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Twice Baked Potatoes — serving inspiration
Illustrative serving idea.

Kitchen notes · a little help before you start

Twice Baked Potatoes

A potato filled with fluffy mash and melted cheddar is a welcoming thing to put on a plate. Crisp bacon runs through the creamy middle, with green onion bringing a fresh bite. Scoop into it while the cheese is warm and the filling is soft.

Prep
20 min
Cook
70 min
Total
90 min
Original yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
10 listed

Make it part of your week

Estimating…
DinnerLunchAmericanPorkPrep: 16–30 minutesTotal: over 60 minutesBakingBaked & roasted
Recipe categories & planning details
Meal type
Dinner · Lunch
Primary protein
Pork
Cuisine
American
Cooking method
Baking · Baked & roasted
Preparation & total time
Prep: 16–30 minutes · Total: over 60 minutes

A few quick notes

1. Prick the potatoes

Wash and dry the potatoes well, then prick each several times with a fork before oiling, salting and baking.

2. Leave a sturdy rim

Scoop carefully after halving the cooled potatoes, leaving about a quarter-inch rim so the skins can hold the filling.

3. Fold after mashing

Mash the potato with its creamy ingredients first, then fold in bacon, green onion and the first portion of cheddar.

Get to know the ingredients

Russet potatoes

Large, sturdy Russets are a good choice here. Their thick skins hold their shape, and their fluffy centers mash well.

Crisp bacon

Cook the bacon until brown and crispy, drain it on paper towels, then chop once cool enough to handle.

Divided green onions

Half the sliced green onions go into the filling. Save the remaining half for scattering over the potatoes after their second bake.

Let’s make it

Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.

MAKE IT YOURS

Ingredients

Original recipe: Serves 8. Original quantities shown.

Estimating…

Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.

How to make it

0 of 9 steps complete

Make room for Twice Baked Potatoes

Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.

The last little job

Melt the top cheese

Bake the filled potatoes until heated through and the cheddar topping melts, then scatter over the remaining green onions.

A little more help as you go

Use the first bake

Cook the bacon while the whole potatoes bake, leaving it time to cool before chopping for the filling.

Make the mash fluffy

Use a potato masher or hand mixer to blend the scooped potato with butter, sour cream, milk and seasonings until fluffy.

A few questions you might have

How do I know the whole potatoes are ready?

They should pierce easily with a fork. The first bake's length depends on the size of the potatoes.

Should I cut the potatoes while piping hot?

Let them cool slightly first, until they are comfortable to handle, then halve lengthwise and carefully scoop their centers.

How much cheddar goes in the mash?

Fold half a cup into the potato mixture, then use the remaining cheddar over the filled skins before the second bake.

How full should each skin be?

The directions use about a third of a cup of potato mixture in each skin before adding the cheese topping.

Does the second bake cook the potatoes from raw?

The potatoes are already fork-tender from their first bake. The second bake heats the filling through and melts the cheddar.

Any more cooking tips?

You’ll want to use a large, sturdy potato like Russet potatoes for this recipe because their thick skins hold up well to being scooped and baked twice, and their fluffy interior makes the perfect creamy filling. They’re also easy to mash and absorb flavors beautifully, which is exactly what you want in a twice-baked potato!

Storage & reheating safety

For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.

These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures

Recipe source: budgetbytes.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.

Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.

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