These Baked Mini Potatoes Are Party Potatoes
Sliders, cupcakes, custard tarts, and piglets with blankets have one thing in common: they were all crazy ideas, miniature favorites that quickly became the greatest party food of our time. Now the baked potato wants to join the appetizer. Make it mini, put it on a skewer, and you have a new classic party appetizer.
I don’t like regular baked potatoes at all. Regardless of how you flavor the skins and cook them, a regular baked potato is basically a balloon with an unflavored potato inside. You will then need a plate to cut it open and pour the seasonings inside, most of which will remain cold. It’s bulky, requires sitting, utensils, and focus – certainly not party food (and it’s a mystery to me why it’s fun at all). Mini baked potatoes fix all of these problems. New potatoes are about an inch across, so the added flavor on the outside really works for it all. They are on a stick so you can take them, walk around and chat with your friends at the party. Everything on the skewer is miniaturized so it can be eaten in one or two bites. And since they’re ridiculously small, baked mini potatoes are ten times more fun to eat.
Make these kebab balls from any variety of new potatoes you can find. My local grocery store has red and gold combination bags , but I tend to use inch to 1.5 inch potatoes. Even smaller – I have seen very tiny potatoes about half an inch in size , and they will bake very quickly. If you get a micro potato, be careful when threading it onto the skewer so it doesn’t crack in half.
Decide what you want to season them with and whether or not it needs to be cooked. When I think of a baked potato, I think of bacon, cheddar and sour cream, that’s what I made. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and brush the potatoes with oil. Add a healthy dose of salt, about a teaspoon or two, and stick your hands in there to make sure the potatoes are well coated. Even if it looks too salty, it will be perfect later on. Carefully thread potatoes onto bamboo skewers. Add half a strip of bacon to the skewer. You have two things to consider when choosing bacon: appearance and texture. You can wrap the bacon around the potatoes or leave it next to the potatoes. You may find that you want everything in one big piece, so wrap it around. Or, if you prefer to see all the ingredients clearly, leave it rolled to the side. If you like chewy bacon, string it raw and it will bake chewy and pliable. If you like crispy bacon, fry it first. I boiled the bacon for about a minute until it became opaque and then strung it next to the potatoes.
Once the skewers are ready, bake them for 20-30 minutes in a preheated 350°F oven. If the potatoes are very small, check them a few minutes early and add a few more minutes if they are a little larger. The potatoes will look crisp on the outside and will likely squeal with steam (and joy). Now you can add cheese. If you’re making the perfect potato dish and want the cheese to melt on top, sprinkle the hot skewers with finely grated cheddar cheese. You can even put the whole pan back in the oven for a couple of minutes to get everything melted. I’m a monster and I wanted a piece of cold cheese with potatoes, so I just added it to the skewer. Let the skewers cool slightly and arrange them on a platter along with any seasonings you think your guests will enjoy.
You can customize these mini potato skewers however you like. You may want to have the broccoli cooked and added to the skewer, or you could add baked beans as a spoon seasoning. I served mine with a small bowl of sour cream and green onions. Have fun trying new toppings and enjoy your new favorite potato chips any time of the year.