Perfect Twice-Baked Potatoes (Really!)

A twice-baked potato: it tastes so nice, we did it twice! Enrich the flavor of a spud by removing it from its skin, mixing it with bacon, onion, and cheese, and then replacing it. The result is mind-blowing.

Why didn’t anyone TELL me you could bake a potato twice?!

This was my reaction when I learned I could up my “potato” game by repeating the steps of a recipe (it’s actually a bit more complicated than that but not much more complicated) and serving up a twice-baked potato. What you’re essentially doing is using the flesh of a potato to make mashed potatoes, loading it up with all the fixin’s, adding said mashed potatoes back to the skin, then baking once more so that the finished potato is piping hot and covered in melted cheese. It’s simple AND delicious — the two things I look for when evaluating a recipe.

Why You Will Love This Recipe //

• The creamy mashed potatoes with sour cream, crispy bacon, and melted cheese make it super delicious.
• You can easily mix things up by adding different cheese or protein to the mashed potato mix (see the ‘Variations’ section for more).
• Even though the recipe takes a little while to prepare, it is really quite an easy recipe to follow and the result is awesome.

Ingredients //

While this is a recipe for potatoes, the majority of your shopping will take place in the dairy section.

• 4 large russet potatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 slices of streaky bacon
• 1 tbsp butter
• ½ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup whole milk
• ½ cup cheddar, grated
• salt and pepper
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced

How to Make Twice-Baked Potatoes // The Steps

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Step 2: Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil. Use a fork to poke holes in them. Place the potatoes on the lined baking tray and bake for 1 hour or until a fork slides into them easily.

Step 3: While the potatoes bake, fry the bacon in a hot skillet until it is completely crispy, the crispier the better. Use a knife or scissors to cut it up into small pieces. 

Step 4: Once the potato is cooked and cool enough to handle, use a sharp knife to cut off the top third of the potato lengthwise. Scoop the inside of the baked potato out with a spoon and put it into a bowl. 

Step 5: Using a potato masher or a fork, mash the potato until it’s smooth. Add in the butter, sour cream, milk, salt, and pepper.

Step 6: Add the diced bacon, spring onion, and half the grated cheese into the bowl and combine.

Step 7: Scoop the mashed potato mix back into the potato skins. Sprinkle on the potato the rest of the grated cheese. Set the oven to GRILL and place the potatoes inside for 2 – 3 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

Variations //

Mediterranean-Style: Mix in chopped sun-dried tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese, and chopped black olives into the potato filling. Add dried oregano and drizzle with olive oil.

Buffalo Chicken: Toss shredded cooked chicken breast with buffalo sauce then stir it up with the potato filling. Throw some crumbled blue cheese on top. Bake until the cheese bubbles. Garnish with chopped green onions. A good one if you have leftover meat to get through.

Spinach and Feta: Sauté some fresh spinach. Once it has wilted, squeegee out any excess moisture (I don’t recommend using an actual squeegee). Mix with crumbled feta cheese and work it into the potato filling.

Taco-Style: Add taco seasoning and a mix of chili powder, cumin, and paprika to flavor the potato. If you want something more substantial, incorporate cooked ground beef or shredded cooked chicken. If you want something even more substantial, throw in some black beans and corn kernels. For toppings, go with a shredded Mexican cheese blend and chopped cilantro.

Serving Suggestions for a Twice-Baked Potato //

Butternut Squash Soup: The potato will bring the carbs and the dairy; let this soup bring the veggies. While both can be considered sides, when you pair them, you get a satisfying lunch.

Fried Cube Steak: Steak and potatoes obviously needed to be included. Pan-fried, breaded meat lines up nicely with a twice-baked potato, and will keep you filled for a long time.

Stovetop Chicken Breast: Another protein option, and perhaps a healthier one than the fried steak. This chicken features herbed garlic butter, which would complement the potato nicely.

FAQs //

How to Store a Twice-Baked Potato //

Let the potatoes cool completely. Wrap them individually in plastic or store them in an airtight container. You can then keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you want to keep the potatoes for longer, you can freeze them, though this is more an option if you have yet to add the dairy (i.e., the sour cream and cheese), so basically, just the baked potato. If you would like to freeze the baked potato, just wrap each individually then set inside an airtight container or resealable bag. The potatoes should keep for up to 3 months.

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