorite easy chili recipe. It’s made with just a handful of ingredients and cooks up thick, meaty, and delicious.
• Potatoes or sweet potatoes: This recipe can be made with either baking potatoes or sweet potatoes. Both versions are fantastic, and it’s really just a matter of preference and what you have on hand right now.

How to Make Chili Baked Potatoes

1. Start the potatoes first so they finish around the same time as the chili. Give them a good scrub, poke a few holes in them and rub them down with oil and a little salt before popping them in the oven.
2. While your potatoes cook, you’ll make the chili. This chili comes together pretty quickly so you’ll want to assemble all your ingredients first otherwise things will get a little frantic while cooking.
3. First the onions are cooked and then the hamburger and then you just add the rest of the ingredients and let it all simmer until the chili has thickened and all the flavors have melded.
4. Once the chili and potatoes are done, assemble the potatoes with whatever toppings you like and serve!

More Topping Ideas

You can really go wild with toppings for these potatoes. Try:

• Cheese
• Sour cream
• Cilantro
• Guacamole
• Tortilla chips or Fritos
• Roasted veggies
• Nacho cheese or cheese sauce

Can I make my potatoes in the microwave?

Yes! To cook potatoes in the microwave , scrub them and poke holes in the potatoes with a fork. Then while your chili cooks, cook them 2 at a time for 4 minutes per side. Use a fork to check them for doneness and continue cooking in 1-minute increments until they are cooked through but not too mushy.

Allow them to rest unopened until right before you’re ready to serve them. You can also use this same technique to make microwave sweet potatoes .

Can I make these in advance?

You can. Make the chili up to 2 days in advance and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I don’t love the texture of reheated baked potatoes, so I recommend instead just cooking them in the microwave the day you’re ready to eat them. But if you want to bake the potatoes ahead of time, you can.

When you’re ready to serve, gently reheat the chili on the stove, assemble the potatoes, and enjoy.

Can I freeze this?

Baked potatoes don’t freeze well, but this chili absolutely does. Freeze the chili flat in freezer bags either all together or in individual servings and store for 2 to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator (or for about 10 minutes in a bowl of warm water for individual servings) and reheat in the microwave or on the stove.

What to serve with chili baked potatoes?

Chili baked potatoes are pretty filling on their own, so all you really need is a good veggie side like garlic green beans , roasted broccoli , or zucchini .

A Note for Small Households

This recipe will make enough chili for 4 to 6 potatoes. If you’re cooking for one or two, that might be a bit much. You can cut the chili recipe in half, but I recommend making the whole batch and just freezing the leftovers (see freezing instructions above). Chili freezes extremely well, and it’s always nice to get a couple extra ready-to-go meals in your freezer.

You Might Also Enjoy

• Broccoli and Cheese Baked Potatoes
• Easy Ham and Potato Soup
• Cheesy Sausage and Potato Soup
• Chicken and Potato Soup
• Simple Beef Stew

Ingredients

Baked Potatoes

• ▢ 4 to 6 medium russet potatoes
• ▢ Olive oil
• ▢ Salt

Chili

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 large yellow or white onion diced
• ▢ 1 pound ground beef
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¼ cup ( 66g ) tomato paste
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic minced or pressed
• ▢ 2 tablespoons chili powder
• ▢ 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1 14-ounce can crushed or diced tomatoes
• ▢ 1 15-ounce can pinto beans drained and rinsed
• ▢ 1 15-ounce can kidney beans drained and rinsed
• ▢ 1 cup beef broth

Toppings

• ▢ ¾ cup sour cream optional
• ▢ 1 ½ shredded cheese optional

Instructions

Baked Potatoes

• Preheat your oven to 350°F. Pierce cleaned potatoes all over with a fork.
• Rub potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt. Bake on a baking sheet for 60 to 75 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender.

Chili

• While your potatoes cook, in a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Once hot add onions and cook until they just begin to turn translucent around the edges, about 5 minutes.
• Add ground beef and salt, and cook, stirring often, until beef is browned. If the beef releases an excessive amount of fat (more than a tablespoon or two), you can drain the meat or use a paper towel to absorb some of the grease.
• Stir in tomato paste, garlic, and spices, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until aromatic.
• Stir in tomatoes, beans, and broth. Bring to a simmer and simmer the chili uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes, until the meat is cooked through and chili has thickened.
• Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.

Assemble Potatoes

• Cut potatoes open and top with chili, sour cream, cheese, and any other toppings you prefer. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

This is the best homemade pizza sauce. It’s bright and tangy and so easy to make with just 5 ingredients!

Today I’m sharing my favorite homemade pizza sauce, AKA The Best Homemade Pizza Sauce.

I almost never use the phrase “the best” in my recipe titles because how do you decide which version of a recipe is best? Is it the perfectly delicious recipe you use all the time, or is it the slightly better-tasting version that has so many extra steps that you made it once and never again, or is it the version you grab pre-made at the store that gives you a night off cooking?

