Fully Loaded Stuffed Potatoes

Twice baked potatoes stuffed with a creamy, cheesy filling including bacon and green onions! A super side dish, meal, or snack and can be made ahead!
Fully loaded stuffed potato on a white plate.pinitView Gallery5 photos

Fully loaded stuffed potatoes aka twice baked potatoes, filled with an absolutely delicious, creamy, gooey filling of bacon, green onions, sour cream and butter! For the ultimate comfort food, whether for lunch, dinner, a side dish, or appetizer, this baked potato recipe will completely impress!

fully loaded stuffed potatoes on a white plate

These fully loaded stuffed potatoes are the best side dish to go with barbecued steaks or pork chops! For example, you don’t need all of the seperate dishes of toppings that you need with plain baked potatoes. Plus, for some reason, the children who eat their oven baked potatoes with only butter, will devour these! These stuffed potatoes are also so handy because you can make them up ahead of time and just reheat them to serve.

Why are Stuffed Potatoes Called Twice Baked?

Fully loaded stuffed potatoes are also called twice baked potatoes. This name implies that you bake them two times. Yes, once to cook the potato and another, shorter time to heat the filling. There are so many variations to this recipe. You can add whatever you would like to have in your fully loaded stuffed potato. I do think you should stick to the amount of moisture in this recipe though. Too much moisture will cause the skins to get soggy and too little moisture makes for a dry potato!

Fully loaded stuffed potatoes on a wood cutting board.

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So Simple and Can Be Made Ahead!!

Twice baked potatoes are a make ahead option! You can bake the potatoes, stuff them, then pop the stuffed potatoes into the fridge or freezer. When you want to serve the baked potatoes, just heat in a 350°F oven for 20-30 minutes, until brown and bubbly!

This twice baked potato recipe is super simple, with only 8 ingredients. Bake the potatoes, then, it takes only 15 minutes to mix up the filling!

History of Fully Loaded Stuffed Potatoes

Potatoes have been cultivated for many many milleniums already. They were first cultivated around 8,000 B.C. Potatoes were brought to Europe around 1500 A.D. and have been a staple in many countries around the world since then. Potatoes rank 4th in the world, behind rice, wheat and corn as a food staple. Their ease of growing and ability to grow in so many different climates and locations make them a very affordable and healthy food. The loaded potato only came into popularity in the 70s. Consequently, three different restaurants in the U.S. take credit for inventing them. It doesn’t really matter who invented them, we’re just so glad they did!

Ingredients for fully loaded stuffed potatoes.

Ingredients

  • Russet Potatoes: These make the best baked potatoes, their skins are thick enough to hold all of the incredible toppings. Plus, the insides bake up nice and fluffy! Use large evenly sized potatoes if possible.
  • Butter: This is the fat component. It soaks into the skins causing that delicious crispy buttery flavor.
  • Milk: Extra moisture to keep the potatoes from drying out.
  • Cheddar Cheese: Use freshly grated cheese, it melts the best. The cheese can be orange or white cheddar, or any other type of cheese that melts good.
  • Sour Cream: Just another creamy component.
  • Green Onions: A mild oniony flavor, can add more or less according to taste. You could use fresh chives if you have them, for an even milder onion flavor.
  • Bacon: I use a whole pack for this recipe, this is where the truly delicious combination comes from. I bake the bacon in the oven for convenience sake, then cut it into tiny bacon bits once it has cooled.
  • Seasoning Salt: Taste the mixture before stuffing the potatoes to see if you need more salt and adjust if needed.
Potaoes with bacon, green onions and cheddar cheese in a red bowl on a wood table, the filling for fully loaded stuffed potatoes recipe.

Reasons to Love This Stuffed Potatoes Recipe

  • So simple, yet impressive!
  • Super tasty recipe!
  • Can be made ahead!
  • Makes an excellent side dish!
  • Great meal or snack!
  • A great way to serve baked potatoes

How to Make Fully Loaded Stuffed Potatoes

1.Cook the bacon by placing on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes. Once the bacon has cooled, cut into small pieces. Set aside

Bacon on a parchment lined baking sheet.

2. Wash the potatoes and pat dry with paper towel. Slice the ends off, then rub with vegetable oil and sprinkle salt. Place the prepared potatoes on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 1 hour.

A baked potato on a baking sheet, ready for fully loaded stuffed potatoes recipe.

3. Once the potatoes have finished baking, cut in half lengthwise and scoop the insides into a large bowl. Leave a thin layer of potato on the skin for a more sturdy shell to hold the creamy mashed potato mixture. Add the sour cream, butter, milk and seasoning salt to the potatoes and mash.

