This loaded Twice Baked Potato Casserole is the ultimate side dish for any holiday or occasion, featuring tender baked and smashed potatoes with all of the best baked potato toppings including cheese, sour cream, bacon, and green onions.
Twice Baked Potato Casserole
Twice Baked Potato Casserole takes everything you love about baked potatoes and combines it into one delicious, creamy, cheesy, buttery, indulgent casserole.
Tender potatoes are smashed and combined with sour cream, melty cheese, savory bacon, and fresh green onions. All of your favorite baked potato toppings! Every bite is pure baked potato heaven.
Plus, this casserole is amazing for holidays and potlucks because it's super simple to make ahead, and is an absolute crowd-pleasing show stealer.
What Does Twice Baked Mean?
Twice Baked is literal for this recipe. First, we'll bake the potatoes whole potatoes with olive oil like we're making classic baked potatoes. Then we'll mash them up a bit, add the remaining ingredients to make them "loaded," and bake them again.
So the potatoes in Twice Baked Potato Casserole are literally baked twice.
What Kind of Potato is Best?
Since the potatoes start off as baked potatoes in this recipe, the best potatoes are the ones that are most often used to make baked potatoes.
Ideal potatoes for baking are low in moisture and high in starch. These varieties include Russet or Idaho potatoes.
Avoid waxy potatoes such as red potatoes or Yukon gold for this casserole.
Should I Leave the Skins On?
Leaving the skins on or peeling them off will be a matter of personal preference.
If leaving your skins on, make sure your potatoes are scrubbed well prior to baking. If peeling them, wait until after they're baked. The skins will be soft and easy to peel by hand, and your baked potatoes will come out soft and delicious as they should be.
Personally, I like to have the best of both worlds. I leave the skins on about a third of the potatoes and peel the rest.
Twice Baked Potato Recipe Variations
This is a super easy casserole to personalize to your own taste preferences. Start with these ideas or have fun with your own.
- Cheese - Get creative with your favorite cheese here. You can use a sharper cheddar, a smoky cheese like smoked gouda, or a more mild cheese like a Jack cheese or mozzarella. Gruyere and parmesan would also be delicious options.
- Ham or Sausage - Instead of bacon, you can use ham or sausage. Or if you really love all of that meaty pork flavor, use them all!
- Jalapeno - Add a little kick with some chopped jalapeno. Fresh or jarred would both work and offer slightly different flavors.
- Onion and Garlic - Sauté some chopped onion and minced garlic with some olive oil before stirring into the smashed potato mixture for some extra aromatic flavor.
- Mushrooms or Veggies - Sauteed mushrooms or other veggies, such as broccoli, cauliflower, or carrots can be a great, flavorful, nutritious addition. Make sure the veggies are cooked first or they might release too much moisture during baking and not cook all the way through.
- Cream Cheese - To make your twiced baked potato casserole extra rich, use half of the amount of half-and-half and one block of softened cream cheese. It will be easier to incorporate the cream cheese if it is cubed.
- Spice - Add a little spiciness to your dish by adding a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce, such as Tabasco, or sprinkling some red pepper flakes into the dish or on top.
- Herbs - Fresh herbs can add a beautiful flavorful touch. Try adding some fresh chives, parsley, sage, thyme, or rosemary for a little something extra.
- Protein - To make your dish a little heartier and more filling, add some protein such as chopped or shredded chicken or some smokey pulled pork. I recommend adding this on top before adding the last layer of cheese.
Twice Baked Potato Make Ahead, Storage, and Freezer Instructions
Twice Baked Potato Casserole is an excellent dish for the holidays or potlucks because it's so easy to make ahead, store, and even freeze. Here are some simple instructions to make sure your casserole still comes out perfect.
Make Ahead Instructions
After preparing all of the ingredients in the casserole dish, cover and store in the refrigerator for up to two days. When ready to bake, bake at the same temperature, but add 10 to 15 minutes to the baking time to account for the cold dish and potatoes.
Storage Instructions
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 to 7 days. You can reheat the whole casserole in the oven at 350°F until heated through and bubbly. I personally like to reheat leftovers in individual servings in the microwave.
Freezer Instructions
To freeze twice baked potato casserole, prepare the recipe through step 12, adding all of the ingredients to the casserole dish and topping with cheese. Once prepared, cover and freeze for up to 3 to 6 months. To use, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then bake at 350°F, adding an additional 10 to 15 minutes to the cook time to account for the cold dish. Cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the center is heated through.
More Potato Recipes You'll Love
- Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes - cheesy potatoes slow cooked to tender perfection in a creamy, savory herb-infused sauce.
- Boursin Mashed Potatoes - extra fluffy and creamy mashed potatoes using Boursin cheese as a flavor enhancer.
- Garlic Herb Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans - Potatoes and green beans roasted together on a sheet pan with butter and fresh garlic and herbs.
- Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes - A great way to make hasselback potatoes while keeping the oven free. The air fryer perfectly crisps up the edges of these gorgeous potatoes.
- Deviled Egg Potato Salad - this reader favorite potato salad is super easy to make with just a few ingredients and combines two classics into one amazing dish.
Twice Baked Potato Casserole Video
Twice Baked Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 medium Russet potatoes (about 6 pounds) washed and dried
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ pound thick sliced bacon chopped
- 1 cup salted butter softened and cut into slices
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Toppings
- 1 cup freshly shredded cheddar
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Place potatoes onto a baking sheet. Brush olive oil onto potatoes.
- Bake for 40 minutes, until easily sliced through.
- While the potatoes cook, place bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until crispy. Then drain. Place on paper towels. Pat top with paper towels. Set aside.
- Remove potatoes and allow to cool enough to handle safely.
- When potatoes are done cooking, decrease the temperature to 350°F.
- Leave the skins on 2 potatoes, and peel the remaining potatoes. Discard skins.
- Cut each potato into quarters. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- To the mixing bowl, add butter, sour cream, half and half, shredded cheese, and green onions. Reserve 2 tablespoons bacon, and add the rest to the mixing bowl.
- Smash the potato mixture with a potato masher until well combined and creamy (some potato lumps are okay since it's baked potatoes).
- Add mixture to a 9"x13" casserole dish.
- Top the casserole with remaining shredded cheese and reserved bacon.
- Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes.
- Top with sliced green onions and serve warm
Notes
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 to 7 days. Reheat the whole casserole in the oven at 350°F until heated through and bubbly or in individual servings in the microwave.
- Make Ahead: After preparing all of the ingredients in the casserole dish, cover and store in the refrigerator for up to two days. When ready to bake, bake at 350°F, adding an additional 10 to 15 minutes to the baking time to account for the cold dish.
- Freezer Instructions: Prepare the recipe through step 12, adding all of the ingredients to the casserole dish and topping with cheese. Then cover and freeze for up to 3 to 6 months. To use, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then bake at 350°F, adding an additional 10 to 15 minutes to the cook time to account for the cold dish. Cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the center is heated through.
Nutrition
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