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Twice Baked Potatoes were both of my brothers’ favorite side growing up – we ate it for dinner with everything, including Steak, Fried Chicken, Meatloaf, and Baked Chicken Thighs! My recipe reminds me of the ones we ate growing up but the fluffy potato filling is EXTRA delicious – creamy, cheesy, and seasoned to perfection!
Watch the Twice Baked Potatoes Recipe Video Below!
Table of Contents
If you’re not familiar: Twice Baked Potatoes are whole potatoes that are first baked in the oven, then the fluffy inside is scooped out and mixed with delicious seasonings before stuffing the hollowed potato skins to be baked a second time. Every bite is like the perfect baked potato with all of your favorite toppings!
Ingredients for Twice Baked Potatoes
- russet potatoes – these are sometimes called Idaho potatoes (only for potatoes grown in Idaho). Do not peel them! I recommend using russet potatoes because they are large and sturdy enough to hold up to being baked twice. A thinner-skin or smaller potato will not work for this recipe. I like that the inside is dry and starchy, which makes them perfect to take on the flavors of the add-ins.
- If you prefer Yukon gold potatoes, make Crispy Smashed Potatoes or my creamy Mashed Potatoes!
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- olive oil – if you don’t have olive oil, you can use any neutral oil (like avocado, canola, vegetable, peanut, or grapeseed oil) – this is for baking the potatoes before scooping out the inside
- unsalted butter – I recommend using unsalted butter and adding salt to taste, if needed – the filling has kosher salt and cheddar cheese, so I personally did not think it needed salt. Don’t forget, it’s always easier to add salt than it is to take it away!
- sour cream – if you want to lighten this dish up, you can substitute with greek yogurt. Note, it won’t be exactly the same as sour cream but it will be close.
- whole milk
- garlic powder
- fresh chives, minced
- sharp cheddar cheese – I like to use freshly grated chees but you can also use pre-shredded; my favorite brand of cheese is Tillamook.
- Cheddar cheese is a staple in my household and in my recipe – I used it for sides like Cheddar Biscuits and Jalapeno Popper Wonton Cups! It’s als a staple in my favorite dips like Buffalo Chicken Dip, Baked Crab Dip, and Crab Rangoon Dip!
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!
Recipe Instructions
1. Bake the Potatoes
Pre-heat the oven to 375F.
Scrub the russet potatoes of any excess dirt, then dry them thoroughly. Be careful not to scrub off the skin – you need it to stay intact!
Rub each potato with olive oil, then season generously with salt and pepper. Seasoning now will start building flavor.
Poke the potatoes all over with a fork (this will help them cook evenly), then place on a wire rack lined baking sheet and bake at 375F for 1 hour.
2. Scoop Out the Insides
Carefully slice off the top third of the potato lengthwise, then scoop out all the inside of the potato into a large bowl. I personally prefer this over cutting them halfway because the additional height helps to keep the potatoes sturdy. If you want to make a large quantity of Twice Baked Potatoes, you can slice them in half instead.
Make sure to leave about a ½ inch base of potato in the skin – this will also help them stay sturdy.
3. Make the Filling for the Potato Skins
To the potatoes, add butter, sour cream, milk , salt, pepper, garlic powder, and chives. Mash together with a potato masher, then fold in the cheddar cheese until combined well. You want every bite to have a little bit of everything!
4. Fill the Potatoes and Bake for a Second Time
Evenly distribute the filling among the potatoes. I like to place dollops of filling in each potato skin to ensure they’re even before smoothing them.
Top each potato skin with the remaining cup of cheddar cheese and bake at 425F for 30 minutes until golden brown. Enjoy!
PRO TIPS
Expert Tips for Making The BEST Twice Baked Potatoes at Home!
- I recommend using Russet potatoes for this dish. Note: Russet potatoes are sometimes called Idaho potatoes but only for potatoes that were grown in Idaho. Do not peel them! Russet potatoes are large and sturdy enough to hold up to being baked twice, and the inside is dry and starchy, making them ideal to take on the flavors of the add-ins. A thinner-skin or smaller potato will not work for this recipe.
