Twice Baked Potatoes (2024)

My family gets more excited about Twice Baked Potatoes then almost any other side dish I make. What’s not to love abouta hollowed-out baked potato stuffed with fluffy mashed potatoes and melty cheese?

Want more delicious side dishes? Try Buttermilk Cornbread, Wedge Salad, Garlic Knots, or Truffle Mac and Cheese.

Twice Baked Potatoes (1)

Why I love this recipe:

  • Versatile – These easy twice baked potatoes or “potato boats” as we call them make a great side with almost any meal. Serve them with something fancy like Prime Rib, or a simple Baked Ham or Pork Tenderloin.
  • Easy – So quick to make, but they feel fancy, and even the pickiest eaters love them.
  • Make Ahead – You know I love a good side dish I can prep ahead and stick in the oven just before dinnertime.

How to make Twice Baked Potatoes:

Cook Potatoes: Prick potatoes with a knife or fork. Rub them with olive oil then season with salt and pepper. Bake at 400 for about an 1 hour, or until fork tender. Remove from oven and allow to rest until cool enough to handle.

Twice Baked Potatoes (2)

Scoop Out: Cut the top, lengthwise of each potato off and scoop out the flesh into a mixing bowl, leaving ¼ inch layer of potato flesh and skin, and the rest hollowed out.

Twice Baked Potatoes (3)

Make Filling: Add butter, salt and pepper, chives, sour cream, garlic powder, chicken bouillon milk.Mash with a potato masher and then mix with beaters until smooth (but don’t over-mix them or they will be gluey instead of light and fluffy.)Add more milk if needed, the filling is better on the softer side since it will thicken in the oven.

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Bake: Top potato boats with shredded cheese and bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes of until the cheese is bubbly. Twice Baked Potatoes get their name from this step of baking the potatoes a second time, with the mashed potato filling and cheese on top.

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Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:

To Make Ahead: Prepare potatoes completely, without baking them the second time. Place them on a large sheet pan, lightly cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to one day, until ready to bake. If making them ahead, I suggest adding a little extra milk to the mashed potato filling so they are extra soft before sitting in the fridge for several hours.

To Freeze: Flash freeze them on a baking tray until they’re solid (about 30 minutes), then store in a freezer-safe bag of container for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the fridge before warming in the oven. (I don’t think frozen and then baked Twice Baked Potatoes have the same quality as when freshly made, so I would only use this method if it was really necessary).

More Potato Recipes:

  • Mashed Potatoes
  • Baked Potato Salad
  • Potatoes Au Gratin
  • Air Fryer Baked Potato
  • Air Fryer Potato Wedges
  • Potato Skins
  • Funeral Potatoes
  • Homemade French Fries

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Recipe

Twice Baked Potatoes (6)

5 from 32 votes

Twice Baked Potatoes

Our favorite twice baked potatoes are filled with flavorful, fluffy mashed potatoes and topped with melty cheese.

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Prep 15 minutes mins

Cook 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

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Equipment

Ingredients

  • 6 medium size Russet potatoes
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • 3 Tablespoons chives , fresh, chopped
  • salt and pepper , to taste
  • 3/4 cup milk , (or evaporated milk. Add more as needed)
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon paste

Instructions

  • Bake Potatoes: Wash and dry the potatoes, then prick the outsides of the potatoes a few times with a knife or fork. Rub them with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake potatoes at 400 for about 1 hour, or until fork tender. Remove from oven and allow to rest until cool enough to handle.

  • Remove potato flesh: Cut the top, lengthwise of each potato off and scoop out the flesh into a mixing bowl, leaving ¼ inch layer of potato flesh and skin, and the rest hollowed out.

  • Season mashed potatoes: Add butter, salt and pepper, chives, sour cream, garlic powder, chicken bouillon, and milk.Mash with a potato masher and then mix with beaters until smooth (but don’t over-mix them or they will be gluey instead of light and fluffy.)Add more milk, if needed—it’s better if the filling is on the softer side because the potato mixture will thicken up as it cooks again in the oven.

  • Bake: Top with shredded cheese and bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.

Notes

Tip: Don’t over mix the potato filling. Over-mixing causes mashed potatoes to become gluey instead of light and fluffy.

To Make Ahead: Prepare potatoes completely, without baking them the second time. Place them on a large sheet pan, lightly cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to one day, until ready to bake. If making them ahead, I suggest adding a little extra milk to the mashed potato filling so they are extra soft before sitting in the fridge for several hours.

To Freeze: Flash freeze them on a baking tray until they’re solid (about 30 minutes), then store in a freezer-safe bag of container for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the fridge before warming in the oven. (I don’t think frozen and then baked Twice Baked Potatoes have the same quality as when freshly made, so I would only use this method if it was really necessary).

