Description
Twice Baked Potatoes are a comforting and indulgent side dish featuring crispy baked potato skins filled with a creamy mixture of mashed potato, crispy bacon, green onions, butter, cream, and cheddar cheese. Finished with a golden, bubbly cheese topping and garnished with sour cream and fresh chives, this classic recipe combines crispy textures and rich flavors perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Potatoes and Seasoning
- 4 x 300g / 10oz potatoes (Sebago/Russet/Maris Piper/King Edwards)
- 1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
Bacon and Filling
- 200g / 7oz streaky bacon, chopped into small batons
- 120g / 8 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup cream (pure or thickened/heavy)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 3 green onions, finely sliced
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Garnish
- 1 1/2 tbsp chives, finely chopped
- Sour cream (recommended!)
Instructions
- Bake potatoes: Preheat oven to 220°C / 430°F (200°C fan). Place a rack on a tray. Wash, scrub, and dry potatoes well. Prick each potato 8 times with a fork. Place potatoes in a bowl, pour over oil, and rub onto potatoes. Sprinkle salt and coat as best as possible. Place potatoes on the rack and bake for 75 minutes or until easily pierced with a small knife.
- Cook bacon: Place bacon in a cold non-stick pan over medium heat. When fat starts to melt, increase to high heat and cook until golden and crispy. Drain bacon on paper towels.
- Heat butter and cream: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add cream and heat until hot, but do not boil. Alternatively, this can be done in a microwave.
- Prepare potatoes to stuff: Lower oven temperature to 200°C / 390°F (180°C fan). Allow baked potatoes to cool enough to handle. Cut each potato in half lengthwise and carefully scoop out the flesh, leaving a 0.7 cm (1/3″) thick layer of potato attached to the skin.
- Mash potato flesh: Place scooped potato in a bowl and mash while still hot until smooth.
- Mix filling: Add half the shredded cheese, most of the cooked bacon (reserve some for garnish), all green onions, hot cream with butter, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper to the mashed potato. Stir everything to combine thoroughly.
- Stuff and top potatoes: Fill the potato skins with the mashed potato mixture. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly on top.
- Bake again: Bake stuffed potatoes at 200°C / 390°F (180°C fan) for 20 to 25 minutes until the cheese melts, turns golden, and becomes bubbly.
- Serve: Serve immediately, garnished with sour cream, reserved bacon bits, and chopped chives for added flavor and presentation.
Notes
- Choose starchy potatoes like Russet, Sebago, Maris Piper, or King Edwards for best texture.
- Cook bacon thoroughly until golden and crispy to add a nice crunch and flavor.
- You can substitute canola oil with vegetable oil or any neutral oil.
- For a richer filling, use heavy cream, but pure cream or thickened cream works well.
- If preferred, sour cream can be omitted or replaced with Greek yogurt for garnish.
- Make sure not to scoop out too much potato flesh to keep the skins sturdy.
- The recipe can easily be doubled for larger servings.
- Allow baked potatoes to cool slightly before handling for easier scooping.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American/United Kingdom
Keywords: Twice baked potatoes, stuffed jacket potatoes, baked potatoes, cheesy potatoes, bacon potatoes, comfort food
