Twice baked potatoes start off as a plain baked potatoes then we transform them by making a creamy, cheesy, mashed potato filling and stuffing it back into the potato shell.
Like these twice baked potatoes, creamed spinach and this brussels sprouts casserole make great side dishes to steak, juicy pork chops and ribs. Forget going out, make a restaurant worthy meal in the comfort of your own home.
What is a twice baked potato?
A twice baked potato is a baked potato that has the inside scooped out. Then it is made into a fluffy mash with milk, butter, sour cream, etc. and usually combined with mix ins like cheese and bacon. This delicious mixture is stuffed back in the potato shell and baked, making it a “twice” baked potato.
Ingredients
Potatoes – The best potatoes to use for twice baked potatoes are russets, also sometimes called Idaho or baking potatoes.
Dairy – Butter (regular salted), sour cream, and milk (use whole or reduced fat)
Seasoning – We keep the seasoning simple with salt, pepper and ranch seasoning. The ranch adds a touch of extra flavor to the creamy potato filling. Find it in the salad dressing aisle of most supermarkets.
Mix-ins and toppings – Bacon and shredded cheese are used in the filling and to top the potatoes. Use regular sliced bacon so it crumbles nicely and for the cheese, Colby jack, cheddar, Monterey jack or cheddar jack will work well. Garnish the potatoes and a sprinkle of chopped chives or green onions.
Recipe tips
- Choose potatoes that are roughly the same size, so they cook at the same rate.
- You don’t have to wrap the potatoes in foil. The benefit of doing so, is that the foil will keep the skin moist, and it will have a fuller, less wrinkled appearance. For these twice baked potatoes I prefer to wrap them in foil.
- The cooking time will depend on the size of the potatoes. Always test the largest (fattest) potato to gauge the remaining cooking time.
- Try to make the mash while it is still warm. Let the potatoes cool enough so you can handle them safely but don’t let them get cold.
Bake the potatoes
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Scrub the potatoes thoroughly using a vegetable brush and pat dry. Prick them a few times on all sides with the tip of a sharp knife. This allows the steam that builds up inside the baked potato to escape while it’s baking.
Cut a piece of foil approximately 16 inches long. Make it large enough so that you can wrap the potato a few times. Wrap each potato and fold in the ends.
Place them on a baking sheet or shallow pan.
Bake for 65-75 minutes, or until a sharp knife slides in and out easily without offering any resistance. The cooking time is going to depend on the size of the potato.
If the potatoes are not done, rewrap and continue baking for 10-15 minutes at a time and test again.
Remove the potatoes from the oven and carefully open the foil to vent. Allow them to cool enough where you can handle them.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Slice the potatoes in half, lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh leaving about a ¼ inch on the bottom and all the way around the skin. Place the scooped-out potato in a large bowl.
- Mash the scooped-out potato with a fork until there are no large chunks and it is crumbly. Add the butter while it is still warm, so it melts. Then add the milk, sour cream, ranch seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir well while mashing until they are smooth and fluffy.
- Next, stir in the shredded cheese and the crumbled bacon.
- Spoon the mashed potato filling into the potato shells and arrange them on a baking sheet.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until heated through. Top the twice baked potatoes with a pinch of shredded cheese and bacon and bake another 2-3 minutes until the cheese melts.
Garnish with chopped chives or green onions, serve and enjoy.
Make ahead and storing
To make these potatoes ahead of time, bake the potatoes, make the filling and stuff them. Do not do the second bake. Instead, arrange them on a pan or platter without stacking, cover them with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for 1 day.
When the stuffed potatoes are refrigerator cold, I bake them for 15-20 minutes covered with foil to let them warm, then uncover and bake as directed.
Store any leftover twice baked potatoes in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until hot all the way through.
You may also like these potato side dishes:
- Garlic Parsley Potatoes
- Baked Potato Slices
- Garlic Dill Potatoes
- Baked Potato
- Loaded Potato Salad
- Warm Potato Salad
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📖 Recipe
Twice Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 medium-size Russet Potatoes about 2 pounds (Idaho potatoes/baking potatoes)
- 2 tablespoons Butter softened
- ¼ cup Sour Cream
- ¼ cup Milk use whole or reduced fat
- ½ teaspoon Ranch Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 6 Bacon Strips divided - cooked crisp and chopped or crumbled (4 slices for the filling and 2 strips for garnish)
- ¾ cup Shredded Cheese divided - Colby jack, cheddar, Monterey jack or cheddar jack will work well (½ cup for the filling and about ¼ cup for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon Chives or Green Onions chopped, for garnish
Instructions
Bake the potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Scrub the potatoes thoroughly using a vegetable brush and pat dry.
- Prick the potatoes a few times on all sides with the tip of a sharp knife.
- Wrap each potato in a piece of aluminum foil (about 16 inches long) and fold in the ends.
- Place them on a baking sheet or shallow pan.
- Bake for 65-75 minutes, or until a sharp knife slides in and out easily without offering any resistance. The cooking time is going to depend on the size of the potato.
- If the potatoes are not done, rewrap and continue cooking for 10-15 minutes at a time and test again.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven and carefully open the foil to vent. Allow them to cool enough to handle.
Make the potato filling
- Slice the potatoes in half, lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh leaving about a ¼ inch on the bottom and all the way around the skin. Place the scooped-out potato in a large bowl.
- Mash the scooped-out potato with a fork until there are no large chunks and it is crumbly.
- Add the butter while it is still warm, so it melts. Then add the milk, sour cream, ranch seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir well while mashing until they are smooth and fluffy.
- Next, stir in the shredded cheese and the crumbled bacon.
- Spoon the mashed potato filling into the potato shells and arrange them on a baking sheet.
Bake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake them for 25 minutes until heated through. Top with shredded cheese and bacon and bake another 2-3 minutes until the cheese melts.
- Garnish with chopped chives or green onions, serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Choose potatoes that are roughly the same size, so they cook at the same rate.
- The cooking time will depend on the size of the potatoes. Always test the largest (fattest) potato to gauge the remaining cooking time.
- Try to make the mash while it is still warm. Let the potatoes cool enough so you can handle them safely but don’t let them get cold.
Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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