Nutrition

Serving: 8gCalories: 326kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 12gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 276mgPotassium: 982mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 481IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 221mgIron: 2mg

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I originally shared this recipe in August 2010. Updated November 2018 and December 2023.

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About The Author

Twice Baked Potatoes (11)

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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Twice Baked Potatoes (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between baked potato and twice-baked potato? ›

What Is the Difference Between a Baked Potato and a Twice-Baked Potato? Baked potatoes are whole potatoes (usually russet or Idaho) baked until the insides are tender and fluffy. Twice-baked potatoes take two trips into the oven. First the potatoes are baked until soft and tender on the inside.

How long to heat up premade twice-baked potatoes? ›

Reheating them in the oven at 400° will re-crisp the potato skin while keeping the filling inside nice and creamy still. The potatoes will take about 15 to 20 minutes to reheat again. If you're in a rush, microwaving them is fine too, though parts of the potato might turn a little tough due to uneven heating.

Why are my twice-baked potatoes falling apart? ›

Cook's Note. I learned the hard way not to wrap the potatoes in foil before baking. It softens the shells and they will fall apart not good!

Can you eat the skin of a twice-baked potato? ›

The skins of twice-baked potatoes can absolutely be eaten. They are salted and crispy and are absolutely excellent to eat. In addition, there is quite a bit of nutrient in the potato skins.

Should I wrap potatoes in foil to bake? ›

"I see a lot of people using foil to wrap their potatoes in but this is a big no-no and causes soggy skins!" he says. Foil holds in moisture and steams the potatoes, resulting in a "boiled" taste and texture. Plus, without the use of foil, the skin will get extra crispy and flavorful.

Why are my twice baked potatoes gummy? ›

They are gummy because they were either overbaked, under-baked, or wrapped while baking. To make fluffy twice-baked potatoes, you need to start by baking the potatoes perfectly the first time because when you return them to the oven for the second time, it is only for 10-13 minutes.

Are twice cooked potatoes good for you? ›

Incorporating Potatoes into a Healthy Diet

Double cooking potatoes can improve the absorption of starch-based carbohydrates, encourage SCFA production, and promote gut health and weight loss. So next time you're cooking up a batch of potatoes, consider giving them a double cook for maximum nutritional benefit.

What to serve with twice baked potatoes? ›

Serving Suggestions

Twice baked potatoes are the perfect side dish to almost any meal and they are always a hit during the holidays. You will often find them on the menu at Easter and Christmas time. You can serve them along side ham, chicken, fish, steak, soup, or salad! The options are endless.

Can I prep baked potatoes the night before? ›

Little breaks in the skin occur, inviting bacteria -and especially if kept wrapped will raise the temperature, which will only accelerate this potentially harmful environment. Rather than chance any health problems in an attempt to save prep time later on, it's best to wash and prepare potatoes just prior to cooking.

How long can twice baked potatoes sit out? ›

You want to be able to eat your potato without worrying if you are going to get food poisoning or botulism. Here's how you can ensure that your baked potatoes are safe to eat. DON'T let your potato sit out in the open at room temperature for over four hours regardless of whether or not it is wrapped in aluminum foil.

Can I bake potatoes ahead of time and reheat? ›

Cool baked potatoes completely, place them in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag and refrigerate them. The USDA says they can be safely refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. Like all foods that have been cooked and cooled, potatoes should be reheated to at least 165 degrees F.

Is 400 too hot for baked potatoes? ›

Potato baking temperatures range from 350˚ to 450˚F. The sweet spot seems to be at 400˚F, a temperature that cooks the potato all the way through and crisps the skin without singeing it.

Why are my twice baked potatoes runny? ›

The likely cause of runny potatoes is too much liquid. This can happen if you use small(ish) potatoes.

Why are my baked potatoes still hard after an hour? ›

Size and Cut: The size and cut of the potato pieces can also affect their cooking time. Smaller pieces will cook faster and become softer than larger ones. If the potato cubes were too large or unevenly cut, this might result in some pieces remaining crunchy.

What is baked twice? ›

Twice-baked foods are foods that are baked twice in their preparation. Baking is a food cooking method using prolonged dry heat acting by convection, and not by thermal radiation, normally in an oven, but also in hot ashes, or on hot stones.

Which potato is the best baking potato? ›

The ideal potato for baking is low in moisture with a high starch content. These qualities allow a potato to bake up with a delightfully fluffy center and crispy skin. Because it has all of these features, Russet potatoes are the ideal potato for baking and the most commonly used choice.

Why are restaurant baked potatoes better? ›

Chefs put salt on the outside of their baked potatoes

The secret to achieving this is a hefty dose of salt. Steakhouse chefs cover their baked potatoes in salt before sticking them in the oven, often helping the crystals adhere with a generous coating of oil.

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