Photo: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
Sliders, cupcakes, petite quiche, and pigs ‘n blankets have something in common: They were all mad ideas, miniaturized food favorites that quickly became the greatest party food of our time. Now the baked potato wants in on the appetizer action. Make it mini, pop it on a skewer, and you’ve got a new classic party snack.
I fully dislike regular baked potatoes. No matter how you flavor and prepare the skin, the average baked potato is a balloon of unflavored potato inside. Then you need a plate to dissect it and dump condiments inside, most of which will remain cold. It’s cumbersome, requires sitting, utensils, and focus—certainly not party food (and it remains a mystery to me why it’s fun at all). The mini baked potato corrects all of these issues. Baby potatoes are about an inch across, so added flavor on the outside actually works for the entire thing. They’re on a stick so you can grab it, walk, and mingle with friends at the party. Everything on the skewer is miniaturized, so you can eat it in one or two bites. And since they’re hilariously small, making mini baked potatoes ten times more fun to eat.
Make these skewer balls with any baby potato variety you can find. My local grocery store carries red and gold combo bags, but aim to use potatoes that are about an inch to an inch and a half in size. Even smaller is fine—I’ve seen extremely tiny potatoes, about a half inch in size, and those will bake very quickly. If you get the micro potatoes, be gentle when you skewer them to ensure they don’t crack in half.
Photo: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
Decide what you want to flavor them with, and if that needs to be cooked as well. When I think of baked potatoes, I think of bacon, cheddar, and sour cream, so that’s what I prepared. Line a sheet pan with foil or parchment paper, and oil up your spuds. Add a healthy dose of salt, about a teaspoon or two, and get your hands in there to make sure the potatoes are well coated. Even if it looks too salty, it will be perfect later. Carefully pop the potatoes onto bamboo skewers. Add half a strip of bacon to the skewer. You have two things to consider with your bacon here: how it looks and the texture. You can wrap the bacon around the potato, or leave it next to the potato. You might find you want everything in one big bite, so wrap it around. Or if you’d rather see all of the ingredients clearly, leave it curled to the side. If you like chewy bacon, skewer it raw, and it will bake up chewy and flexible. If you like crispy bacon, par-cook it first. I boiled my bacon for about a minute until it was opaque, then skewered it next to the potatoes.
Photo: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
Once the skewers are prepared, bake them for 20-30 minutes in a 350°F oven. If the potatoes are very small, check on them a few minutes earlier, and add a few minutes if they’re a bit bigger. The potatoes will look crisp on the outside, and will probably be squealing from steam (and joy). Now you can add cheese. If you’re preparing the single perfect potato bite, and you want the cheese to be melted over top, sprinkle finely shredded cheddar over the hot skewers. You can even pop the entire tray back in the oven for a couple minutes to get a good melt over the whole thing. I’m a monster and I wanted a slab of cold cheese with the potato, so I just added it to the skewer. Let the skewers cool slightly and arrange them on a platter alongside any condiments you think your guests will enjoy.
You can adjust these mini potato skewers to what works for you. You might want broccoli cooked and added to the skewer or you might like to include baked beans as a side condiment for spooning over. I served mine with a small bowl of sour cream and chives. Have fun trying out new toppings, and enjoy your new favorite potato pops any time of year.
