One of the best side dishes – it goes with everything – is Twice Baked Potatoes. The fluffy interior of the baked potato is mixed with sour cream, bacon, butter, and cheese, then baked a second time.
» Looking for more delicious ways to serve potatoes? Check out 23 Potato Side Dishes to Serve With Any Meal or 19 Delicious Potato Main Dish Recipes.
We serve these as a side dish for dinner all the time. I’ll admit, I’m somewhat addicted to potatoes – especially crispy roast potatoes and smashed potatoes – but it’s incredibly hard to resist these twice baked potatoes.
While they do take time to make because the potato has to be pre-cooked for an hour, they can be frozen before the second bake, and there’s nothing easier than getting one out of the freezer and baking it whenever you want.
Another great thing is that you can add in whatever ingredients you want to make different variations. I suggest trying them the original way first, then you can get as creative as you want.
I hear a lot of people say they mix cream cheese into the potato filling to make it a bit creamier. Lots of people add shredded chicken or black beans, or even crab meat to make it into a meal.
If you love this potato you really should try these crispy potato skins.
Why Are They Called Twice Baked Potatoes?
The answer is simple. These potatoes are cooked twice. First they are baked until the interior is cooked through. Then the flesh is scooped out, mixed with additional ingredients, like sour cream and butter, then it’s scooped back into the potato skins and baked a second time.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Baking potatoes – Baking potatoes have a thicker skin that will help when you are scooping out the flesh.
- Olive oil – This is a seasoning for the outside of the potato. It helps make the entire potato appealing to eat.
- Bacon – Use strips of your favorite bacon. It is cooked and crumbled.
- Sour cream – The tangy, creaminess of sour cream is the perfect additional to the filling. If you don’t like sour cream you could substitute cream cheese.
- Milk
- Butter – We always use salted better for savory recipes.
- Salt and pepper
- Cheddar cheese – Shredded cheddar adds flavor and creaminess. You could use Monterey Jack, pepper jack, Colby or Gouda.
- Green onions
How to Make Twice Baked Potatoes
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Rub the potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. I think this step makes the entire potato appealing to eat.
Set the potatoes on a baking tray and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour. You can turn them over halfway through to ensure even cooking. They’re done when a knife can be inserted through the potato without resistance.
Meanwhile, cook the bacon and crumble it.
When the potatoes are done, remove them from the oven and let them cool for 5-10 minutes. It’s best if the flesh is not hot when you add the other ingredients to it.
Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh with a spoon, up to 1/4″ from the skin.
How to Not Break the Skin
The skin of potatoes can be very thin. You don’t want to break into it when you’re scooping out the flesh. There are three ways to avoid this.
- Buy baking potatoes that have a thicker skin.
- Use a spoon to carefully carve out the flesh. Don’t use a knife or fork that might pierce or break the skin.
- Don’t scoop out so much of the flesh. We recommend leaving a 1/4″ shell around the outside to act as a boat for the filling.
Place the scooped out insides into a mixing bowl. Add the crumbled bacon, sour cream, milk, butter, salt and pepper, plus half the shredded cheese. Stir well to combine. You can mix this by hand or with a hand mixer.
Scoop the mixture back into the potato shells. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Garnish with green onions and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can They Be Prepared Ahead?
You can partially prepare this recipe a day or two ahead of time. Get them all ready to bake a second time and then you can cover with plastic wrap and put them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to finish them with the second bake.
If you go this route, you’ll need to increase the second baking time to 30 minutes, since they’ll be cold.
How Long Should I Cook Twice Baked Potatoes?
Set the potatoes on a baking tray and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour. You can turn them over halfway through to ensure even cooking. They’re done when a knife can be inserted through the potato without resistance.
Once the mixture is added back into the potato shells, top with remaining cheese and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until heated through.
Can You Freeze Twice Baked Potatoes?
You can freeze the potato halves before the second baking. At this stage, they are already cooked, but will need to be reheated through before serving.
The great thing about freezing them is that most of the work is already done and you can just get one out of the freezer and cook it whenever you want.
It will take around 45 minutes to 1 hour to bake from frozen at 400 degrees F. I recommend baking for 30 minutes, then adding the shredded cheese on top, so it doesn’t get burned.
Main Dishes to Serve This With
Beef
Oven-Baked Tri Tip Steak
Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs
Chicken
Marinated Grilled Chicken Thighs
Instant Pot Whole Chicken
BBQ Baked Chicken Wings
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Twice Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 large baking potatoes
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 4 slices bacon
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 2 green onions sliced, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Rub potatoes with olive oil. Set on a baking tray and bake for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, cook the bacon and crumble it.
- When the potatoes are cooked, remove them from the oven and cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the potato up to 1/4″ from the skin.
- Place the scooped out insides into a mixing bowl. Add the crumbled bacon, sour cream, milk, butter, salt and pepper, plus half the shredded cheese. Stir well to combine. You can mix this by hand or with a hand mixer.
- Scoop the mixture back into the potato shells. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- Garnish with green onions and serve.
Nutrition
Other Potato Side Dish Recipes To Try
- Oven-Baked Crispy Smashed Potatoes
- Roasted Parmesan Sweet Potatoes
- The Best Crispy Roast Potatoes You’ll Ever Make
- Honey Sriracha Roast Potatoes
Click for Even More Potato Side Dish Recipes
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Laura is a home cook who loves making new recipes and finding new favorite things to eat, whether at home or abroad. She also runs a popular travel blog and spends a lot of her time traveling for food.
Looks delicious! Can’t wait to try this one. I think my family would love it!
These are a perfectly delicious side dish or meal. Love everything in them.
My favorite steak house side dish! These look so perfect – who needs the steak really!
twice baked potatoes are one of my fave ways to enjoy potatoes! yours are delicious
Those potatoes are to die for, so creamy inside. Thank you for the recipe