These easy twice-baked potatoes are a delicious side dish with a creamy mashed potato filling stuffed in crispy potato skin and topped with melted cheddar cheese. They're made with minimal ingredients, perfect for parties or potlucks, and can be made ahead of time for easy entertaining.
Contents
🌟 Why this recipe works
This easy twice-baked potato recipe is the perfect side dish for any meal. Potatoes are a staple in most households, like roasted potatoes or Hasselback potatoes - and this recipe is a great way to spruce up your usual potatoes into something creamy and delicious.
What makes these twice-baked potatoes so amazing is the creamy mashed potato mixture made with butter, sour cream, milk, and cheddar cheese that is stuffed into the crispy potato shells and baked again with melted cheddar cheese on top.
This recipe is so easy to make and only requires a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen. Although the recipe takes around 1 hour and 30 minutes in total to bake, it only requires 15 minutes of prep work.
This recipe is so versatile too. You can add in any of your favorite toppings, like bacon, chives, or green onions. Get creative and make these your own!
These potatoes are the perfect side dish for any occasion, whether it's a weeknight dinner or a special holiday meal. So, next time you’re looking for a new and exciting way to cook your potatoes, try this twice-baked potato recipe!
🍽 Key Ingredients
The key to making the perfect twice-baked potato is to start with good-quality potatoes. Look for potatoes that are uniform in size and shape to bake evenly.
Potatoes - Yukon golds or Russet potatoes are the best choices for making these twice-baked potatoes.
Butter - Just a spoonful of butter is all you need to cook the peppers and onions.
Green pepper and onion - These 2 veggies are added to the potato mixture for color, flavor, and a bit of bite.
Sour cream and milk - The sour cream and milk are mixed with the scooped-out mashed potatoes to give them a lovely creamy texture,
Cheddar cheese - Cheddar cheese is used both in the filling and on top to give them a nice golden color.
Paprika - This is an optional ingredient, but it does add a lovely color and flavor to the dish before serving.
Substitutions
Sour cream
If you don't have sour cream, you can use cream cheese or heavy cream.
Cheddar cheese
You could use a variety of cheese for this recipe, so use what you have on hand. Some good options are mozzarella, Colby, Monterrey jack, or blue cheese.
Green pepper
You can use other colored peppers for this as a substitute for green. Red and yellow peppers are slightly sweeter.
🔪 How to make
To make the best twice-baked potatoes, simply bake the potatoes, scoop out the mash and fill the potato flesh with the mashed potato filling and bake again to melt the cheese. Easy and delicious!
Preparations
- Finely dice the onion and pepper.
- Clean and wash potatoes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).
Cooking instructions
Step 1
Pierce the potatoes a few times with a fork and rub them with olive oil and salt. Place them on a baking sheet and bake potatoes for about 1 hour until tender.
Step 2
While the potatoes are baking, heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat and cook the chopped pepper and onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Tip: Check the cooked potatoes to see if they're soft. Remove them from the oven if they are and if they're not, then bake for another 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 3
Cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out the soft potato into a large bowl without breaking the potato skin. Mash the soft potato with a potato masher or fork until no lumps remain.
Step 4
Mix the cooked peppers and onions with mash potatoes, then add sour cream, milk, and ⅔ of the cheddar.
Step 5
Stuff the potato skins with the mashed potato filling, then sprinkle on top of the remaining cheese.
Step 6
Put the potato halves on a baking sheet and bake in the top third of the oven for 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.
Step 7
Serve with a sprinkle of paprika, chopped green onion, or chopped chives.
💭 Cooking tips
Large potatoes
If your potatoes are on the larger side, you might want to cut them into thirds or quarters instead of halves to save time waiting for them to become soft.
Sitting the potatoes
No two potatoes are alike, so don't worry if your potato shells don't sit properly in the oven when stuffed. To prevent your potatoes from capsizing in the oven, create a platform with aluminum foil under the potato skins to sit nicely before stuffing and baking them.
📖Recipe Variations
These creamy potatoes can be customized to your liking with all sorts of different toppings, from green onions to bacon bits and other veggies. Try your hands at some of our favorite creations to fill the twice-baked potatoes.
Chicken and bacon stuffed potatoes
Give your twice-baked potatoes a meaty facelift by sautéing 1 cubed chicken breast and 6 bacon rashers until crispy and cooked, then combine that with the other mashed potato ingredients.