BUT, this sauce is the only homemade pizza sauce I use in my kitchen because it’s easy, is my favorite tasting pizza sauce in all the world, and it freezes, so nights I don’t feel like cooking, I can grab a bag of it out of the freezer, defrost it in some warm water, spread it on a bagel, top with cheese, and have a quick and easy pizza dinner.

So I’m breaking my no “the best” recipe titles rule because this sauce really is the best.

What does this sauce taste like?

It’s SO tangy and just a tiny bit sweet and garlicky and perfect. It packs a ton of flavor, so when you use it on pizza or in calzone it doesn’t get lost under all that cheese or dough.

And I guarantee you, once the sauce is done, you will want to eat it with a spoon.

Ingredient Notes

• 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes: I like to use crushed tomatoes in the recipe ( this is my preferred brand ), but diced or whole will also work. To use diced or whole tomatoes, pulse them with an immersion blender or in a blender or food processor until the tomatoes are the texture of chunky salsa.
• Olive oil: The olive oil in this recipe adds a luscious richness to the sauce that really sets it apart from other pizza sauces.
• Fresh basil: Fresh basil is truly excellent in this sauce, but if you don’t have any, you can substitute dried basil without any problems.
• Pinch of sugar: A little sugar in the sauce really brings out the flavor of the tomatoes and cuts their acidic tang just a little.

How to Make the Best Pizza Sauce

1. Heat oil in a large pot (a large pot will reduce sauce splatters and allow the sauce to cook more quickly). Add garlic and cook until garlic is golden.
2. Carefully add the remaining ingredients (the sauce will pop and sizzle when the tomatoes hit the hot oil) and stir until mixed.
3. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until sauce is thickened. And that’s it. Your sauce is ready to use!

My sauce is making a mess while it cooks. What can I do?

Tomato sauce does love to pop and make a mess. If things are getting out of control, turn the heat on the stove down a little so the sauce is simmering less aggressively. A splatter screen is helpful if you have one, and if you don’t, consider buying one for future batches. They don’t take up much storage space and are very handy for keeping your stove clean.

How much pizza sauce will this make?

This sauce makes about 1 ½ cups of pizza sauce. That will cover:

• 2 medium homemade pizzas
• 4 naan pizzas
• 1 French bread pizza (loaf sliced into two halves)
• 8 to 10 bagel pizzas

Can I freeze pizza sauce?

Yes! Pizza sauce freezes really well. Store it in freezer bags in the freezer for 2 to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator or in a bowl of warm water if you’re in a hurry (make sure there aren’t any holes in the bag first!!).

Can I double the recipe?

Absolutely. Just be sure you’re using a large enough pot so you don’t get sauce splatter all over. To change the recipe yield, hover over the serving size in the recipe card below or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider. No other cooking changes are needed.

Recipes Using this Sauce

• Margherita Pizza Recipe
• Pie Crust Pizza Tarts
• Hawaiian Naan Pizza

You Might Also Enjoy

• Easy Tomato Soup
• BBQ Chicken Pizza
• Chicken Parm Soup
• Easy Sausage Pasta

Ingredients

Special Equipment

• ▢ Mesh splatter screen optional but nice to have

Pizza Sauce

• ▢ ¼ cup olive oil
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic pressed or minced
• ▢ 1 28-ounce* can crushed tomatoes *
• ▢ 8 fresh basil leaves thinly sliced OR 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ( 2g ) sugar

Instructions

• Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat (the pot is going to seem much too big, but this sauce likes to splatter and the larger pot will cut down on cooking time). Add garlic and cook until browned and fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Add crushed tomatoes (the oil will sizzle and splash when you add them, so do so carefully), sugar, and basil. Stir and bring to a simmer.
• Simmer uncovered* for 20-30 minutes (your cooking time can vary greatly depending on the size of your pot), stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened and has reduced down to about 1 1/2 cups.

Notes

Slightly adapted from Epicurious

This post was originally published on 2/22/17. It was updated on 10/25/20 with additional information and tips.

This quick and easy Fettuccine Alfredo for one can be made in less than twenty minutes and makes a fabulously cheesy lunch or dinner.

Hey, you know what’s great? Fettuccine Alfredo.

You know what’s not great? Fettuccine Alfredo leftovers. Don’t get me wrong. I’ll eat them (oh I’ll eat them), but the sauce always gets a little funny looking on day two, and the noodles end up too hot or too cold or too soft after microwaving.

So given the choice, I’d rather not make more than can be eaten immediately.

That’s where today’s recipe, Fettuccine Alfredo for one comes in handy.

This post and its photos have been updated. Don’t worry, you’re in the right place.

When I feel like making pasta for just myself, this is my go-to cheesy pasta recipe (well, this and my Mac and Cheese for One ). It makes just one 2-ounce serving of pasta (yay portion control!)

AND takes only as long to make as it takes to bring some water to boil and cook some fettuccine noodles.

The sauce is a classic Alfredo sauce, which means no roux. It’s just butter, some cream or milk, a little parmesan, and a sprinkling of spices, so it comes together quick.

You heat everything together for just a couple of minutes while your pasta cooks and in 11-13 minutes (or whatever cooking time your pasta package says) you have a bowl of creamy, cheesy pasta perfection.

