This Viral Cheese-Stuffed Sweet Potato Is So Delicious, I Made It for Lunch 4 Times This Week

About a month ago, a video of a Southern teacher named Courtney Cook Bales eating an entire baked sweet potato (skin and all) filled with cheese rolled across my For You Page. Almost immediately, this two-ingredient recipe was everywhere. Turns out, nearly 10 million people have seen the same video I had — but instead of scrolling on, they went into their kitchens to make it. And they were raving about it.

This week, I decided it was finally time to see what all the hype was about. I was skeptical: Could this simple trick really be that good? Honestly? It really is. I’ve now made it for lunch four times in one week. And once I stock back up on sweet potatoes, I’ll do it again and again … and again. 

Get the recipe: Courtney Cook Bales’ Viral Cheese-Stuffed Sweet Potato

Courtney starts by roasting her sweet potato in an air fryer or oven at 300°F for an hour to an hour and 20 minutes depending on the size. Then she keeps the potato in there for another hour or two (or even three!) with the heat turned off, so it’s just a little warm when she goes to eat it. When it’s time to eat, she shoves a couple slices of Butterkäse cheese into the potato. And then, voilà, her “teacher lunch” is ready to go.

When I first made this over the weekend, I took a few liberties. For one, I roasted my sweet potato in a 375°F oven for 45 minutes or so (I’m not patient enough to do over an hour). I bathed my sweet potato in olive oil and salt to make sure the skin would taste really good when it was done. After taking it out of the oven, I shoved in two slices of a cheddar-gruyere hybrid I found (I couldn’t find Butterkäse at my local grocery store). 

The first time I made this, I added the cheese right when I pulled the potato out of the oven because I wanted it melty. But Courtney’s way is better. When the potato is warm but not searingly hot, the cheese gets a little melty but still has some of its original texture, which is really nice. (It’s also easier to eat with your hands when cheese isn’t melting everywhere.)

This recipe brings together two foods I absolutely adore: sweet potatoes and cheese. Because of how few ingredients are used, this dish really lets both shine. Sweet potatoes already have so much flavor, and that natural sweetness pairs so nicely with savory cheese. 

I couldn’t find Butterkäse (which Courtney says is similar to a Havarti), so I ended up going rogue and grabbing a cheddar-gruyere hybrid instead. I wasn’t sure it would work, but it’s actually so perfect. It’s salty, a little tangy, nutty, and slightly sweet, which complements the earthy, hearty sweet potato. 

This lunch is totally delicious as it is, but as a verifiable hot sauce person, I had to try zhuzhing it up a bit. Surprisingly, I like the cheese-stuffed sweet potatoes best without hot sauce. But! A few cracks of black pepper really make a difference. 

• Oil and salt the potato skin. In the videos I’ve seen, Courtney doesn’t typically do this, but I find rubbing the potato all over with olive oil and kosher salt adds some good flavor and helps balance the sweetness of the potato with the savoriness of the cheese.
• Get creative with your cheese. Using the cheddar-gruyere hybrid really opened my eyes to the cheesy possibilities here. Now, I want to try all sorts. On my short-list: pepper jack, smoked Gouda, and dill Havarti. 
• Add black pepper at the end. It’s a small addition, but it makes a big impact. It imparts just a touch of spice and really levels up an already incredible recipe.  

Get the recipe: Courtney Cook Bales’ Viral Cheese-Stuffed Sweet Potato

This post originally appeared on The Kitchn. See it there: This Viral Cheese-Stuffed Sweet Potato Is So Delicious, I Made It for Lunch 4 Times This Week