Taco baked potatoes
If you love Mexican food, you'll love these taco baked potatoes with all your favorite taco ingredients. Follow the recipe as instructed, then top these creamy twice-baked potatoes with the taco meat and cheese and bake until crispy. Top with chopped jalapenos, tomatoes, cilantro, etc.
Chili stuffed potatoes
Chili and potatoes are a match made in heaven, so why not put them together by making this easy Texas roadhouse chili recipe! Fill the potato shells ¾ full of the creamy mash mixture, spoon the chili over the top, and bake with shredded cheese.
🥗 What to serve with
These twice-baked potatoes are perfect for serving as a side dish to accompany the main meal. Potatoes pair with so many dinner recipes, like casseroles, slow-cooked stews, fried food, and classic comfort food.
You can find many of these dishes and more easy comforting recipes to make in our best comforting fall recipes guide, and if you're a fan of crock pot cooking, check out the best crock pot recipes and slow cooker meals).
Or if you're looking for soul food for the heart to pair with these absolutely delicious twice-baked potatoes, then the best Sunday dinner soul food recipes are for you.
There's something for everyone, from mac & cheese to Southern-fried chicken and red beans & rice.
Check out my easy and quick stuffed pork chops filled with delicious pesto sauce and mozzarella cheese which will pair amazing with this dish.
🙋 Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a baked potato and twice baked potato?
The difference between a baked potato and twice baked potato is that a twice-baked potato has the insides scooped out, mixed with other ingredients, then stuffed back into the skins, and baked again.
Why are the potatoes twice-baked?
Baking potatoes twice gives them a crispy outer shell and a soft and fluffy inside. The first bake is to cook the potatoes all the way through until they are nice and tender, and the second bake is to melt the cheese on top and give the potatoes a golden-brown finish.
🧊 Storing and ♨️ reheating
If you have any leftover twice-baked potatoes, they can be enjoyed the following day once cooled.
Fridge - place potatoes in an airtight container and consume within 2 days.
Freezer - place leftover twice-baked potatoes in an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating - preheat oven to 350F/180C and place on a baking sheet for 15 minutes until hot. Alternatively, you can reheat them in the microwave on high for 2-3 minutes.
🍳 Related recipes
Check out our best-ever breakfast potatoes and the best potato salad. Both are perfect for any meal or occasion and are guaranteed to be a hit with family and friends.
For more potato ideas check out my collection of best russet potato recipes with plenty of recipes for you to pick!
👪 Serving size
These twice-baked potatoes are hearty and filling, so one potato half is usually enough per person. However, if you're serving them as a side dish, you may want to consider doubling the recipe.
We hope you enjoy these twice-baked potatoes as much as we do. It's the perfect comfort food for any occasion and the best potatoes for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Thanks for reading, and happy cooking!
Video how to make it
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Try one of my comfort dinner recipes for your next family meal! And if you have any questions, I'm here to help!
📋 Recipe
Stuffed Twice Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 potatoes
- ⅓ cup butter
- 1 green pepper - diced
- 1 small onion - chopped
- to taste salt and pepper
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup milk
- 1 cup cheddar cheese - shredded
- 1 teaspoon paprika - for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Pierce the potatoes a few times with a fork, rub with a little olive oil and salt and bake until tender, about 1 hour.
- While the potatoes are baking, heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium low heat and cook the pepper and onion together until soft, about 5 minutes. Generously salt and pepper and set aside.
- When the potatoes are soft, cut them in half and scoop out most of the cooked insides into a bowl. Add the peppers and onions to the bowl and stir together well, then stir in the sour cream, milk, and about ⅔ cup of the cheddar until well combined.
- Stuff this back into the hollowed out potato skins and top with the remaining cheese.
- Put the potato halves on a baking sheet and bake in the top third of the oven for another 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown. Sprinkle with paprika and serve.
Jane Smith
I would add jalapenos... mmmmmmm 🙂
Anonymous
Perfect
Anonymous
I wonder if I could make and freeze these--for later use?????
Anonymous
Fine u crank. You
Neal
I made these with roasted Hatch green chilis, corn, black beans, a little cumin and mild chili powder, used a little fat free yogurt for sour cream, topped with green onion and a little shredded cheese.