- If you’re looking to lighten this dish up you can swap out sour cream with greek yogurt. It won’t taste exactly the same but it will be close enough!
- I like to slice off the top quarter of the potato (versus half) so you have a deeper, sturdier potato skin. (This also means more filling to enjoy!) If you are making a large quantity of Twice Baked Potatoes, you can slice them in half instead (this will yield 2x the number of potatoes you are using for the recipe).
- Make sure to leave 1/2″ base of potato in the potato skins so the potato skins maintain structure and stay sturdy when baked again with the filling inside.
- Optional – I like to add bacon to mine for a meaty, crispy crunch and a textural contrast. You can also add other vegetables like sauteed mushrooms, leeks, or caramelized onions.
My Favorite Side Dishes
I think it’s common knowledge that the best part of every meal is the sides – that’s why I have so many delicious side recipes! A great meal always starts with a dip – make my crowd pleasing Baked Crab Dip, Spinach and Artichoke Dip, or Buffalo Chicken Dip. I love roasting vegetables – try my Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Honey Glazed Carrots, Roasted Green Beans with Bacon, and Roasted Cauliflower recipes! Guests love to have my Garlic Herb Compound Butter and Cheddar Biscuits as part of their meal!
Storage, Reheating, and Make Ahead Tips
Store any leftover Twice Baked Potatoes in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Any leftover filling can also be stored in an airtight container (or in a bowl with plastic wrap on top) for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Reheat in the oven at 350°F for 20-30 minutes until the potatoes are warmed through.
If you are making this ahead of time, I would make steps 1-3 (bake, hollow, mix filling) and then store in the refrigerator until ready to bake (no longer than 3 days). Place the hollowed out potato skins on a baking sheet, tray, or plate, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. When ready to consume, finish step 4 and serve!
If you tried this Cheesy Twice Baked Potatoes Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Twice Baked Potatoes (Best Method!) (VIDEO)
Ingredients
- 6 large russet potatoes
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- ¼ cup fresh chives, minced
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, divided in half
Instructions
- Scrub the russet potatoes of any excess dirt then dry them thoroughly. Rub with olive oil then season with salt and pepper. Poke them all over with a fork then place on a wire rack lined baking sheet and bake at 375F for 1 hour.
- Carefully slice off the top third of the potato lengthwise, then scoop out all the inside of the potato into a large bowl, leaving about a ½ inch base in the potato skin.
- To the potatoes add butter, sour cream, milk , salt, pepper, garlic powder, chives. Mash together with a potato masher then fold in the cheese until combined.
- Evenly add the potato filling to the potato skins until all the filling is used. Top with the remaining cup of cheddar cheese then bake at 425F for 30 minutes until golden brown.
Notes
-
- I recommend using Russet potatoes for this dish. Note: Russet potatoes are sometimes called Idaho potatoes but only for potatoes that were grown in Idaho. Do not peel them! Russet potatoes are large and sturdy enough to hold up to being baked twice, and the inside is dry and starchy, making them ideal to take on the flavors of the add-ins. A thinner-skin or smaller potato will not work for this recipe.
-
- If you’re looking to lighten this dish up you can swap out sour cream with greek yogurt. It won’t taste exactly the same but it will be close enough!
-
- I like to slice off the top third of the potato (versus half) so you have a deeper, sturdier potato skin. (This also means more filling to enjoy!) If you are making a large quantity of Twice Baked Potatoes, you can slice them in half instead (this will yield 2x the number of potatoes you are using for the recipe).
-
- Make sure to leave 1/2″ base of potato in the potato skins so the potato skins maintain structure and stay sturdy when baked again with the filling inside.
-
- Optional – I like to add bacon to mine for a meaty, crispy crunch and a textural contrast. You can also add other vegetables like sauteed mushrooms, leeks, or caramelized onions. You can also add sour cream to garnish the twice baked potatoes in addition to chives!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
