Make as a side or main dish, twice-baked potatoes are an easy go-to recipe any time!
Double baked potatoes have a crispy skin, and a creamy filling and are topped with bacon, cheddar cheese, and green onions.
Light, fluffy, and filling, this recipe for twice baked potatoes is a keeper!
Best Twice Baked Potatoes
- Baked potatoes get a flavor upgrade when blended with tangy sour cream, milk, and cheddar cheese and then baked twice.
- Assemble a DIY baked potato bar with bowls of toppings! Salsa, guacamole, sour cream, nacho cheese sauce, taco toppings, or a simple sprinkle of your favorite herbs and seasonings make for perfect toppings!
- Budget-friendly and perfect for large families and get-togethers, twice baked potatoes are ready in minutes with minimal prep and clean-up!
Ingredients & Variations
Potatoes: Any variety works, but the best potatoes are the ones you’d use for regular mashed potatoes like russet potatoes or baking potatoes. These thicker skins stay intact for stuffing and get crispy on the outside.
Dairy: Milk, sour cream, and butter provide that classic melt-in-your-mouth texture and flavor that everyone loves! Don’t skip this step for the best flavor! Switch out milk for heavy cream or softened cream cheese for even more velvety goodness!
Toppings: Get creative because twice baked potatoes can be topped with practically anything! Leftover taco meat, chicken, or diced ham, mixed veggies, sautéed mushrooms or onions, chili, or even a zesty bruschetta topping, give twice baked potatoes a fresh flavor profile!
How to Make Twice Baked Potatoes
Make as a side or main dish, twice-baked potatoes are an easy go-to recipe any time!
- Bake potatoes as directed in recipe below or air fry.
- Once slightly cooled, cut potatoes lengthwise and scoop out the flesh, leaving the skins intact.
- Mash potato flesh and add sour cream, milk, butter, half the bacon, half the cheese, half the green onions, and seasonings.
- Spoon potato mixture back into the shells and top with remaining bacon and cheese.
- Bake until the cheese is bubbly and garnish with remaining green onions before serving.
Tips & Tricks
- Choose same-sized potatoes for even baking
- Avoid scraping too much from the shell so it stays firm enough to hold all that tasty filling. A half-inch width is perfect.
- Avoid over-mashing or mixing the potatoes so they stay light and fluffy.
- For easy cleanup, squeeze the filling directly into each shell from a freezer bag with a corner snipped off.
- Make ahead by assembling the prepared potatoes, cover and refrigerate up to 2 days before baking. If cold from the fridge, potatoes may need an extra 5-7 minutes of baking time.
- Keep leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Freeze fully cooled twice baked potatoes by wrapping them in plastic and placing them in a zippered bag for up to 3 months.
- Bake from frozen by placing the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes at 350°F until heated through.
Serving Suggestions
Twice-baked potatoes are delicious served with a variety of meat and vegetarian entrees. The rich and creamy texture of these stuffed spuds goes well with grilled steak or roast beef, baked chicken or roast turkey, even salmon or other types of grilled fish. They are also delicious paired with the earthy flavors found in portobello mushroom caps.
Other Potato Side Dishes!
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Twice Baked Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 large baking potatoes
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 pieces bacon cooked and crumbled (divided)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 2 green onions finely sliced (divided)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- Wash and scrub potatoes thoroughly. Pat dry and poke each potato a few times with a fork to allow steam to escape while baking.
- Rub potatoes with oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Place directly on the oven rack or on a baking tray and bake for 45-60 minutes, or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Remove potatoes from the oven and let them cool slightly.
- Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the potato flesh, leaving the shell intact. Place shells on a baking tray and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, using a potato masher or fork, mash the potato flesh.
- Mix in the sour cream, milk, butter, half of the crumbled bacon, ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese, half of the chopped green onions, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Spoon the potato mixture into the shells, dividing equally between the 8 potato shells. Sprinkle filled potato halves with remaining cheese and bacon.
- Place potatoes in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Remove from the oven and garnish with remaining chopped green onions. Let the potatoes cool for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- Choose baking potatoes of a similar size if possible.
- Leave about ¼ to ½ inch of potato on the skin so it stays firm enough to hold the filling.
- Use a freezer bag with a corner snipped off to pipe the mashed potato filling into each potato shell.
- Twice baked potatoes can be assembled and refrigerated up to 2 days ahead of time. They also can be assembled and frozen for a quick side dish.
- Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information does not include optional ingredients or garnish and is an estimate. It may change based on actual ingredients and cooking methods used.
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