Twice-baked potatoes are loaded with bacon, scallions, and jalapeño peppers for the best rich, spicy, aromatic party snack.
Twice-baked potatoes with crispy bacon and bubbly cheese? I’ll take 100.
Twice-baked potatoes have always been one of my favorite snacks. I always thought deviled eggs and twice-baked potatoes were kindred spirits. As a deviled egg superfan, it was natural that I was drawn to twice-baked potatoes as well. I just can’t help but the love the idea of taking something out of something, mixing it with other things, and putting it back into the original something. How satisfying is that! I just love it.
These twice-baked potatoes are filled with sour cream, scallions, jalapeño, and crispy bacon for an irresistible potato filling. I finish them with Andrew & Everett American Cheese which I broil for bubbly, browned goodness. I love this brand of cheese and have used them for my Mushroom Swiss Chicken Roulades and my Pepperoni and Cheese Rolls!
How to make twice-baked potatoes
What you need
- Russet potatoes: These work best for twice-baked potatoes as the skin is firm and won’t fall apart when you refill them.
- Filling: You’ll need sour cream, milk, butter, scallions, jalapeño, and cooked bacon bits. I also add garlic powder for a little extra oomph.
- Cheese: I finish the potatoes with a slice of Andrew & Everett American Cheese which I broil to brown it up nicely. You can use your favorite cheese!
How to make it
- Step 1: Bake the potatoes. Once they’re cool enough to handle, halve them and scoop out the flesh, leaving a thin layer of potato around the edge of the skin to make it easier to fill them back up.
- Step 2: Fry the bacon. Cut the bacon into lardons and fry until crispy.
- Step 3: Make the filling. Combine the mashed potatoes with butter, milk, and sour cream and mash until creamy. Next, fold in the bacon, jalapeño, and minced scallions. Finally, season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Step 4: Fill the potatoes. Stuff each potato skin with the filling. Transfer to the oven for about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and place Andrew & Everett American Cheese on top. Broil for a couple minutes until browned and bubbly.
From there, you can remove from the oven and finish with more minced scallions and crispy bacon on top. Dig in!
Twice-Baked Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 russet potatoes (about 6 ounces each; scrubbed and pricked lightly with a fork)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 slices bacon (cut into lardons)
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup sour cream
- 4 tablespoons butter (room temperature)
- 4 scallions (trimmed and minced; a pinch reserved for garnish)
- 1 jalapeño (trimmed and minced)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 slices Andrew & Everett American Cheese (halved)
Instructions
Bake the potatoes:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Place a raised rack on a baking sheet and coat the potatoes with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Season lightly with salt. Place the potatoes on the rack and transfer to the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until fork-tender. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Cook the bacon:
- Place the sliced bacon in a large skillet. Turn the heat to medium and cook, turning often, for 8 to 10 minutes until the fat renders and the bacon is browned and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Make the filling:
- Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, halve them lengthwise. Scoop out the flesh into a large bowl and reserver the skins.
- Season the potatoes with 1 teaspoon salt. Add the milk, sour cream, and butter and mix until combined. You can use a potato masher or an electric hand mixer.
- Add the scallions, jalapeño, garlic powder, and black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference.
Bake the potatoes:
- Fill the potatoes with the filling. Transfer to the oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn on the broiler.
Finish the potatoes:
- Place half a slice of Andrew & Everett American Cheese on top of each potato. Transfer to the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese is golden brown and melted.
To serve:
- Serve the potatoes warm with a few additional minced scallions on top. Enjoy!
