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Twice Baked Potatoes

Twice Baked Potatoes are a cozy, classic dish that’s all about flavor and texture. They’re baked, scooped, mashed, and then baked again for that perfect mix of creamy insides and crispy tops. The spuds are loaded with your favorite toppings, like cheese and bacon, and have a way of being both totally indulgent and comforting. They’re perfect for a side dish or a light lunch.

Side dishes can make or break a meal and twice-baked potatoes definitely will make a dinner even better. The delicious combination of textures and flavors has kept this dish popular for generations and easily customizable. Go simple with cheddar and bacon, or all out with leftovers of this slow cooker shredded buffalo chicken, or mix it with your favorite vegetables. Serve them with Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, too.

A close-up image of two plates filled with twice-baked potatoes. The potatoes are topped with melted cheese, crispy bacon, and green onions. A bowl of sour cream is also visible on the plate.

Until I was an adult, I thought Twice Baked Potatoes were so fancy and we only had them on Christmas with our slow cooker spiral ham. I know better now and they can be an easy weeknight side and still be fancy to serve on holidays. They go with slow cooker everything seasoning pot roast, oven baked chicken bites, or by themselves!

Twice Baked Potatoes

Twice Baked Potatoes are a comfort food staple, blending the rich, creamy texture of mashed potatoes with a crispy skin. As the name suggests, they’re baked not once but two times, resulting in a simple, yet elegant dish.

When making this Russet potatoes are the best choice. Their thick skins can withstand two rounds of baking, and their fluffy interior makes for a creamy, flavorful filling. Although, you can use use baby reds or Yukons to make an a delicious mini twice baked potato appetizer. The process involved is baking a Russet, scooping out the flesh, mixing it with your favorite toppings, filling the skins, and then returning to the oven to bake again. The result is a crispy, cheesy, and utterly delicious treat.

close up of cheese and bacn stuffed potato

Timesaving Tips and Variations

  • Be sure to wash and pat dry the vegetable.
  • Don’t skip the pricking of the skin. This allows steam to escape and keeps the skins from splitting.
  • For the first bake, make sure they are fully cooked and soft all the way through. Test with a fork, if it slides in easily, they’re ready.
  • To prepare this recipe in advance, you can bake the spuds and scoop out the flesh. Mix up the filling as directed and stuff the shells. Store filled skins in the fridge until ready to bake. Bring to room temperature before baking.
  • Substitute the cheddar for your favorite cheese.
  • Use turkey bacon instead.
  • Mix roasted garlic and shredded Parmesan into the mashed filling for a savory twist. Top with extra Parmesan for a golden crust.
  • Add small steamed broccoli florets to the filling.
  • Top the filled taters with tangy BBQ pulled pork and a drizzle of BBQ sauce before the second bake.
  • Add seasoned ground beef or turkey, a bit of taco seasoning, and shredded cheese.

By following these simple tips, you can elevate your side dish game and it will impress your guests.

serving platter with baked potatoes

How to Store and Reheat Twice Baked Potatoes

You can store twice baked potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. They reheat well in the microwave, but if you have some extra time you can certainly reheat them in the oven or air fryer at 350 degrees until warmed through.

To freeze them, wrap tightly in plastic, then place in an air-tight freezer container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Defrost before reheating.

What to Serve with Twice Baked Potatoes

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Tools Needed for Twice-Baked Potatoes

The necessary tools you will need are common kitchen items. I am recommend a few gadgets you may not have but easily substituted with ones you do have.

  • baking sheet
  • skillet
  • potato masher (or you can use a ricer or electric hand mixer)
  • knife
  • cutting board
  • spoon
  • mixing bowl

Ingredients

These are the ingredients I used to make a traditional doubled baked potato, you may use other foods to make your own version.

  • Russet potatoes
  • sour cream
  • cup milk
  • bacon
  • olive oil
  • unsalted butter
  • shredded cheddar cheese
  • scallions
  • Salt and pepper to taste
ingredients for baked potatoes

This recipe relies on a handful of simple, everyday ingredients that come together to deliver a big punch of flavor.