Potatoes with butter and sour cream in a red bowl.

4. Add the bacon, green onions and cheddar cheee and mix well.

Filling for fully loaded stuffed potatoes being mixed in a red bowl.

5. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins. They will be a little heaped up.

Fully loaded stuffed potatoes on a wooden cutting board.

6. Bake for 20 minutes at 375°F, until bubbly and hot and starting to brown on the top.

Fully loaded stuffed potato on a white plate.

Celebrate National Potato Day on August 19th by Making Fully Loaded Stuffed Potatoes!!

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Fully Loaded Stuffed Potatoes

Fully loaded stuffed potatoes aka twice baked potatoes, filled with an absolutely delicious, creamy, gooey filling of bacon, green onions, sour cream and butter! For the ultimate comfort food, whether for lunch, dinner, a side dish, or appetizer, this baked potato recipe will completely impress!

Prep Time25 minsCook Time80 minsTotal Time1 hr 45 minsDifficulty:IntermediateServings:16Calories:319Best Season:Suitable throughout the year

Ingredients

Instructions

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  1. Cook the bacon in the oven while getting the potatoes ready.

    Place the bacon on a parchment paper covered baking sheet.

    Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, until crispy.

    Remove the cooked bacon to a paper towel covered plate and chop when cool enough.

    Bacon on a parchment lined baking sheet.
  2. Wash the potatoes thoroughly. Cut off the ends of the potatoes, then rub the potatoes with cooking oil and sprinkle with salt.

    Bake at 350°F for 1 hour.

    A baked potato on a baking sheet.
  3. Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the insides into a large bowl.

    Add the sour cream, butter, milk , seasoning salt and pepper.

    Mash but do not mash too thoroughly. Some chunks are fine.

    Potatoes with butter and sour cream in a red bowl.
  4. Mix in the crumbled bacon, chopped green onions and grated cheddar cheese.

    Filling for fully loaded stuffed potatoes being mixed in a red bowl.
  5. Spoon the potato mixture into the potato skins. They will be slightly heaped.

    Fully loaded stuffed potatoes on a wood cutting board.
  6. Bake for 20 minutes at 375°F for 20 minutes until browned.

    Enjoy!

    Fully loaded stuffed potato on a white plate.
Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1/2 potato

Servings 16


Amount Per Serving
Calories 319kcal
Calories from Fat 142kcal
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 16.6g26%
Saturated Fat 6g30%
Cholesterol 21mg8%
Sodium 929mg39%
Potassium 883mg26%
Total Carbohydrate 36g12%
Dietary Fiber 4.9g20%
Sugars 3g
Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 18 IU
Vitamin C 49 mg
Calcium 11 mg
Iron 13 mg
Vitamin E 16 IU
Vitamin K 10 mcg
Thiamin 140 mg
Riboflavin 26 mg
Niacin 31 mg
Vitamin B6 55 mg
Folate 11 mcg
Pantothenic Acid 15 mg
Phosphorus 34 mg
Magnesium 17 mmol
Zinc 12 mcg
Copper 27 mg
Manganese 20 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

  • Do not mash the potatoes too much. Some chunks are good and make it more like a baked potato rather than mashed potato
  • Fill the potato skins heaped up.
  • Use the proper amount of liquid ingredients so that your potatoes don't turn out dry.
  • Brushing oil on the potatoes and sprinkling salt before baking them causes the skins to be so delicious!
  • Slicing the ends off the potatoes will ensure proper cooking without having to poke holes in the skins.
  • If you are reheating the stuffed potatoes from frozen, they may require longer to heat up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Expand All:
Do you need to pierce the potatoes before baking?

If you cut the ends off of the potatoes before baking, you do not need to pierce them. Piercing the potatoes and cutting the ends off does the same thing. This allows steam to escape, preventing your potatoes from exploding and making a disastrous mess in your oven.

Should I wrap my potatoes in foil before baking?

NO! Wrapping potatoes in foil before baking will cause a soggy skin. The best flavor and crispy texture for baked potato skins is the method in this recipe.

Why do you put salt on the potato skins before baking?

The salt draws out moisture from the skin, creating a drier, fluffy interior.

How can you tell if a baked potato is finished cooking?

The potato will give when you gently squeeze it. Or, you can insert a fork, if it goes in easily, it is done.

Why do baked potatoes take so long to cook?

Potatoes are a very dense, starchy vegetable, so need a long time to cook thoroughly. The larger the potato the longer it will take to cook.

What kind of potatoes make the best twice baked or stuffed potatoes?

Russets make the best baked potato, they have amazing, thick skins that are thick enough to handle all of the gooey cheesy goodness!

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Rebekah Callahan

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