Creamy Stuffed Potatoes
Twice-baked creamy stuffed potatoes loaded with crispy bacon, sour cream, Parmesan, scallions, and paprika. Steakhouse side-dish classic at home.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
1 hrsTwice-baked potatoes are the steakhouse side that earns its keep at home too: crisp, oil-rubbed skins holding a creamy filling of mashed russet, crumbled bacon, sour cream, Parmesan, and scallions. Simple ingredients, maximum comfort.
Start with a hard first bake, 400°F (200°C) for a full hour, with the skins rubbed in oil. That oil is what creates the crackling shell that holds up to stuffing and re-baking. Skip it and the skins turn papery on the second round.
The order of mixing matters. Sauté the scallions in the reserved bacon drippings rather than discarding them, that rendered smoky fat carries through the entire filling. Then fold in mashed potato, bacon, cheese, and sour cream just enough to combine. Overmixing turns the filling gluey.
Second bake is quick, 15 to 20 minutes at 350°F (175°C), just enough to warm the filling and crisp the paprika-dusted tops. Serve as a side to roasts and grilled meats, or as a full meal with a green salad.
Pro Tips
- Use high-starch russets, waxy potatoes turn gluey when mashed.
- Leave a quarter inch of pulp against the skin when scooping, thinner shells collapse.
- Do not over-mash the filling, a few small lumps keep the texture interesting.
- Make ahead and refrigerate stuffed, add 10 minutes to the final bake.
Variations
Ingredients
Directions
Scrub potatoes thoroughlty, and rub skins with oil; bake at 400℉ (200℃) for 1 hour to 1¼ hours or until done.
Allow to cool to touch. Slice skin away from top of each potato. Carefully scoop out pulp, leaving shells intact; mash pulp.
Cook bacon until crisp; drain and crumble, reserving 3 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Sauté onion in bacon drippings until tender. Combine potato pulp, bacon, onion, cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper, mixing well. Stuff shells with potato mixture; sprinkle each with ⅛ teaspoon paprika. Bake at 350℉ (180℃) for 15 ot 20 minutes or until heated thoroughly.
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