Twice baked potatoes are Josh’s favorite. Anytime I give in and make them, I’m reminded that they are much simpler to make than I give them credit for! You can also make these a day or two ahead of time, and just pop in the oven before dinner – and I love anything that I can make in advance, especially if you’re hosting!
You can truly add anything you like to the filling to make this a meal in itself, but we generally like to keep it simple and have them as a side.
The recipe below is more of a guideline based on how many servings you need and your preferences, but it should definitely get you there!
My best tips are:
- Use Russet Potatoes – best for baking and structure for the shells.
- Warm your milk – this prevents the filling from being gummy. Add a little at a time, you may not need it all.
- Cook your bacon while the potatoes are baking – gives it time to cool/drain the grease.
- Use a hand mixer for the fluffiest potatoes (but don’t over mix).
Y’all let me know what you think!
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Simple Twice Baked Potatoes
- Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
These twice baked potatoes are so delicious and much simpler than you may think!
Ingredients
- 4 Medium Russet Potatoes (scrubbed clean and dried)
- 1 TBS Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper
- 2–4 TBS Unsalted Butter
- 1/3 Cup Warm Milk
- 1/2 Cup Sour Cream
- 1 TBS Fresh Chives (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1 &1/2 Cups Grated Cheese (I usually use a mix or medium cheddar)
- 5–6 Strips of Cooked Bacon (drained and chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F & line a baking sheet with foil.
- Prick each potato a few times with a fork and coat with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper – flip and repeat.
- Bake potatoes at 400 degrees F for 45-60 minutes OR until fork tender (larger potatoes may longer
- Remove from oven and let potatoes cool 5-10 minutes (do not turn off oven). When cool enough to handle, slice each potato in half lengthwise. Scoop out most of the inside of the potato, leaving about 1/4” around the top edges and a little bit on the bottom and sides so the skin doesn’t tear.
- Transfer potato skins back to the baking sheet, brush with a little bit of olive oil and bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add scooped out potato filling to a large bowl along with butter, milk, sour cream, salt and pepper. Mix until smooth (I use a handheld electric mixer), then taste and add more ingredients as needed.
- Then stir in chives, half of the bacon and 1/4 cup cheese. Again, add additional milk if needed to reach desired texture
- Spoon mashed potatoes back into the potato skins, slightly mounding in the middle. Top with remaining ¾ cup cheese and bake at 400 degrees for approximately 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Top potatoes with remaining bacon. Garnish with additional chives or green onions and fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
How to Make Ahead of Time
- Fill potatoes with filling but do not top with cheese
- Cover potatoes with foil or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- When ready to serve, place potatoes on foil lined baking sheet and top with cheese.
- Bake potatoes at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes OR until heated through and cheese has completely melted.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Sides
- Method: Baking
Keywords: Baked Potato, Twice baked potatoes, sides
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