To throw the perfect party, you need to do a little prep work. Maybe it’s deep-cleaning the house and getting out those special plates — or just buying some fun disposable ones. Perhaps you’re doing all the cooking and want to prepare a food menu guests will love; in that case, don’t sleep on a potato bar. Sure, it’s unconventional, but with the right toppings and setup, it’s bound to be a hit.
The best thing about potatoes is there are so many ways to prepare them. You can make baked potatoes, french fries, smashed crispy potatoes, or even hash browns, and with every potato style comes a new set of topping possibilities. To set up the potato bar, it’s best to prepare the potato styles — as many or as few as you want — in advance, and use food-warming trays to keep them hot while guests mosey down the assembly line. The toppings should be varied; you want to give basic potatoes a major upgrade that guests will talk about. Cheese is a must, but make sure there’s also a good mix of hearty, healthy, and spicy options.
The best toppings for your potato bar
The toppings will depend on two things: your guests and your potato type. If you’re offering baked potatoes, considering having some shredded cheddar and sour cream at the topping table. For french fries, you can prepare some kind of cheese sauce that guests scoop with a spoon (or even add a little mac and cheese). And if you’re offering smashed potatoes, then guests will build nacho-style plates where the crispy potatoes replace the chips, so jalapeños and black beans are a must.
Use a blend of healthy and hearty. Lean protein and veggies like shredded chicken, green onions, hot peppers, and chopped broccoli are delicious, better-for-you options that guests can pair with cheese and a little sour cream. Heartier choices like bacon, pulled pork, and cheese sauce will bring tons of flavor. Guests can mix and match however they please, and you can write out some topping pairings on a board for the table so guests don’t feel overwhelmed with all the choices.
How to prep a potato bar
Once you’ve chosen your potatoes and topping options, you need to set everything up in a way that maintains organization. The best way to do this is to create an assembly line. For ease, make all of the potatoes in advance. Set the fries in a tray over a food warmer or the baked potatoes to rest in a warm slow cooker. And make sure you follow good recipes for each and that you know how to make the best baked potato — a crispy skin and moist interior is key.
Keep the potatoes and plates right at the front of the line, then follow it with an assembly line of how people would normally layer their potatoes. Shredded cheeses and cheese sauce first, followed by meats, then veggies, then any extra garnishes or dolloped toppings, such as green onions and sour cream, which might go on last. In that order, people won’t be reaching back or getting out of line.
Place utensils and napkins at the end of the line. If someone drops a fork or needs a second napkin while eating, they don’t have to squeeze in between guests who are building their potatoes. Make sure to follow general food safety rules and refrigerate perishable foods within two hours at room temperature, per USDA standards — and by the end of the night, the potato party just might be a new tradition.
