Twice Baked Potatoes-Salty and crisp baked potato shells stuffed with light and fluffy mashed potatoes, cheese, and bacon. These cheesy potatoes are a family favorite side dish and go great with any meal!
Twice Baked Potatoes
Potatoes are always a home run at our house. Anytime potatoes are on the menu, in any form, I can guarantee the boys will be excited. Twice Baked Potatoes are probably their favorite potatoes and I am not surprised because they are basically the ultimate potatoes!
What is a twice baked potato? Basically, a crispy baked potato shell that gets stuffed with creamy mashed potatoes, lots of cheese, bacon, and garnished with fresh chives. They are called twice baked because they get baked twice, once to bake the potato and once to cook after they are stuffed with cheesy mashed potato goodness! Twice baked potatoes are basically the king of all potatoes. Hello, comfort food!
How to Make Twice Baked Potatoes
- First, wash the potatoes well and dry them. Pierce the potatoes with a fork and lightly oil them. Place on a large baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees F for 45 minutes to an hour or until potatoes are soft. If you are in a pinch, you can cook the potatoes in the microwave.
- With a sharp knife, slice the potatoes in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the flesh with a spoon, leaving about a 1/4-inch thickness of flesh in each shell. Put the potato flesh into a medium bowl and place the potato shells back on the baking sheet.
- Add the butter, sour cream, milk, chopped bacon, cheese, garlic powder, paprika, green onion, salt and pepper to the potato flesh. Mash until desired consistency.
- Fill the potato shells evenly with the mashed potato filling. Top each potato with a shredded cheese and place in the oven. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and top each potato with chopped bacon, chives, and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.
How to Reheat Twice Baked Potatoes
You can keep leftover baked potatoes in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, place them back in the oven until the cheese is melted. You can reheat in the microwave, but this isn’t our preferred method because the potatoes tend to get a little soggy.
How to Freeze Twice Baked Potatoes
You can freeze twice baked potatoes. If you are making them in advance, you can fill them and freeze them. Don’t top with the cheese, bacon, and chives. Wait until they are cooled and then put them on a baking tray and put in the freezer for 1 hour. Remove and store in a freezer container or you can wrap them individually in foil or plastic wrap and put in a freezer bag. To reheat, thaw potatoes in the fridge for 24 hours. Add the cheese and bake according to recipe instructions or until heated through. Remove from oven and top with bacon and chives. You can heat in the microwave, but the oven is the preferred method.
If you twice baked your potatoes and want to freeze leftovers, let the potatoes cool completely. Place on a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour. Remove and store in a freezer container or you can wrap them individually in foil or plastic wrap and put in a freezer bag. To reheat, thaw potatoes in the fridge for 24 hours. Bake according to recipe instructions or until heated through. You can reheat in the microwave is the preferred method.
What to Serve with Twice Baked Potatoes
Twice baked potatoes are the perfect side dish to almost any meal and they are always a hit during the holidays. You will often find them on the menu at Easter and Christmas time. They go great with ham, chicken, steak, or fish. You could also serve them with a salad and soup.
More Potato Recipes:
For the potatoes:
-
4
medium russet potatoes
(washed, dried, and rubbed lightly with oil)
For the filling:
-
6
tablespoons
butter -
1/2
cup
sour cream -
1/2
cup
milk -
3
pieces
cooked bacon chopped -
1/2
cup
shredded cheddar cheese -
1/2
teaspoon
garlic powder -
1/2
teaspoon
paprika -
1
green onion
sliced - Kosher salt and pepper to taste
For the topping:
-
1
cup
shredded cheddar cheese -
3
pieces
cooked bacon chopped -
1
tablespoon
finely chopped chives - Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Poke the potatoes with a fork and place the potatoes on a large baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the potatoes are soft. Remove from the oven and turn the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
With a sharp knife, slice the potatoes in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the flesh with a spoon, leaving about a 1/4-inch thickness of flesh in each shell. Put the potato flesh into a medium bowl and place the potato shells back on the baking sheet.
Add the butter, sour cream, milk, chopped bacon, cheese, garlic powder, paprika, green onion, salt and pepper to the potato flesh. Mash until desired consistency.
Fill the potato shells evenly with the mashed potato filling. Top each potato with a shredded cheese and place in the oven. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and top each potato with chopped bacon, chives, and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.
Nutrition Facts
Twice Baked Potatoes
Amount Per Serving
Calories 352
Calories from Fat 225
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 25g
38%
Saturated Fat 14g
70%
Cholesterol 64mg
21%
Sodium 339mg
14%
Potassium 537mg
15%
Total Carbohydrates 21g
7%
Dietary Fiber 1g
4%
Sugars 2g
Protein 10g
20%
Vitamin A
13.3%
Vitamin C
7.9%
Calcium
20.2%
Iron
6.5%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword
twice baked potatoes
