These freezer-friendly loaded twice baked potatoes include crispy potato skins overflowing with creamy mashed potato, crumbly bacon bits, and lots of melted cheese.
Today’s recipe about how to make loaded twice baked potatoes is quick and easy to throw together and serves as a wonderful side dish or main entree.
Back when we had people over for dinner on a regular basis, this was a go-to dish for me that I served just about every time. It was a great way to round out the meal without taking any additional prep time and they always got rave reviews.
I’m going to show you the ingredients I use, which are crispy bacon, melted cheese, sour cream for extra creaminess, and green onion. But the best-stuffed potatoes are the ones made to your individual tastes. I’ve seen folks add milk, tomatoes, leftover chicken or bbq (yum!), mayonnaise, ricotta cheese, fresh or dried herbs, etc. The sky is the limit here.
Oh, and did I mention the fun thing about these potatoes is that you can make a batch ahead of time and freeze them to use in a jiffy at a later date? Reheating may then be done either in the oven or microwave, so this is a win-win either way you look at it.
Now, how bout some loaded ‘taters?
Recipe Ingredients
- Potatoes
- Butter
- Cooked and chopped turkey bacon
- Green onions
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Salt and pepper
How to Make Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes
Bake your medium potatoes and cut them in half lengthwise like this.
I bake my potatoes by starting them in the microwave for about five minutes, then transferring them to a 450-degree oven for about an hour. Sometimes I rub them down with a little cooking oil and sprinkle some coarse sea salt on them before baking as my great-grandmother did. MMM-MM good!
Scoop out the pulp but leave enough that the potato skin still has a bit of shape to it.
To your pulp, add butter, sour cream, salt, and pepper.
Mash up well with a potato masher or just a fork.
Add in cheese and mash that, too.
Add all other toppings.
Stir your up well.
And resist the urge to eat the entire bowl as is.
Spoon the mashed potato filling into each potato shell.
Line these beautiful loaded potatoes up on a baking sheet and place this in the freezer, uncovered, for about an hour.
This is called flash freezing and it keeps them from sticking together.
After they are frozen, remove them from the sheet and put them in a zipper seal bag.
Return to the freezer until you need them.
Ready to prepare your main dish or side?
When you are ready to make your loaded twice baked potatoes, take as many as you need out of the freezer and sprinkle with cheddar cheese to bake.
You don’t have to use extra cheese unless you are a cheese lover like me!
YUM! I like to keep these in the freezer and reheat just one or two for a quick lunch but as I said, they are a great side dish to have on hand for any meal.
Enjoy!
Storage
The freezer directions are above, but you can reheat the thawed potatoes in the microwave, oven, or air fryer. They’ll also last in the fridge for up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container.
Recipe Notes
- Here are some loaded potato variations:
- Cream cheese and chives: substitute the sour cream and cheddar cheese for 1.5 cups of cream cheese and use 1/4 cup of chopped fresh chives instead of the chopped green onion. You could also do this with blue cheese and chives.
- Substitute the bacon for sauteed mushrooms.
- Beef and broccoli: substitute the bacon for 8 ounces of cooked lean ground beef and 1 cup of finely chopped broccoli florets.
- Use any kind of shredded cheese you like, such as pepper jack cheese, colby jack cheese, or gruyere cheese.
Recipe FAQs
Why did my loaded potatoes fall apart?
The main reason loaded potatoes fall apart is because you scooped out too much of the flesh. Leaving at least a quarter-inch of flesh will help the potato skin retain its shape.
What are the best potatoes for twice baked potatoes?
I strongly recommend using russet potatoes for this loaded twice baked potatoes recipe. They have more starch than say Yukon gold potatoes, which wouldn’t work.
What do you serve with loaded twice baked potatoes?
If you’re serving your potatoes as a side dish, they work great with a simple main dish. This might be roasted chicken, fried chicken, pork chops, meatloaf, or pulled pork. Add some greens like fresh green beans or collard greens and you have a complete (not to mention utterly delicious) main meal.