Ingredient Notes

• Milk, half and half or heavy cream: The Alfredo sauce can be made with whatever dairy you have on hand. Half and half is my preferred choice here. Cream will give you the richest, thickest sauce, and milk will make a thin (but still delicious sauce). To make a rough half and half substitute , combine approximately 2 parts milk to one part cream (it doesn’t have to be exact). If you have leftovers of either, check out my posts on what to do with leftover heavy cream or leftover half and half .
• Parmesan: Go with freshly grated parmesan if you can. It melts more smoothly than the pre-shredded, bagged stuff. But if bagged is all you have, you can use it, your sauce might just be a little lumpy. This recipe calls for 1/2 ounce of cheese, which will be between 2 tablespoons and 1/4 cup of parmesan depending on how you grate it (2 tablespoons for a box grater/pre-shredded cheese, 1/4 cup using a microplane). Don’t worry too much about getting the exact right amount of cheese. A little extra parm never hurt anyone.
• Fettuccine: Fettuccine noodles are obviously classic here, but use whatever pasta you want.

How to Make Fettuccine Alfredo

1. Start by boiling your pasta in salted water.
2. While your pasta cooks, melt butter and add milk/half and half/cream and the spices to the pot. Cook until it begins to steam and then stir in the cheese.
3. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Drain the pasta and toss the pasta with the sauce. Top with more parmesan and enjoy!

Fettuccine Alfredo for One Variations

• Garlic Alfredo – Before adding the cream, add 1/2 teaspoon of minced or crushed garlic to the melted butter and cook until browned, about 30 seconds. Omit the garlic powder.
• Broccoli Alfredo – In the last 3-4 minutes of cooking time, toss a handful of broccoli florets in with the boiling fettuccine noodles and cook until tender.
• Chicken Alfredo – Add 3 ounces/ 3/4 cup of chopped warm cooked chicken (I like to use the method from my post How to Cook Chicken Breasts for Salads and Sandwiches ) to the sauce just before pouring over the pasta.

What to serve with Fettuccine Alfredo?

Serve your pasta with a side of garlic bread and a simple veggie side like roasted or steamed broccoli or roasted zucchini .

More Quick Pasta Dishes

• Buttered Noodles for One
• Short Rib Mac & Cheese
• Chicken in White Wine Butter Sauce
• Quick Creamy Sausage Pasta
• Quick Basil Chicken Pasta for Two

A Note on Serving Size

This makes one 2-ounce serving (the recommended serving size) of pasta. If you want a big restaurant-sized portion or are feeding a big eater, double the recipe. To change the recipe yield, hover over the number of servings in the recipe card below (or click if you are on mobile) and slide the slider.

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 ounces fettuccine noodles
• ▢ 1 tablespoon ( 14g ) butter
• ▢ ⅓ cup half and half, milk, or heavy cream *
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ Pinch of dried parsley (optional)
• ▢ Pinch of salt
• ▢ Pinch of pepper
• ▢ Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
• ▢ ½ ounce ( 2 Tbs to 1/4 cup )* shredded parmesan cheese for the smoothest sauce, use freshly grated parmesan

Instructions

• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and cook fettuccine according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
• When your pasta is nearly finished cooking, in a small pot, melt butter. Stir in half and half/milk/cream, garlic powder, optional dried parsley, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Heat until steaming, just before it’s ready to simmer. Turn heat to low and stir in parmesan.
• Continue to stir over low heat until parmesan is completely melted into the sauce. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
• Pour sauce over drained fettuccine noodles and toss. Allow the pasta to sit for 5 minutes to cool and sauce to thicken slightly.
• Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and enjoy!

Notes

This post was originally published on 4/24/17. It was updated on 10/26/20 with new photos and additional information and tips.

Chili Baked Potatoes

Ingredients

Baked Potatoes

• 4 to 6 medium russet potatoes
• Olive oil
• Salt

Chili

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large yellow or white onion diced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup ( 66g ) tomato paste
• 4 cloves garlic minced or pressed
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 14-ounce can crushed or diced tomatoes
• 1 15-ounce can pinto beans drained and rinsed
• 1 15-ounce can kidney beans drained and rinsed
• 1 cup beef broth

Toppings

• ¾ cup sour cream optional
• 1 ½ shredded cheese optional

Instructions

Baked Potatoes

• Preheat your oven to 350°F. Pierce cleaned potatoes all over with a fork.
• Rub potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt. Bake on a baking sheet for 60 to 75 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender.

Chili

• While your potatoes cook, in a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Once hot add onions and cook until they just begin to turn translucent around the edges, about 5 minutes.
• Add ground beef and salt, and cook, stirring often, until beef is browned. If the beef releases an excessive amount of fat (more than a tablespoon or two), you can drain the meat or use a paper towel to absorb some of the grease.
• Stir in tomato paste, garlic, and spices, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until aromatic.
• Stir in tomatoes, beans, and broth. Bring to a simmer and simmer the chili uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes, until the meat is cooked through and chili has thickened.
• Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.

Assemble Potatoes

• Cut potatoes open and top with chili, sour cream, cheese, and any other toppings you prefer. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Nutrition