Creamy Tuna Stuffed Baked Potatoes + 44 Savory Topping Ideas

A steaming baked potato—fluffy inside with a crisp, crackly skin—topped with a creamy sauce studded with tuna and bright green peas is pure comfort. If you can’t decide, try the creamed tuna recipe below or one of the many other topping ideas included here.

A baked potato is one of the simplest, most satisfying meals: a crisp, well-seasoned skin giving way to a steaming, fluffy interior. It’s delicious with just butter and salt or with sour cream, bacon bits, and green onion. But the potato also makes a brilliant base for many toppings—some quick from the pantry or fridge, some that require a little cooking, and others that transform leftovers into a fresh meal. Below are plenty of ideas to spark your imagination.

Baked Potato Toppings — Minimal Cooking (Simple & Quick from Pantry & Fridge)

1. Butter, sour cream, crumbled bacon, chives or green onions (the classic)
2. Warmed canned baked beans, hot sauce, crushed corn chips or tortilla chips
3. Sliced cooked sausages or hot dogs, baked beans, melted cheese
4. Shredded cheese, salsa or pico de gallo, sour cream, crushed corn chips
5. Canned sardines with a drizzle of their oil, mustard, chopped red onion
6. Hummus, carrot salad, sunflower or pumpkin seeds
7. Diced cucumber, diced tomato, chopped black olives, tzatziki, chopped dill
8. Guacamole, sour cream or yogurt, diced jicama, crushed corn chips
9. Scrambled egg with a generous spoonful of salsa or pesto
10. A soft fried egg, crumbled bacon or diced ham, crushed corn chips
11. Sour cream, smoked salmon, capers, chopped red onion
12. Refried beans (or refried lentils), avocado slices, diced tomato, yogurt, cilantro

Baked Potato Toppings — A Bit More Cooking

1. Sautéed mushrooms with a sage-and-onion style gravy
2. Sautéed onions, shredded sharp cheddar, mango chutney or Branston pickle
3. Crumbled cooked sausage, shredded cheese, fresh chopped tomatoes
4. Caramelized onions, sour cream, chopped toasted walnuts
5. Leftover or rotisserie chicken with barbecue sauce and shredded cabbage
6. Hummus with leftover roasted vegetables and a drizzle of balsamic glaze
7. Roasted vegetables tossed with pesto and shaved Parmesan
8. Tuna salad with pickled hot pepper rings or diced dill pickles
9. Tuna melt: tuna salad, chopped tomatoes, shredded cheese, broiled until bubbly
10. Mayonnaise, steamed or sautéed broccoli, crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar
11. Sautéed mushrooms with sour cream and toasted walnuts
12. Baked meatballs with jarred tomato sauce and Parmesan

Make These Dishes for Dinner, Then Use the Leftovers on Baked Potatoes

1. Chili topped with sour cream, chopped red onion, and shredded cheese
2. Lentil sloppy joe filling with shredded cheddar
3. Hearty meat sauce spooned over the potato
4. Chana masala (curried chickpeas) with yogurt and cilantro
5. Crumbled leftover meatloaf with ketchup and chopped onion
6. Chicken tinga with avocado, yogurt, and cilantro
7. Sliced cooked sausages with sauerkraut, caraway seeds, and sour cream
8. Leftover steak, burger crumbles, or fried sausages with barbecue sauce and red onion
9. Butter chicken with yogurt and cilantro
10. Chicken fricassée—leftover chicken in a rich gravy
11. White chili with hot sauce and diced avocado
12. Ratatouille topped with crumbled feta
13. Pulled pork with barbecue sauce and creamy coleslaw
14. Leftover steak or salmon with chimichurri
15. Cooked salmon with steamed broccoli and tartar or tzatziki
16. Leftover roasted chicken with romesco or pesto
17. Ethiopian-style ground beef, lentil, or spinach filling with feta
18. Mushroom ragu spooned over the potato
19. Axoa d’Espelette (a French ground-meat stew)
20. Baked meatballs with steamed vegetables and cheese sauce

Don’t be a couch potato—get baking and start experimenting!

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Kitchen notes: I like to bake extra potatoes when the oven is on—leftovers reheat quickly in the microwave or oven and make an instant meal with anything interesting from the fridge. Leftover baked potatoes also become excellent fried potatoes when diced and pan-fried in bacon fat or butter until golden and crispy—season well with salt and pepper.

While the potatoes roast, slide a pan of mixed vegetables into the oven too. Chop bell peppers, onions, eggplant, mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, carrots, parsnips, or sweet potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, spread in a single layer on a sheet pan, and roast for 30–45 minutes depending on piece size and how browned you like them. Aim for some crispy, darkened edges for the best flavor.

Baked Potatoes with Creamed Tuna Topping

For the baked potatoes:

• 4 baking potatoes (~8 oz / 225 g each) — russets or other floury varieties work well
• Olive oil
• Salt

For the creamed tuna topping:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped (~1 cup)
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced (or ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder (or 1 tablespoon Dijon)
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• Pinch of cayenne
• 2 tablespoons sweet rice flour (or all-purpose flour)
• 1½ cups (360 ml) milk (or unsweetened non-dairy milk)
• 1 cup (150 g) frozen peas (or frozen/canned corn)
• 2 cans tuna, drained (about 9 oz / 240 g total drained)

For serving:

• Butter
• Arugula, chopped green onions, parsley, or dill
• Crunchy toppings like croutons, pumpkin seeds, or other seeds/nuts
• Or shredded sharp cheese

How to bake the potatoes: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Wash and dry the potatoes. Prick each potato 3–4 times with a fork to release steam. Place on a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, rub to coat the skins, and season liberally with salt. Bake until tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour for medium-sized potatoes; larger potatoes will take longer. The skins should be crisp and the interior soft and fluffy.

Prepare the creamed tuna while the potatoes bake: Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic and cook 3–4 minutes until the onion is translucent. Stir in mustard powder, salt, pepper, and a pinch of cayenne and cook for another minute. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to coat. Add about ¼ cup (60 ml) of milk and stir until absorbed and thick. Continue adding the milk in ¼-cup increments, stirring until smooth and thickened. When the sauce is bubbling and smooth, add the frozen peas and cook briefly until it bubbles again—avoid overcooking the peas so they stay bright and fresh tasting. Fold in the drained tuna, breaking up large chunks but keeping some texture. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

To serve, cut each potato almost in half lengthwise and open slightly. Spread a pat of butter over the cut surfaces, spoon a generous scoop of creamed tuna onto each potato, and top with greens, crunchy bits, or shredded cheese as desired. Serves 4.

Guten Appetit!

You might also like:

Classic Cheesy Tuna Melts

Baked Potato Soup

Baked Meatballs — a Great Basic Recipe

Creamy, Cheesy Lentil Mashed Potatoes