How to Make Twice Baked Potatoes

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Wash and scrub the baking potatoes thoroughly. Pat them dry and prick them with a fork a few times to allow steam to escape during baking.

Rub with oil and sprinkle with salt. Place them directly on a baking sheet. Bake for about 45-60 minutes, or until they’re tender when pierced with a fork.

potatoes on baking sheet ready to bake

Fry the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Drain on paper towels and then chop or crumble. Set aside.

bacon frying in skillet

Remove the potatoes from the oven and let them cool slightly so you can handle them. Cut each in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the insides, leaving a thin shell to hold the filling.

scooping out cooked potato from skin

In a mixing bowl, mash the potato insides with a fork or potato masher. Add the sour cream, milk, butter, half of the crumbled bacon, half of the shredded cheddar, half of the chopped scallions, salt, and pepper. Mix well until the ingredients are combined and the mixture is creamy.

add rest of ingredients in the bowl with mashed potato
mash filling for potato skins

Spoon the mixture back into the shells, mounding it slightly. Top each with the remaining shredded cheddar and crumbled bacon.

stuff skins with filling on sheet pan
add crumbled baon and bake again

Place the pan back in the oven and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

overhead view of cheesy bacon stuffed taters

Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining chopped scallions. Let the potatoes cool for a few minutes before serving.

twice baked potatoes on plate

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feature image for twice baked potatoes

Twice Baked Potatoes

Twice Baked Potatoes are pure comfort food! Fluffy mashed potatoes loaded with cheese, bacon, and more. The perfect side dish for any meal.
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Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Lisa Kerhin

Ingredients

  • 4 large Russet baking potatoes
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 scallions, finely sliced
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
  • Wash and scrub the baking potatoes thoroughly. Pat them dry and prick them with a fork a few times to allow steam to escape during baking.
  • Rub with oil and sprinkle with salt. Place them directly on a baking sheet. Bake for about 45-60 minutes, or until they’re tender when pierced with a fork.
  • Fry the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Drain on paper towels and then chop or crumble. Set aside.
  • Remove the potatoes from the oven and let them cool slightly so you can handle them. Cut each in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the insides, leaving a thin shell to hold the filling.
  • In a mixing bowl, mash the potato insides with a fork or potato masher. Add the sour cream, milk, butter, half of the crumbled bacon, half of the shredded cheddar, half of the chopped scallions, salt, and pepper. Mix well until the ingredients are combined and the mixture is creamy.
  • Spoon the mixture back into the shells, mounding it slightly. Top each with the remaining shredded cheddar and crumbled bacon.
  • Place the pan back in the oven and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
  • Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining chopped scallions. Let the potatoes cool for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

see blog post for tips and variations

Nutritional Disclaimer

“Blogghetti” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

Tried this recipe?I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this one! I hope you try it, enjoy it, comment and rate it, and share it with your friends and family!

Holiday Side Dishes to Try

This week is the annual holiday side dish event hosted by Heather from Hezzi D’s Recipe Box. Check out more recipes!

  • The Best Baked Corn Casserole by Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box
  • Homemade Old-Fashioned Dressing by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
  • Palak Paneer Cornbread by Magical Ingredients
  • Carrot Souffle by Shockingly Delicious
  • Pumpkin Dinner Rolls by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
  • Cabbage Salad with Oranges and Pecans by A Day in the Life on the Farm
  • Keto Cauliflower Mac & Cheese by Sneha’s Recipe
  • Herbed Garlic Potatoes by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
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    4 Comments

    1. Wendy Klik says:

      Twice baked potatoes are the best and worth the effort for sure.

    2. Karen's Kitchen Stories says:

      I always thought twice-baked potatoes were just restaurant special occasion food too. I finally realized they are well worth making at home on a regular basis. Yours look fabulous and thanks for mentioning my mini potatoes!