Ina Garten Crusty Baked Potatoes with Whipped Feta

Ina Garten crusty baked potatoes with whipped feta are an easy side dish made with Idaho potatoes, rosemary and lemon zest, ready in 1 hour 20 minutes. Try these simple make ahead side dish potatoes for Sunday dinner or holiday gatherings, since the herb crust and feta prep ahead of time.

Rub each potato with olive oil and roll it in the herb and salt mixture before baking, because that coating is what turns the skin crusty and flavorful. Skip the oil and the herbs slide off, leaving you with a plain, dry-skinned potato.

Ina Garten loves making baked potatoes special for her husband Jeffrey, so she bakes these in a crust of rosemary, thyme and lemon zest. She then serves a big bowl of whipped feta with lemon and chives on the side to dollop on top, as shared in Make It Ahead (2014).

Source: Make It Ahead (2014)

Ina Garten Crusty Baked Potatoes with Whipped Feta

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Course: Side DishCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

15

minutes

Calories

330

kcal

Large baking potatoes roast until tender with a salty, herb-flecked skin, then split open to hold a cool, creamy scoop of whipped feta. The contrast between the crisp crust and the fluffy middle is what makes each bite work.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
  

• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
  

• Grated zest of 1 large lemon
  

• 1 tablespoon coarse fleur de sel or sea salt
  

• 4 large (8- to 10-ounce) Idaho baking potatoes
  

• Good olive oil
  

• Whipped Feta (recipe follows)
  

• Chopped fresh chives
  

Directions

• Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. That keeps the salty potato skins from sticking while they bake.
• Make the herb mixture: Put the rosemary, thyme leaves, lemon zest and fleur de sel in a mini food processor. Pulse 10 to 12 times until finely chopped but not puréed, then spread it in a shallow bowl or plate.
• Prep the potatoes: Scrub the 4 large Idaho baking potatoes and dry them well, then pierce them all over with the tines of a fork. Place them on the prepared sheet pan and rub them all over with olive oil.
• Coat in herbs: Roll each oiled potato in the salt and herb mixture until the skin is evenly covered. Then set them back on the sheet pan.
• Bake the potatoes: Bake for 60 to 75 minutes. They are done when a knife slides into the center easily and the skin looks crusty.
• Fill and serve: Slit the top of each potato and squeeze the ends together to open it up. Top with a generous scoop of whipped feta, sprinkle with chopped fresh chives and serve hot with extra whipped feta on the side.

Tools for this recipe

• Nordic Ware half sheet pan, Cuisinart 14-cup food processor, John Boos maple cutting board, 18 x 12, Le Saunier de Camargue fleur de sel. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I make these crusty baked potatoes ahead of time?

You can prep the two parts that take effort, since the whipped feta and the lemon and herb mixture both keep in the fridge. Store them separately for up to 5 days. When dinner time comes, oil the potatoes, coat them in the herbs and bake.

Why keep the feta and the herb mixture in separate containers?

The herb mixture holds lemon zest and salt, which would pull moisture out of the creamy feta if they sat together. Keeping them apart means the feta stays smooth and the herbs stay fresh until you need them.

Can I use a different potato for this recipe?

Idaho baking potatoes work best because their thick skin gets crusty while the inside turns fluffy. Other large russet types should behave the same way. Waxy potatoes will stay denser and won't give you the same fluffy middle.

What if I don't have a mini food processor?

Chop the rosemary and thyme finely by hand with a chef's knife, then mix them with the lemon zest and salt on a cutting board. The texture is slightly less uniform, but the flavor on the potato skin is just as good.

What's the most common mistake with baked potatoes?

Not drying the potatoes well after scrubbing is the usual problem, since leftover water steams the skin instead of crisping it. Pat them dry, pierce them with a fork and oil them well so the herb crust sticks.