Baked russet potatoes are mixed with cheese, sour cream, bacon, garlic and butter and then piled high into the potato shells and baked with cheese on top. This makes a super deluxe side dish! (AKA. Twice Baked Potatoes)
optional - extra chopped green onions and crumbled bacon
Instructions
Baked Potatoes
Preheat the oven to 400℉.
8 large russet potatoes
Wash the potatoes well, then place on a rimmed baking sheet (optional, can also put directly in the oven) and prick on all sides with a sharp paring knife or fork.Rub the outside with a little olive oil and sprinkle on kosher salt.
olive oil, kosher salt
Bake for about *1 hour 15 minutes. *Potatoes can vary greatly in size and therefore baking time. You will know your potatoes are cooked through when they reach an internal temp of 210℉.
Scooping The Potato
Let the potatoes cool for about 15 minutes before handling.
Cut them in half lengthwise (giving you 8 potatoes).
With a spoon scoop out the fluffy hot potatoes from the middle of each potato half into a large bowl. Leave some of the potato around the edge of the potato skin to give it enough structure to still sit up. See photo.
Place the empty potato skins back on the rimmed baking sheet.
Make The Filling
Add butter, sour cream, garlic, bacon, salt, onion powder, and pepper to the potatoes. Use a potato masher to mix the filling and smash the potatoes.*for a very smooth loaded potato run the potato through a potato ricer.
Now add 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, the milk and green onions, fold into the mixture.
¼ cup whole or 2% milk, ½ cup green onion
Taste the filling to see if you need more salt or pepper.
Spoon the filling into the potato skins on the rimmed baking sheet.
Top with the remaining 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese.
At this point you can pop in the oven and eat right away OR keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Twice Bake
Pop back in the oven at 350° and bake for about 20 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted on top. *If baking from the fridge, you may need to increase the second bake time to 25-30 minutes to heat through.
Serving
Serve one potato half per person.
Optionally garnish with extra green onions and crumbled bacon.
Notes
POTATO PRO TIP: Bake at least 1 extra potato when I am making this Loaded Baked Potato Recipe. Have you ever cut a potato open that looked totally fine on the outside but is full of brown/black spots? This accounts for that!Potatoes are cooked through when they reach an internal temperature of 210°F.