Some days, your average baked potato just won’t do. If you want to bring the county fair to your Thursday night dinner, you have to make a potato tornado.
Somewhere between hasselback potatoes, curly fries and a classic baked potato, potato tornadoes are spiralized spuds on a stick, making them remarkably fun to eat. To get there, you do need a bit of technique. First, cut the ends off of the potato and place it on a wooden skewer. Make sure you’re working with a super sharp knife, and put your knife at a slight angle. Working slowly, rest your knife on the skewer through the potato and slowly turn that tot. If your knife isn’t at an angle or you work too quickly, you risk breaking that spiral.
Not sure how to make it work? Watch the video below (via The Daily Meal’s YouTube channel).
We chose to bake our potato tornado and load it up with cheddar cheese, sour cream, bacon bits and scallions. However, if you want to make this more fair-friendly, you can season it simply with seasoned salt, ranch seasoning or your favorite spice blend, keep your potato tornado on the skewer and dip it in ketchup, ranch or mayo like a big, fun french fry.
Potatoes honestly are an iconic vegetable and taste good in any shape or form. Don’t believe us? Check out our favorite potato recipes, from classic mashed potatoes to loaded tater tot casseroles.
Loaded Potato Tornado
- 3 potatoes, preferably Yukon
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Garnishes: sour cream, cheddar cheese, sliced scallions, bacon bits
Directions:
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 425F.
Step 2: Watch the video above as a guide to the following directions. Cut the ends off a potato to create even surfaces. Insert a wooden skewer into the bottom of the potato and push it all the way through to the other side. Using the skewer as a guide, cut the potato with a sharp knife and slowly rotate it. You'll create a thin spiral down the entire potato. Using your fingers, gently fan out the potatoes so there are gaps between spirals. Repeat with 2 more potatoes. Set skewered potatoes in a baking dish with skewers suspending the potatoes without touching the bottom of the pan.
Step 3: Mix 1/4 cup olive oil with 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon garlic powder and a pinch of salt. Brush oil mixture over potatoes, being sure to get in between each spiral. Carefully pinch 1/2 cup cheddar cheese between each spiral and more to melt on top of potatoes.
Step 4: Bake for 35-40 minutes, until potato skin is crispy, cheese is melted and potatoes are fully cooked.
Step 5: Remove from oven and top with a dollop of sour cream, more cheddar cheese, sliced scallions and bacon bits.
