Tex-Mex Vegan Baked Potato
September 18, 2021
This Tex-Mex baked potato takes the concept of a classic loaded baked potato and crosses it with lots of Tex-Mex ingredients and flavors: black beans, tomato, corn, jalapeños, cilantro, sour cream, and cheddar cheese. The tastes all complement each other so deliciously that this will become your new favorite vegan side dish!
It's perfect for parties, game-day gatherings, and even holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. But I'm happy to have this Tex-Mex potato on my dinner table any time of year.
Although these potatoes spend a long time in the oven, the actual preparation time required for this recipe is pretty minimal. So it's a perfect comfort food for nights when you don't feel like putting in too much work in the kitchen.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of potatoes are best for this recipe? You should use a potato variety with a high starch content and thicker skin. That's usually a Russet potato in the United States. Waxy varieties like Yukon gold don't work well for baked potatoes.
What size potatoes should I use? Potatoes that are about a half-pound are a great size for these baked potatoes. If you use smaller potatoes, they may be hard to scoop and refill. And a larger potato might be too much for one person after they're loaded up with all the toppings.
Which vegan sour cream do you recommend for this recipe? I have tested both Forager and Kite Hill vegan sour creams. I found Forager's taste and texture to be a little off, while Kite Hill's sour cream is spot on. So if you can get it, I'd recommend using Kite Hill.
Which vegan cheese should I use? I tested Violife and Miyoko's shredded cheddars in this recipe. In my loaded baked potato recipe, I really preferred the Miyoko's. However, in this recipe, the milder taste of Violife works well, too. So I'd say it really comes down to whether you want a strong-tasting cheddar (Miyoko's), or a milder cheddar (Violife). You can also do what I did, and use half of each; that method gave me the absolute best results.
What if I can't get vegan butter in my area? If vegan butter is unavailable in your area, or unreasonably priced, try my homemade vegan butter recipe.
Do I need to wrap my potato in aluminum foil before baking? I tested baking the potatoes with and without foil, and there was no noticeable difference between the two. So I'd say aluminum foil is unnecessary.
Can I use different toppings in this recipe? Sure! Feel free to customize the toppings in this recipe with your favorite toppings. If you need ideas for toppings, check out my loaded vegan baked potato recipe; in the blog post I've listed lots of ideas for vegan baked potato toppings.
Do I need to melt the cheese on the stove before putting it on top of the potatoes? You don't have to, but I found that the vegan cheddar shreds didn't melt so well in the oven. Melting on the stove creates a nice stretchy cheese topping. If you like the shape of the cheddar shreds melted on the potato, you can leave some cheddar unmelted, and add the shreds on top or around the melted cheddar before putting the potatoes back in the oven.
Tex-Mex Vegan Baked Potato
Yield4 potatoes
Prep Time35 minutes
Cook Time1 hour, 15 minutes
Total Time1 hour, 50 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. Russet potatoes (about 4 medium potatoes)
- olive oil spray
- salt
- 1/4 cup dairy-free sour cream (such as Kite Hill)
- 3/8 cup shredded vegan cheddar (such as Violife or Miyoko's)
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
Toppings
- 3/4 cup shredded vegan cheddar (such as Violife or Miyoko's)
- 1/2 cup black beans
- 1/4 cup Roma tomato, chopped
- 1/4 cup frozen sweet corn kernels
- 1 jalapeño pepper, chopped (about 30 g.)
- 1 tbsp. fresh cilantro (coriander), chopped (about 5 g.)
- salt
- black pepper
- non-dairy sour cream (such as Kite Hill)
- fresh chives, chopped (or green onions)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C). Wash your potatoes and then poke holes all over the skins using a fork. Spray them with olive oil spray (or brush them with olive oil), and sprinkle them with salt.
![Potatoes on a baking tray coated with oil and salt]()
Place your potatoes on a large baking tray and bake until soft (about 1 hour), turning the potatoes after 30 minutes. You can check whether the potatoes are ready by pressing on the corners of each potato. Be sure to protect your hands with an oven mitt or other cloth.
Set your potatoes aside to cool until they can be handled (about 20 minutes). Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, add chopped tomato, black beans, corn, chopped jalapeño, and cilantro, and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice off the top 1/4 of each potato. Scoop out the potato flesh into a medium mixing bowl, leaving about 1/4” (6 mm) border of flesh attached to the skin. Add 1/4 cup non-dairy sour cream, vegan butter, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to the bowl, and mix well. You can mash the potato into a smooth cream or leave it with some chunks, depending on your preference. Then, add 3/8 cup of vegan shredded cheddar and fold in. Scoop the potato filling back into each shell. Make a shallow well at the top of the filling to hold the black bean and vegetable topping.
![Baked potato shells with tops sliced off and flesh scooped out.]()
In a small saute pan over medium heat, add your remaining 3/4 cup vegan cheddar shreds. Stir constantly until they melt into a stretchy liquid. Then, use a spoon to drizzle the cheese on top of each potato.
![3 images of vegan cheddar in a pan, from fully solid, to partially melted, to fully melted.]()
Scoop a couple spoonfuls of black bean and vegetable mix onto the top of each potato, into the wells you formed (you may not need to use all of the black bean mix). Return the potatoes to the baking sheet and place back in the oven to warm for another 15 minutes.
Remove your potatoes from the oven and add a dollop of sour cream to the top of each one. Sprinkle with chopped chives, and enjoy!
Notes & Hints
You don't need to toss the sliced-off potato tops! They're a delicious snack to hold you over while you're preparing the potatoes.
I recommend Kite Hill vegan sour cream for the best texture and flavor.
Violife and Miyoko's vegan cheddars both taste great in this recipe; Violife has a milder taste. I used a 50-50 blend of each brand.
If you're using two types of vegan cheddar, you may find that one melts before the other. Just keep whisking until all the cheese is melted and combined.
You may not need to use all of the black bean salsa. If you have leftovers, add some lime juice, agave, and hot sauce, and use it as a dip for tortilla chips.
Leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. You may wish to leave the sour cream topping off of any potatoes you don't plan to eat right away, and add it after reheating.
Reheat: Heat on a baking tray in a 350°F oven for 14-17 minutes, until heated all the way through.
Nutrition Data
Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe; Calories: 437; Fat: 21 g.; Saturated Fat: 15 g.; Cholesterol: 0 mg.; Sodium: 1086 mg.; Carbohydrates: 55 g.; Fiber: 6 g.; Sugar: 2 g.; Protein: 11 g.; Vitamin A: 8 mcg. RAE; Vitamin B12: 0 mcg.; Vitamin C: 47 mg.; Vitamin D: 0 mcg.; Calcium: 213 mg.; Iron: 2 mg.; Potassium: 1204 mg.; Zinc: 0 mg.Note: This data should be used only as an estimate. Please see the nutrition section of my terms and conditions for more information on how this data is calculated.
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