This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Imagine pulling these Twice Baked Potatoes from the oven: tender baked potatoes with crisp, seasoned skins piled high with hot, fluffy potatoes mashed with butter, sour cream, cheddar cheese and chives. Am I making you hungry?
When I say that these Twice Baked Potatoes are ‘piled high,’ I mean it. An extra potato beyond those that you’re stuffing makes sure of it.
Table of Contents
Overstuffed, but lightened up.
I read in Food & Wine Magazine about the overstuffed twice baked potatoes that Emeril Lagasse serves in his restaurants. I loved the idea, but wanted to make a still decadent, but lightened up version. His version involves baking five one-pound potatoes to serve four people – four potatoes are stuffed with the pulp of five potatoes. In my version the potatoes are still piled high, but three potatoes serve four people.
The difference? Instead of hollowing out the whole potato, I cut two of the potatoes in half lengthwise, then scoop out the pulp and combine it with all of the pulp from the third potato. Mix the pulp with all of the goodies and then pile it into the potato halves. Voila! Overstuffed, but not so huge that you’re too full to eat anything else.
These are always a big hit at dinner parties (I even make a miniature version) and are perfect for date night! (Serve with Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon and Wedge Salad or Caesar Salad for a classic steakhouse combination.)
More Must Try Potato Recipes!
- Mashed Red Potatoes (Easy enough for a weeknight, delicious enough for a holiday meal!)
- Breakfast Potatoes (The absolute best! Crispy on the outside, tender and buttery on the inside because of a method you may not have heard of.)
- Skillet Potatoes (Similar to my breakfast potatoes, but made on the stove top in a cast iron skillet.)
- Cheesy Potatoes (These are always a crowd pleaser! Made without canned soup!)
- Rosemary Roasted Potatoes (Crispy and herbaceous, these disappear fast at any meal.)
How to Make Twice Baked Potatoes
Step 1: To serve 4 people, rub 3 scrubbed and dried baking potatoes with oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 400˚F until tender.
Step 2: Cut 2 of the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop all but 1/4 inch of the pulp into a large bowl; transfer potato halves to baking sheet. Peel remaining potato and add pulp to bowl. With a handheld masher, mash pulp with butter, salt and pepper until smooth. Add cheese, sour cream and chives and mash until smooth. Divide potato pulp mixture into potato halves; top with more cheddar cheese and bake until filling is hot and cheese is melted. Serve hot topped with sour cream and chives.
Twice Baked Potatoes
Video
Ingredients
- 3 large baking potatoes about 1 pound each, scrubbed and dried
- olive oil for coating the skins
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons butter ideally at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
- 1/2 cup sour cream plus more for topping (optional)
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F.
- Rub potatoes all over with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake until tender, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let sit until cool enough to handle.
- Peel one of the potatoes completely and add pulp to a large bowl. Carefully cut remaining two potatoes in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving about 1/4-inch of pulp in the skin for structure, and add to bowl. Transfer hollowed out potato halves to baking sheet.
- Add butter, salt and pepper to potato pulp; mash until smooth with a handheld masher. Add about 4 ounces of the cheese, sour cream and chives and mash until smooth. Spoon potato mixture into potato halves; sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake until filling is heated through and cheese is melted, about 20 minutes. Serve hot topped with more sour cream and chives if desired.
Notes
- Emeril includes bacon in his version. If you’d like to do the same, cook up a couple of slices until crisp. Crumble and add along with the cheese etc.
- Note that total time does not include the potatoes sitting until they’re cool enough to handle.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made these and followed the recipe to a “T”! They were the best twice baked potatoes EVER! Easy to follow instructions with perfect results!
woohoo! You made my day, Cheyanne! So glad you enjoyed these!