Get ready because today we're diving into the delicious world of twice baked potatoes with bacon. Imagine digging into a potato that's crispy on the outside and unbelievably creamy on the inside. It's the ultimate comfort food and the perfect side dish with a delightful twist! Trust us, you won't be able to resist them!
These babies are the epitome of comfort, and we have to say that the one thing they aren't is boring.
In this recipe, we'll show you just how incredible these spuds can be and why they deserve a prime spot on you and your family's plate. we'll also guide you through the steps that you need to take, from prepping to baking, ensuring your twice baked potatoes turn out just right.
Looking for more easy side dishes? Give our Air Fryer Sweet Potato Wedges and Rosemary Hasselback Potatoes a try!
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Reasons Why You'll Love This Recipe
It's a classic side dish as well as a main dish
It's the ultimate comfort food
It is easy to make and reheats really well
It tastes even better as a leftover
It’s delicious, flavorful, super tasty, and moist
It has a creamy texture and tastes even better the next day
Key Ingredients
Russet potatoes: Some people like using Yukon gold potatoes and others like using red potatoes but we prefer using large russet potatoes because they are easy to work with.
Bacon bits: You can either buy bacon bits from the store or cook bacon on a skillet or in your oven.
Green onions (sliced): They are also called scallions and are used in this recipe for flavor and garnish.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees for your first bake. Place the washed and dried potatoes on a baking sheet. Brush them lightly with a little olive oil.
Bake the potatoes for about an hour or until they can be easily pierced with a fork. After that, let them rest and cool down.
Once the potatoes have cooled down, slice them in half with a sharp knife and scoop out the insides. Place the potato insides in a large bowl.
Add butter, half of the cheese, sour cream, milk, and green onions to the bowl as well. Mix all the ingredients together with a hand mixer, potato masher, or wooden spoon until they are well combined.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees f for your second bake.
While the oven is preheating, place the potato shells onto a baking tray or a rimmed baking sheet that’s lined with parchment paper. Fill the shells evenly with the mashed potato mixture you made.
Sprinkle cheese and bacon pieces on top of the potato and place it at the center of your preheated oven rack for a second time. Bake them for about 15-20 minutes, or until the potato filling warms back up.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
The best time to scoop out the potato flesh is after the potatoes cool down. The last thing you want to do is burn yourself while baking this delicious dish.
You can make these potatoes ahead of time, place them in an airtight container and then pop them in your oven when you’re ready for dinner or lunch.
The 2 ways we use to get the mixture into the potato shells are with a spoon and we sometimes put the mixture in a freezer bag, cut a corner of the bag, and then squeeze the mixture into the potato shell.
You can use a large spoon, a melon baller, or an ice cream scoop to remove the inside of the potatoes.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
We usually reheat our twice-baked potatoes at 375 degrees for about 30-40 minutes.
We recommend wrapping them with plastic wrap and then putting them in a ziplock bag before popping them in your freezer.
Substitution and Addition Ideas
We recommend using large russet potatoes but jumbo potatoes would work as well.
Instead of sour cream and green onions, you can use plain Greek yogurt and shallots. Chives will also work.
Other ingredients you can add to your mashed potatoes are Sautéed or caramelized onions and mushrooms, ham, pancetta, goat cheese, Monterey jack cheese, black pepper, kosher salt, shrimp, broccoli, onion dip, spinach, turkey bacon, blue cheese, and more!
Recipe FAQs
What can I serve these potatoes with?
You can serve twice-baked potatoes with a salad, steak, rib roast, beef tenderloin, beef bourguignon, meatloaf, green beans, and more! Twice-baked potatoes are wonderful because they make a great side dish as well as a complete meal on their own.
When can I make this recipe?
We usually make this recipe for Father’s Day and Christmas dinner.
If I freeze this, should I defrost it before baking?
No, you don't need to. All you need to do is preheat your oven to 375 and bake them for about 40 minutes to 1 hour. Or, until the center of the mashed potato filling is hot or warm enough for you.
Is it okay to bake the whole potatoes a bit longer?
Yes, if you like your potatoes a little nutty you can bake them at 350 degrees for 3 hours. Your potatoes will be ready when a knife can easily go through them.
Whether you're looking for a hearty companion to a juicy steak or a fancy appetizer for your next gathering, these twice-baked potatoes with bacon are your ticket to Flavor Town. So, grab your apron and ingredients, and let's make this delicious dish!
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Recipe
Twice Baked Potatoes
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Small mixing bowl
- Large mixing bowl
- Electric mixer
- Potato masher
- Wooden spoon
- Parchment paper
- Ziplock bag
- Spoon
- melon baller Ice cream scoop.
Ingredients
- 4 russet potatoes, washed and dried
- 1 cup bacon bits
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 green onion sliced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, or more!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees for your first bake. Place the washed and dried potatoes on a baking sheet. Brush them lightly with a little olive oil.
- Bake the potatoes for about an hour or until they can be easily pierced with a fork. After that, let them rest and cool down.
- Once the potatoes have cooled down, slice them in half with a sharp knife and scoop out the insides. Place the potato insides in a large mixing bowl.
- Add butter, half of the cheese, sour cream, milk, and green onions to the bowl as well. Mix all the ingredients together with an electric mixer, potato masher, or wooden spoon until they are well combined.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees for your second bake.
- While the oven is preheating, place the potato shells onto a baking tray or a rimmed baking sheet that’s lined with parchment paper. Fill the shells evenly with the mashed potato mixture you made.
- Sprinkle cheese and bacon pieces on top of the potato and place it at the center of your oven rack. Bake them for about 15-20 minutes, or until the potato filling warms back up.
Risa says
These look so good! Cheesy bacon potatoes? Yes, please! We are going to try these this week.