ABOUT THE RECIPE:

My grandmother often made a delicious recipe called Twice Baked Potatoes. I loved them, but they were packed with cheese, cream and butter. So I have created a flavorful “cheese-like,” vegan potato stuffing to replicate Grandma’s specialty, but with a jazzy twist.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS:

POTATOES

• 6 large baked potatoes, cooled or chilled (see note)
• 5½ tablespoons nondairy milk, divided, plus more as needed
• 2 tablespoons Dijon, stone ground or yellow mustard
• 1½ cups cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed, if canned
• 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon sesame tahini
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
• Several grinds of freshly ground black pepper, to taste

GARNISH 

• 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika, plus more for serving (or use more smoked paprika)
• Chopped fresh or dried parsley, for serving (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9 by 12-inch or similarly sized baking pan with unbleached parchment paper. Slice each potato in half, lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the pulp, leaving about 1/4 inch of the potato skin intact. Put the potato pulp into a large bowl. Add 3 tablespoons nondairy milk and the Dijon mustard to the potato pulp. Mash using a potato masher or large fork until almost smooth.

Put the garbanzo beans, 2½ tablespoons nondairy milk, tahini, smoked paprika, salt and several grinds of black pepper into a blender and process until the mixture is smooth. Add the blended garbanzo mixture to the potato pulp, and mash until smooth, adding more nondairy milk if the mixture seems dry.

Put about one-twelfth of the potato mixture into each potato skin and smooth the top using the back of a spoon or a rubber spatula. Sprinkle the top of each potato half with some sweet (or smoked) paprika. Arrange the stuffed potato halves in a single layer in the prepared pan.

Cover and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the filling is heated through. Uncover and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the tops of the potatoes are slightly golden and crusty. Cool for 5 to 7 minutes. Serve 2 potato halves, per person, sprinkled with more sweet paprika and optional fresh or dried parsley.

CHEF’S NOTE:

• I like to use large russet (Idaho) potatoes for this recipe. The potatoes may be baked up to 48 hours in advance of preparing the recipe, and stored (covered) in the refrigerator until use.
• To bake the potatoes, carve a small X on the top of each potato to allow steam to escape during baking. Wrap in parchment paper, then in foil, or place the potatoes directly on the center rack of the oven, cut side facing up. Bake for about 1 hour, or until the potatoes are soft when squeezed (use oven mitts!). Using the oven mitts, carefully remove the baked potatoes from the oven.