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Twice Baked Potato Recipe

Easy Comfort Food

This twice baked potato recipe is a favorite side dish at our house. That’s probably because it has the perfect blend of cheese, sour cream, and onions baked right into it.

Pan of loaded twice baked potatoes on a pan, ready to go in the oven

The first time you bake them is to soften them up so you can mix in all the other yummy stuff, like the cheese, sour cream, and whatever else you want to add. The second time is to bake all of the goodness together so that the flavors blend.

Serve them with these baked beef ribs, and everyone at the table will be so happy! They’re also great with this pecan crusted fish! Or serve them at a baked potato bar!

Twice stuffed potato with melted cheese and green onions.

What You Need to for This Twice Baked Potato Recipe

You only need a few ingredients to make these mounds of deliciousness.

In addition to the potatoes (preferably russet potatoes), here’s what you’ll need:

  • Shredded cheese
  • Sour cream
  • Onions

I sometimes add bacon bits, but this time I didn’t. I like cheddar cheese, but sometimes I use Colby or Monterey Jack. It’s all good. Add salt and ground black pepper to taste.

2 potatoes on a plate

Any kind of large potato is good for baking, but I usually have plenty of russet potatoes in my pantry. Although you can use any type of onion, I used green onions for these.

Cheese, green onions, and sour cream

I sprinkled a tiny bit of seasoned salt into the mixture, but it really wasn’t necessary. There’s enough saltiness in the cheese and tangy taste in the sour cream. You can add pepper, but again, these potatoes don’t need the extra flavor.

Here are some other ingredients you can add if you like:

  • Cream cheese
  • Italian seasoning
  • Chili powder
  • Paprika
  • Chives

Experiment with flavors you like. If you’re not sure about anything you’d like to add, try it on a small amount of potato.

How to Make Twice Baked Potatoes

Poke some holes in the potatoes and bake them in the microwave until they are tender.

Fork poking holes in a potato

Mix the sour cream, shredded cheese, onions, bacon (optional) and any other seasoning you want to add.

Sour cream, chopped onion, and shredded cheese in a bowl.

After the potatoes are done, cut them in half lengthwise.

Halved potatoes before they're stuffed and baked the second time.

Next, scoop out the center of the potato and put it in a bowl. Make sure you leave at least 1/4 inch of potato next to the skin, or they’ll cave in or fall apart.

Super thin potato skins are difficult to stuff. That little extra potato stuck to the skin adds stability to the shell.

Scooping out the center of the potato.

Using a fork, mash the potato. If you want it extra fluffy or creamy, you can use a mixer and add a couple of tablespoons of milk. I like texture and firmness in my potatoes, so I don’t use a mixer.

Add all of the ingredients to the mashed potatoes and stir well.

Filling for the twice baked potatoes.

Scoop the potato mixture evenly into the potato skins. Add more shredded cheese on top and sprinkle some chopped onion tips on them.

This is more for garnish than anything, although it does add even more onion flavor. You can also add paprika if you want the red color on top.

Twice baked potatoes before they are baked the second time.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes, until the cheese melts and begins to turn a light brown color.

Air Fryer Version

If you have an air fryer, you can do the final step in the air fryer. It’s super easy, but you’ll need to pay close attention to them so they don’t burn.

Turn your air fryer to 350 and check on them after 10 minutes. If they’re not the way you want them, keep putting them back in 3-5 minute increments. After you do this a time or two, you’ll know how long to finish them off in the air fryer.

What to Serve with Twice Baked Potatoes

These potatoes go with almost any meal. If you have steak, it’s even better than a plain baked potato.

Or you can skip the meat and serve it with some steamed vegetables or this cucumber tomato corn salad.

Potatoes – Ultimate Comfort Food

Potatoes are a comfort food for many people, including me. I love them in all forms, including these twice-baked potatoes, French fries, potatoes au gratin, and any other way you want to serve them to me.

I even love tater tots, which is why I love this hamburger tater tot casserole and this breakfast tater tot casserole.

My friend Julie makes these easy crockpot mashed potatoes that are super yummy.

While we’re on the subject of potatoes, if you haven’t tried these creamy buttermilk garlic mashed potatoes, you’re really missing out. Give them a try. I bet you’ll love them!

I’ve even been known to have a leftover twice-baked potato alone for lunch the next day. Since it’s filling and satisfying, I don’t get the urge to snack before dinner.

Another dish we enjoy is these honey mustard roasted potatoes. Not only are they are packed with flavor, but they’re also easy to make.

Taking a bite of a twice baked potato.

Personalize Your Recipe

I’m a big believer in tampering with recipes to make them more suited for my personal taste. For that reason, I encourage you to add other items you like.

Twice baked potatoes with melted cheese and green onions.

Some other things that are good in these potatoes are mushrooms, olives, capers, and pimentos. If you think you might like something, try adding it to a small section of your potato. That way, you won’t waste a whole potato if it’s not as good as you think it will be.

Versatile Side Dish

There’s a reason that potatoes are so popular. They’re a great side dish for so many different types of food. Plus they work well in a wide variety of casseroles.

Yield: 4 servings

Twice Baked Potato Recipe

Twice baked potato on a plate with a fork

Twice baked potatoes are great as a side dish or all by themselves!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 large potatoes
  • 3/4 cup of shredded cheddar or Colby cheese
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons onions, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons green onion tips, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped bacon bits (optional)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Poke about a dozen holes in the raw potatoes and bake them in the microwave until they are tender. For 2 large potatoes, it takes about 10 minutes.
  3. While the potatoes are cooking, mix the sour cream, 1/2 cup of the cheese, and onions in a bowl. Add the bacon bits if you are including them.
  4. Remove them from the microwave and allow them to rest for about 5 minutes.
  5. Cut them in half lengthwise. After they are cool enough to handle, scoop out the insides of the potatoes, leaving about 1/4” of potato attached to the skin to keep it from caving in.
  6. Fork-mash the potatoes. Add the mashed potatoes to the sour cream and cheese mixture.
  7. Scoop the mixture back into the potato skins. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the potatoes and garnish with the green onion tips.
  8. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 30 minutes, until the cheese melts.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 430Total Fat 24gSaturated Fat 14gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 69mgSodium 498mgCarbohydrates 36gFiber 4gSugar 3gProtein 18g

The nutrition information is a product of online calculators. I try to provide true and accurate information, but these numbers are estimates.

Did you make this recipe?

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See this recipe shared at Weekend Potluck, Meal Plan Monday, and Full Plate Thursday.

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3 Comments

    1. Hi Kim. I’ve done it both ways, and it always turns out fine. However, I think depends on how you plan to heat them up later. If you want to put them in the oven to reheat them, probably not. However, if you want to reheat them in the microwave, I would.

  1. Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday,442 and come back soon!
    Miz Helen

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