Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes (Freezer Friendly)
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
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Back in the 70’s I made a recipe for twice baked potatos with tuna & cheese, and it was a good recipe. I would like to have dinner with author Ann Tyler and journalist Helen Thomas, and poet Maya Angelou and actress/personalities Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah and Cher. What a great conversation around that dining room table. Maybe even play poker with Whoopi after dinner. I wonder what Cher will wear?
I think Helen Thomas would be fascinating to visit with.
Have you seen she has a book out (or coming out) about her broaches and the meanings behind them? Fascinating.
We love loaded baked potatoes too. Sometimes, if I am making them into a meal, I will top with with pulled pork or shredded BBQ chicken. Come to think of it, these would be good with that Crock Pot BBQ Beef you had on the site a couple of days ago. Might have to try that soon to get a third meal out of that roast.
As far as dinner goes, a month ago I would have said Patrick Swayze and his wife. They seem so genuinely in love and down to earth. I would like to know their secret for such a lasting love even in the limelight. Since his passing, I would have to say my grandmother – you just don’t know how much time you have left to get those words of wisdom.
Christy,
Thanks for making me think and keeping me hungry!
Hi, Christy!
Hope you all have a wonderful Fall Break!
Sometimes I swap out the cheddar cheese for blue cheese (but not everyone likes blue cheese as much as I do……) but I also love cheddar.
I just might take these to next month’s Book Group.
As for dinner? You, Ricky, and Brady and Katy Rose, of course. And some others here at Southern Plate, like Citycowboy and his partner, and Bill Gent and his dad.
If not, then Canadian author Margaret Atwood. Or Gary and Jane Pauley Trudeau. Or Harvard theologian Peter Gomes. Or Peter Gomes and writer Anne Lamott, of “Traveling Mercies.”
In my last response to your “Loaded Potatoes” – I also meant to tell you that we also call them “Twice Baked Potatoes” but calling them “Loaded Potatoes” is perfect since our ‘twice-baked’ were more simply embellished. As for the perfect dinner partner who is still alive, I’d choose Laura Bush. I have admired her graciousness over the years and especially while she was our First Lady. If she was not available, I would love to have dinner with you and your Mom, Christy. I admire folks who enjoy southern cooking as much as you do. I was born and raised in Atlanta, but have lived in many places. But, Southern Cooking is an art that is being lost. Thank you for reviving it for a new generation of cooks.
I would love to have dinner with Peter Falk. I met him years ago while he was filming out here in Canada. Since i was a little girl of 11 years of age i use to watch his show called Columbo and i used to tell my mom that one day i was going to meet him and i did get that wonderful chance . i will never forget that day ever. I was so over come with emotion i burst out crying . He is the most down to earth person i have ever met in my life time. I know he is quite ill inhealth now as i read, and i hope God heals him. God Bless Peter Falk Always.
This is a great idea and one that I’ll put to use. In fact, I am going to make a bunch to have on hand this next week when I know that I’ll have to deliver dinner to some folks who are having a new baby. My family loves twice baked potatoes.
I am still thinking on the dinner date selection. On the twice baked potatoes or even just plain old baked potatoes I like to rub them with bacon fat instead of vegetable oil because it adds flavor as well as crispness. If you are splurging enopugh to eat that potato then splurge and us ethe bacon drippings.
I love to have my grown sons and their wives and my grandkids for Sunday night suppers. It gives me a chance to cook some old favorites that they loved when growing up or else try a recipe I have found and don’t really want to make for just myself. I often have my grandaughter stay overnight on Saturday nights and we frequently do a dessert for the Sunday supper and she is pretty proud of herself to say she helped make it. My only reservation is not the work or time involved but it is a strain on my grocery budget. I live on a small fixed income and it is hard to plan a nice meal to feed extras even if I am budget conscious when shopping. meat , of course, is generally the largest expense but even a dessert can count up in costs if it involves nuts and whipped cream and such. I love when Christy posts economy recipes.
I never rub anything on my baked potatoes before baking, I prefer the skins to be nice and crispy, in fact I think that is the best part of the potato.