Balsamic Roasted Veggie Smothered Baked Potatoes

Roasting vegetables in balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

One of our favorite easy weeknight recipes is a piping hot baked potato, split open and drizzled with fruity extra virgin olive oil and heaped with balsamic roasted vegetables. What could be simpler? This humble recipe idea has literally saved me on nights when I was starving, and too tired to cook. Not to mention craving something easily gluten-free besides brown rice pasta.

Roasted Veggie Smothered Baked Potato Recipe

Build your own recipe. Cut up whatever fresh veggies you have on hand, throw them in a roasting pan and toss with a little olive oil and sea salt. Add a good dash of balsamic vinegar and dried basil, thyme, or sage. Wrap a couple of russet or sweet potatoes in foil. Toss everything into the oven. An hour later- dinner is ready.

Potatoes:

2 large baking potatoes or sweet potatoes

For topping- choose your favorites - anything goes. We did:

1 sweet or red onion, cut into wedges
1 head broccoli, trimmed, cut into florets
1 cup carrots cut into matchsticks
1 each red, green & yellow pepper, cored and cut into strips
1 cup butternut squash, cubed
1 zucchini, cut into half moons
1 yellow squash, cut into half-moons
5 cloves garlic, chopped
3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more as needed
3-4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1 teaspoon dried Italian Herb seasoning- oregano, sage, rosemary, thyme, basil

For Serving:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2-4 tablespoons grated Parmesan, crumbled goat, feta or vegan cheese
More options below

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Wash the potatoes; prick with a fork; wrap in foil. Place the potatoes in the hot oven, on the top rack, and bake for 15 minutes.

In the meantime, combine the cut veggies and garlic in a roasting pan and toss with the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and sea salt; add your favorite seasoning.

Add the pan of vegetables to the oven on a lower rack, and bake for 45 minutes, until the potatoes and the vegetables are tender. Stir at least once during roasting.

To serve, place each potato on a serving plate, split open, and season with a drizzle of good tasting extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and pepper.

Top each potato with the roasted veggies, and sprinkle with shredded Parmesan, vegan, feta or goat cheese.

Serve with Hummus Tahini or Jalapeño Lime Hummus, or a side of baked beans, and tender baby greens.

Serves 2 as dinner, 4 as side dish.

More Serving Options- Build Your Own:

Layer split potatoes with my Vegan Pesto.

Add pine nuts, sunflower seeds, or toasted pumpkin seeds for some crunch.

Other veggies to include: mushrooms, onion, cauliflower, green beans, spinach leaves, Swiss chard, artichoke hearts, shredded cabbage, bok choy, etc.

Add more protein by adding drained canned chick peas, or white or black beans during the last 15 minutes of roasting.

Add protein with 2 chopped hard boiled eggs; sprinkle on the veggies.

Sprinkle with slivered almonds, chopped pecans or walnuts.

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