Korean Baked Potato Bar
with spinach / kimchi / pickled cucumbers
A build-your-own baked potato bar is a crowd-pleaser any night of the week, but a spicy-sweet sauce and Korean-inspired toppings take everyday spuds to new heights!
Smarts: Gochujang is a fiery Korean condiment that is rich, sweet, and spicy. Taste yours and add it according to your desired spice level.
Ingredients
- Cucumbers - 8 oz , sliced
- Vinegar, rice - 1/2 cup
- Sugar - 2 tsp
- Sesame seeds, white (opt) - 1 tsp
- Potatoes, medium russet - 4 , scrubbed
- Foil - for baking
- Oil, cooking - 1 Tbsp
- Butter (opt) - for serving
- Garlic - 2 cloves , chopped
- Ginger, fresh - 1 tsp , chopped
- Kimchi - 1 cup , drained and chopped
- Stock, any type - 1/2 cup
- Soy sauce, low-sodium - 2 Tbsp
- Brown sugar - 1 Tbsp
- Gochujang - 1 - 2 Tbsp , use more or less depending on your spice preference (plus extra for serving)
- Lime juice - 2 tsp
- Cornstarch - 1 tsp
- Green onions - 2 stalks , green and white parts combined
- Oil, cooking - 1 Tbsp
- Beef, ground and lean - 1 lb
- Baby spinach - 5 oz
- Cheese, American - 4 slices (sub shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack)
- Furikake (opt) - for serving
Prep
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Potatoes - (If prepping right before cooking, get oven heating first.) Wash and scrub potatoes. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
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Garlic / Ginger / Kimchi - Prep as directed. Store garlic and ginger in one container. Store kimchi separately. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
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Cucumbers - Slice cucumbers. (Can be done up to 3 days ahead)
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Make pickles - (Note: The longer ahead you make the pickles, the more tart and “pickle-y” they’ll be. You can also wait and toss this together 30 minutes before serving if you’d like them to retain their crunch and just be lightly dressed.) Whisk together vinegar and sugar. Combine cucumbers and sesame seeds in a small bowl or jar. Pour liquid over top. (It’s okay if the cucumbers aren’t completely submerged in liquid, but you want them mostly covered. Add some more rice vinegar if needed.) (Can be done up to 3 days ahead.)
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Make sauce - Whisk together stock, soy sauce, brown sugar, gochujang, and lime juice. Add cornstarch and whisk until smooth.
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Green onions - Prep as directed.
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Make
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Heat oven to 425F / 218C. Line a sheet pan with foil.
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Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and rub on all sides with cooking oil (portion for potatoes). Place potatoes cut-side down on the prepared sheet pan. Season the tops with some salt. Transfer to the oven and roast until potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork, 20 to 30 minutes, depending on size. (If you prefer, you can also “bake” the potatoes in the microwave - leave them whole and pierce them all over with a fork. Place on a microwave safe plate and cook on high until tender, ~8 to 12 minutes depending on size.)
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While potatoes are baking, heat a large skillet or wok with cooking oil (portion for potato bar) over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger to heated oil and saute until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add ground beef to the pan and saute until browned and cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes.
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Give sauce a stir and pour it over beef. Reduce heat to low and add spinach to the pan. Stir to fold spinach into the beef and sauce and bring to a gentle simmer. Continue cooking until spinach is wilted and sauce has thickened slightly, 4 to 5 minutes. Season to taste with some salt and pepper, more gochujang, or more lime juice if desired.
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Set out toppings - beef and spinach, kimchi, green onions, cheese, and furikake (if using).
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Top potato halves with butter (if using) and mash gently with a fork. Let everyone top their potatoes at the table or assemble potatoes and place them on a tray under the broiler for 2-3 minutes to melt the cheese, if you like.
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Serve Korean baked potatoes with pickled cucumbers on the side and extra gochujang for drizzling over top. Enjoy!
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