You may also like these potato recipes:
Rotisserie-Style Crock Pot Chicken and Potatoes
Sweet Potato Skins With Candied Bacon and a Spicy Basil Cream Sauce
Loaded Sweet Potatoes With Marshmallows
Ingredients
- 7 medium-sized potatoes, washed
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 chopped green onions
- 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 8-10 slices cooked and chopped turkey bacon
Instructions
- Bake potatoes and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out pulp, leaving enough for the skin to retain its shape.7 medium-sized potatoes, washed
- In a mixing bowl, combine scooped potatoes, butter, and sour cream. Mash together well. Add cheese and mash again. Stir in all remaining ingredients and then spoon the filling into the potato skins.1/2 cup sour cream, 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 4 chopped green onions, 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 8-10 slices cooked and chopped turkey bacon
- Line the filled potato skins up on a baking sheet or another baking dish and freeze, uncovered, for about an hour. Remove and place into zipper seal bags and return to freezer.
- To bake from frozen: Place on a cookie sheet in a 350-degree oven for half an hour, top with cheese, and return to oven until melted.
- To microwave from frozen: Place on a microwave-safe plate and heat for about 2-3 minutes or until heated through.
- To bake from room temp: Top with cheese and place in oven until heated through (about 15 minutes).
Notes
Nutrition
I will prepare and someday my chance will come.
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I would want to have dinner with Jesus.
I know you said living, but doesn’t he live in all of us?
Hi Christy: it’s been awhile since I visited your page and guess if you don’t comment Facebook drops you from my feed. No worries though as my dear 84 year old dad spends his days looking for recipes that sound good to him then saves them off in sections like a recipe book. Most of your recipes have made it to his book. Funny thing is dad has never cooked and I learned from my mom and love being in the kitchen fixing meals he and I both enjoy.
My question is does the green onions freeze good and how long can they be kept in the freezer before needing to serve them? Though I think I’m our house they would be served for lunch, nice addition to a meal that I’m looking to save time on I could see being pulled out late night for the perfect snack. When I worked at Steak Out their catering department would have these that they made for a few customers. The cook would use a Cajun seasoning she bought in Louisiana to mix in with the potatoes for a unique flavor. They baked their potatoes wrapped in foil for an hour at 400 degrees in a convection oven. And if folks are wanting the large potatoes like you can get at some of the Bar-B-Que places if you live in the Huntsville area Quillan produce will sell a case of the large potatoes. You can find bags of the large baking potatoes but they still aren’t quite as large as the stuffed potatoes. I’ve also used them when needing to make a large amount of salsa I bought a case of the Roma tomatoes and it was cheaper that way. Also buying a case of the large potatoes could come in handy if you are making a large batch of potato salad and easier to peel the larger ones and doesn’t take as many.
Great mind must and do think alike. I agree with your mom about liking to have Dolly Parton over for dinner. Table conversations I’d love to hear about her favorite recipes growing up like she did. Reminds me so much of where my mom was raised in the sticks of TN with no electricity or running water. They did have a phone on a party line. And my second person I’d love to have to dinner would be you. Having conversations revolve around your motivation to self publish your first cookbook to how you are inspired after all these years to come up with recipes worthy of passing down in a family. It’s not just food prepared and something to eat but made with love and thoughts of what would make your family happy to sit down for a family meal. That is where the satisfaction in cooking comes from. Standing in the kitchen and as you make a family recipe think of the generations of ladies in your family that has stood and done the exact thing for their family.
Glad I found this tonight and will get Southern Plate back on my feed. Didn’t realize how much I missed it. Please stay safe during this crazy time we are in. One big thing though is if you enjoy cooking you don’t mind being homebound and well fed. From one of your first followers and Dad: God Bless!!!!
This is a question, but I hope it is ok to post it here. I love these & will usually order them if I find them on the menu when I go out to a restaurant. I have never thought about freezing them because potatoes seem to taste mealy after being frozen. BUT every recipe that I have tried of your is absolutely delicious & I trust that this one is also. I live by myself & freezing will help me out tremendously!!! Thank you so much for all that you do. You are such a wonderful person who brings happiness to many.