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A true steakhouse classic, Twice Baked Potatoes are doubly delicious and easy to make ahead. These show-stealers are loaded up with lots of cheddar, bacon, and scallions for major flavor in every bite.
Twice Baked Potatoes are one of the fanciest side dishes around. They used to be popular at supper clubs and steakhouses, but they have recently been replaced by the equally delicious, but lazier, Loaded Baked Potato.
I still see Twice Baked Potatoes for sale in the deli cases of grocery stores, but this classic is worth making yourself. It’s a great recipe to make and freeze so you can pull out a piece of dining history whenever the mood strikes.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Potatoes: Starchier potatoes like Russets have sturdy skins and are great for mashing, ideal qualities for making twice-baked spuds. By the way, one potato makes two servings, since they’re sliced in half.
- Scallions: Or substitute chives, dill, or your other favorite herbs.
Step-by-step instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees. With a fork or skewer, poke some holes in each potato to let steam escape during baking.
- Rub each potato all over with olive oil, then season generously with salt and pepper (I like ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper divided among all 4 potatoes).
- Place the spuds directly on the oven rack and bake them for 50 to 60 minutes, until they’re tender and can be pierced easily with the tip of a sharp knife. Remove from oven and let cool at least 10 minutes before handling. Slice the spuds in half lengthwise. With a spoon, carve out the flesh of each potato, leaving the skin in tact, and scoop it into a bowl.
- Mash the potatoes to a smooth consistency. You can use a pastry blender, potato ricer, or even a fork.
- Add the sour cream, half of the shredded cheddar, (you’ll need the rest for topping the potatoes) milk, butter, half of the scallions, (the rest is used for topping) and salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Fill the skins with the potato mixture. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and scallions over the filling and top with the crumbled bacon. Gently press the toppings into the mashed potatoes so they won’t fall off as they bake.
- Return the potatoes to the 400-degree oven. You can place them directly on the rack, or arrange them on a sheet tray to keep things neat. Bake until heated through, 15 to 20 minutes.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes 8 servings from 4 potatoes, 1 stuffed half per serving.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: Stuffed potatoes (before the second bake) can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best results, wait to add extra toppings (cheese, scallions, bacon, etc) until you’re ready to bake them a second time.
- Freezer: Wrap stuffed potatoes (before the second bake) individually in aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Just make sure the potato has completely cooled before wrapping in foil, otherwise you risk food-borne illness. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking in a 450-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Fancy fillings: Use a piping bag, a scoop, or size 20 portioner to fill your potatoes. Some cooks recommend filling a zip-top bag with the filling and cutting off the corner to make an impromptu piping bag.
- Quicker in the microwave: Reduce your cook time in half, from about 60 minutes to 30.
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 450 degrees. Poke a few holes in each potato with a fork or skewer, so they don’t explode in the microwave.
- Microwave the potatoes on HIGH power for 8 to 12 minutes, until the spuds are slightly soft to the touch. Flip them halfway through the cooking time so they cook evenly.
- Rub them with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake directly on the oven rack for 20 minutes or so. Cool at least 10 minutes before cutting in half to scoop.
Recipe FAQs
This Twice Baked Potato recipe is egg-free. Other recipes may include egg as a binder.
To ensure a sturdy base, leave enough potato on top of the skin when you’re scooping out the filling. You may have also chosen the wrong potato (Russets have a lot of starch and hold up well here).
NEVER BAKE POTATOES IN FOIL. Warm cooked potatoes are breeding grounds for bad bacteria. Never wrap potatoes in foil, even to store in the refrigerator. Not only does a bare skin baked potato taste better, but aluminum foil traps heat, so the baked potatoes never cool quickly.
Never eat a baked potato that has been out at room temperature for more than 4 hours. Even 70 degrees is warm enough for the bacteria to grow.
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Twice Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 medium russet potatoes scrubbed and dried (about 2 pounds, see note 1)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese divided
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup butter cut into tablespoons (½ stick)
- 1 bunch scallions divided (about 1 cup, see note 2)
- 8 slices cooked bacon crumbled
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Poke a few holes in each potato with a fork.
- Rub each potato all over with olive oil, then season generously with salt and pepper (I like ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper divided among all 4 potatoes).
- Transfer potatoes to preheated oven and bake directly on oven rack until tender when pierced with a small knife, about 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes.
- Slice potatoes in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out the inside of each potato into a bowl. Mash the potatoes until smooth.
- Add sour cream, ½ cup cheese, milk, butter, ½ cup scallions, and salt and pepper to taste (I like ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper).
- Spoon the potato mixture into the skins, mounding it high (I use a large OXO scoop, a size 20 portioner, and do 2 heaping scoops per potato). Divide the remaining cheese and scallions over the tops and garnish with bacon, pressing the toppings in.
- Return potatoes to oven and bake until heated through, about 15 to 20 minutes longer.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Potatoes: Starchier potatoes like Russets have sturdy skins and are great for mashing, ideal qualities for making twice-baked spuds. By the way, one potato makes two servings, since they’re sliced in half.
- Scallions: Or substitute chives, dill, or your other favorite herbs.
- Yield: This recipe makes 8 servings from 4 potatoes, 1 stuffed half per serving.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: Stuffed potatoes (before the second bake) can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best results, wait to add extra toppings (cheese, scallions, bacon, etc) until you’re ready to bake them a second time.
- Freezer: Wrap stuffed potatoes (before the second bake) individually in aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Just make sure the potato has completely cooled before wrapping in foil, otherwise you risk food-borne illness.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
Excellent recipe, clearly elucidated.
Even as I read, my mouth is watering at the yummy fare I am going to dig into!
Having tasted this dish when I lived in USA, (I am now back in India), I shall hurry to make this dish, and satisfy my palate.
Excellent recipe. Thank you!