Our Twice-Baked Potato Recipe makes an excellent lunch alongside a soup or salad but is also perfect as a hearty side dish.
Working from home affords me the luxury of treating myself to the kind of lunches that are a bit trickier if you have a desk job. As much as I love sandwiches and salads, I’d much rather stop at midday to whip up a perfectly cooked omelette, stack up a veggie burger, or indulge in one of my favorite foods ever: potatoes. I always have plenty on hand to sauté with onions and top with a fried egg, grate into röstis, which I crown with smoked salmon, or bake and fill with everything from last night’s bean chili to a simple dollop of sour cream and chives.
One of my favorite potato lunches, however, is twice-baked spuds. Once the potatoes have been baked, I scoop out their fluffy insides, turning them into a hearty filling that can basically be tweaked to my heart’s content. Though this recipe calls for bacon, cheddar, and spring onions, I am especially partial to Comté and caramelized red onions.
With a crisp green salad on the side or a bowl of soup, I basically have the ultimate lunch. But these potatoes also do quite well as a brunch dish on a lazy Sunday or even as a side to a piece of white fish or grilled chicken.
Tasty variations
Want to give these a little twist? It’s simple! The filling possibilities are endless. Here are some great ideas to get you started:
Buffalo chicken: Combine mashed potatoes, shredded cooked chicken, Buffalo sauce, and cream cheese, then fill the potato skins. Top with blue cheese crumbles and bake. Garnish with green onions and drizzle with ranch dressing.
Broccoli and cheddar: Mix mashed potatoes with steamed broccoli florets, extra-sharp cheddar cheese, and a touch of mascarpone.
Mediterranean: Incorporate crumbled feta, chopped kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh parsley into the mashed potatoes.
Taco-stuffed: Something for Taco Tuesday. Add seasoned ground beef or turkey, black beans, corn, and a dollop of salsa to the mashed potatoes. Top with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.
How do I store leftovers?
Let the potatoes cool completely. Put them in an airtight container or wrap them individually in aluminum foil. You can store them in your fridge for up to 4 days. Freezing potatoes will unfortunately alter their texture, so I don’t recommend doing so. When it’s time to enjoy them again, remove the potatoes from the fridge and let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. You can either microwave them (be sure to remove the aluminum beforehand!) or reheat them in the oven at 350°F for 20-25 minutes.
Serving suggestions
While you can totally eat one of these spud-tastic delights on their own with a bowl of Homemade Tomato-Basil Soup or a salad, you can also serve them alongside our Fiesta Lime Chicken, which only takes 25 minutes to prepare, or these succulent Instant-Pot Pork Chops.
Twice-Baked Potato Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 large russet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 spring onions finely sliced
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Place the potatoes on the baking tray, poke holes in them with a fork, and drizzle with the olive oil. Bake for approximately 1 hour, or until fork-tender.
- While the potatoes are baking, fry the bacon in a hot skillet for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Chop up roughly and set aside.
- Once the potatoes are done, allow them to cool briefly for approximately 15 minutes. Carefully cut off the top third of each cooled potato lengthwise. With a spoon, gently scoop out the fluffy flesh and put it into a mixing bowl.
- Mash the potato with a masher or a fork until smooth. Add the butter, sour cream, milk, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix all the ingredients until well combined.
- Add the crispy bacon, spring onions, and half of the grated cheddar cheese to the bowl of mashed potatoes.
- Generously fill each potato skin. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese over each potato. Set the oven to BROIL (or you can use a grill) and heat the potatoes for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
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