Make Ahead Twice Baked Potatoes are always a welcome addition to the dinner table. With crispy skin and a creamy, cheesy interior, this easy side is crave-worthy and surprisingly simple to make. Simply bake, scoop, mix, and then bake again for a no-fuss, family-friendly dish that can be prepped in advance for holidays and busy weeknights.
These Make-Ahead Twice-Baked Potatoes are an absolute go-to on weeknights in my household and also regularly appear on my holiday menus.
The key to this dish lies in its simplicity—bake the potatoes, scoop out the insides, mix with all the delicious fixings, refill the potato skins, and bake again.
It isn't as labor intensive as it sounds, and trust me, the crispy skin paired with the creamy, cheesy filling is worth the effort.
The best part is that you can make them ahead of time, and they freeze beautifully.
Go ahead and make a double batch for the freezer. You will be glad you did.
Serve these potatoes with Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs for an easy weeknight meal or alongside Reverse Sear Prime Rib on your holiday buffet.
Ingredients
- Russet Potatoes: Perfect for baking due to their starchy content, which yields a fluffy interior.
- Sour Cream: Adds creaminess and a slight tang to the filling. You cold use Greek yogurt if you prefer.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter so that I can better control the salt levels, but feel free to use what you have on hand.
- Green Onions: You could use fresh chopped chives if you prefer.
- Sea Salt: Table salt or kosher salt works as well.
- Black Pepper: Freshly ground is best.
- Shredded Cheese: We like shredded cheddar cheese, but feel free to use your favorite cheese. Monterey jack cheese is also a great option.
Step by Step
Halve potatoes lengthwise with a sharp knife and scoop the flesh into a large bowl, leaving a ¼-inch shell.
For Make-Ahead: Arrange stuffed potatoes in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers. Store in the fridge for up to one day. Before baking, let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Tips and Tricks
- Choose the Right Potatoes: Russet potatoes are ideal due to their starchy content, which results in a fluffy interior.
- Pierce Before Baking: Always pierce the potatoes with a fork before baking to allow steam to escape and prevent them from bursting.
- Leave Enough Shell: Leave about a ¼-inch shell when scooping out the potato flesh to ensure the skins stay sturdy for stuffing.
- Use Softened Butter: Softened butter blends more easily with the mashed potato mixture, ensuring a smooth texture.
- Flavor Variations: Sometimes I add a teaspoon of garlic powder or a tablespoon of ranch seasoning for a fun flavor twist. Cooked and crumbled bacon is always an excellent addition to these easy twice-baked potatoes!
More Potato Recipes to Try
- Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes: Ridiculously good and almost effortless, they are perfect for busy weeknights.
- Instant Pot Potato Salad: For a fun twist on mayo-based potato salad, this easy red potato salad is perfect.
- Roasted Sweet Potato Salad: This sweet potato salad is perfect any time of year, but we especially love it in the fall!
- Gruyere Mashed Potatoes: For a rich, comforting side dish, you can't go wrong with these unapologetically creamy mashed potatoes.
Make-Ahead Twice Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 russet potatoes 10 to 12 ounces each
- 1 cup sour cream
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 green onions sliced thin
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F
- Scrub the potatoes. Pierce thme with a fork 6 times. Place in the oven directly on the rack and cook for 70 minutes, or until tender.
- Remove from the oven, and let sit for about 10 minutes, until cool enough to handle.
- Halve the potatoes lengthwise. Scoop the flesh out of the halves into a large mixing bowl, leaving ¼-inch shell.
- Mash the potatoes in the bowl of a stand mixer or with a potato masher. Stir in the sour cream, butter, green onions, salt and pepper until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese.
- Spoon the mixture into the potato shells.
- Make Ahead: Arrange the stuffed potatoes in an airtight container, placing parchment paper between layers as necessary. They can be kept in the fridge for up to a day. To bake, allow the stuffed potatoes to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes .
- Arrange the potato halves on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup of cheese. Cook for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with additional scallions or chives if desired and serve warm.
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