Cheddar Bacon Twice Baked Potato

Cheddar bacon twice baked potato is the ultimate comfort food side dish. Best of all, you can eat the entire potato, skin and all!

Ever have one of those days when everything seems to go awry?

Earlier this week, I accidentally washed a brand new bright red shirt with a bunch of light colored clothing.  I don’t need to explain what happened there.

Then, I forgot that I had a pitcher of cold brew coffee that was supposed to be strained a day ago.  To top it off, a new cake recipe didn’t work out.

Those kind of rough days require a ton of bacon, cheddar, and potatoes.  That’s where these cheddar bacon twice baked potatoes come into play.

Loaded Twice Baked Potato

As the name indicates, these potatoes are baked twice. The initial bake softens the potato. The interior of the potato is scooped out and flavored. Then, the potato is stuffed with filling and baked a second time.

There is something so comforting about potatoes.  It’s nearly impossible to be sad while eating potatoes, whether the potatoes are baked, fried, mashed, or smashed.

My love of twice baked potatoes stems from my mom’s famous twice baked ranch potatoes.

Ingredients: Variations and Substitutions

• Russet potatoes are best for this recipe. Idaho potatoes are great alternative. Ideally, you want to use a starchy potato. I recommend using small or medium sized Russet potatos. Small potatoes roughly weight about 5 oz (1/3 pound) each. Medium potatoes roughly weight 8 oz (1/2 pound each).
• Olive oil is a versatile cooking oil. It’s great for roasting. Other options: grape seed oil, avocado oil, or vegetable oil. Rub the potatoes in oil and generously season with salt before baking.
• Garlic is the vanilla extract of the savory world. You can’t go wrong with adding a little extra garlic for flavor! I suggest starting with 4 garlic cloves, add more or less depending of your preferences. Roasted garlic is another way to really amp up the flavors.
• Unsalted butter allows you to control the saltiness of your baked potatoes. If you choose to use salted butter, season the potato filling mixture sparingly.
• Half & half is a combination of milk and cream. It’s a richer than whole milk, but not as rich as heavy cream. Swap in heavy cream for a more decadent, rich baked potato.
• Shredded sharp cheddar cheese is ideal for this recipe. However, you may sub in your choice of cheese such as parmesan, colby, pepper jack, or gouda. For best results, shred your own cheese!
• Thick bacon slices adds a nice smoky flavor. It also provides a bit of crunch to this otherwise soft dish. For extra flavor, some rendered bacon fat is added to the smashed potato filling.

How to Make Twice Baked Potatoes

These start off like any other baked potato.

1. Scrub the skins of the potato clean, pat dry, dock the potatoes a few times with a a fork, generously rub the potatoes with oil and season with salt. Bake until tender.
2. Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut a silt lengthwise on each potato. Scoop out insides and place in a large bowl.
3. Gently smash potato chunks into smaller pieces. Don’t go overboard and accidentally make mashed potatoes.
4. Add cooked bacon, reserved bacon fat (optional), butter, salt, and pepper, half & half, and cheese to potato chunks. Fold to combined.
5. Spoon seasoned potato mixture back into empty potato skins. Sprinkle more shredded cheese over stuffed potatoes. Place stuffed potatoes back in the oven for another 15-25 minutes until warm throughout. Remove from oven. Garnish with sour cream, shredded cheese, and bacon bits.

Storage Instructions

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave in 45 second intervals until warmed throughout. Or, reheat in in a 400 degrees F oven for 15-20 minutes until heated throughout.

Once the potatoes are stuffed, they can be kept frozen for longer storage or kept in the fridge until ready to reheat to serve.