Twice Baked Potatoes

Hot and bubbly, these twice baked potatoes are delicious decadence! Prepared with a savory twist, they're definitely not your average baked potatoes!

A Loaded Twice Baked Potato Recipe

Chances are, you've enjoyed a twice baked potato while eating out at a restaurant, or perhaps you've even prepared them in your own kitchen. Either way, you know just how cheesy, savory and tasty they can be!

But if you haven't yet had the pleasure of tucking into one, then let me tell you, you're in for a treat with this recipe.

I've come up with a really fun and extra special, extra flavorful version of a twice baked potato, one that has everything you'd expect plus my own little additions and twists.

How to Make Twice Baked Potatoes

Basically, a twice baked potato is a russet potato that is baked off for a first time in order to soften it and make it nice and tender. Then, it's flesh is scooped out, mashed, and combined with other tasty ingredients before being spooned back into the potato and baked a second time with a cheesy topping.

Typically, you'll find that most twice baked potato recipes call for yellow cheddar cheese, green onions, and bacon as part of the ingredients—those add-ins are tremendously tasty, of course!

But because I really want to go in a bit of a unique direction with these baked potatoes, while still keeping with basic expectations, I'm opting to add into the mix some roasted garlic (yum!), and substitute sharp white cheddar, chives, and crispy prosciutto for the rest of the usual ingredients.

These little morsels provide all the cheesy, savory flavor and texture you'd expect to enjoy in a twice baked potato recipe, only with a bit more depth and a slightly more gourmet twist.

After all, twice baked potatoes are already quite a special side, so why not make them that much more special?

Here's a glance at my twice baked potato recipe (or just jump to the full recipe further down...):

1. I bake my potatoes and my foil-wrapped head of garlic together, removing the head of garlic about 15 minutes before I remove the potatoes from the oven. Once the garlic is cool enough to handle, I mash it into a paste and set it aside.
2. While the potatoes and garlic are roasting, I quickly crisp some prosciutto in a hot pan, chop it up, and set aside.
3. When the potatoes are tender, I remove them from the oven; then, when cool enough to handle, I carefully cut the top third of the potatoes off lengthwise, and gently scrape/scoop the flesh out into a bowl (creating a sort of potato “boat”), leaving a bit of a border for support.
4. I mash the flesh and mix it with my roasted garlic and other ingredients; then, I spoon the fluffy potato filling back into each potato “boat”, place them onto the baking sheet, top with extra cheese, and broil until melted.
5. I finish the twice baked potatoes by sprinkling over the crispy prosciutto and garnishing with chives.

Recipe

Twice Baked Potatoes

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

Twice baked potatoes are a deliciously decadent side, and these have the addition of roasted garlic, plus white cheddar and crispy prosciutto as a twist!

Category: Side
Cuisine: American

Yield: Serves 4

Nutrition Info: 658 calories

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 russet potatoes (about 9 ounces each), scrubbed clean and dried
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 1 head garlic, top cut off
• 4 slices prosciutto
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened at room temp
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 3 tablespoons half and half or milk (use a touch more if needed)
• 2 tablespoons minced chives, divided use
• 1 ½ cup grated sharp white cheddar, divided use

Preparation:

- Preheat the oven to 400°; line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil, and place a wire rack over top.

- To prepare you potatoes, prick each with a fork about three time to help steam to escape during the baking process; drizzle about 1-2 tablespoons of the olive oil over the potatoes, along with a good sprinkle of salt and pepper, and rub into the potatoes; place onto your prepared baking sheet.

- To prep the head of garlic, drizzle a tiny amount of the olive oil over the cut head, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and wrap tightly in foil; place next to the potatoes on the wire rack.

- Place the baking sheet into the oven, and bake the potatoes for 1 hour, removing the head of garlic about 15 minutes before the potatoes are done (the garlic will roast for 45 minutes); once the garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze the cloves from the papers and mash with a fork, then set aside.

- While the potatoes/garlic roast, crisp the prosciutto slices in a hot pan for a few minutes per side, until golden-brown and crispy; then, chop and set aside.

- When the potatoes are tender, remove from oven and set the oven to “broil”.

- Once cool enough to handle, cut the top third of each potato off lengthwise, and carefully scrape/scoop most of the flesh from each potato creating potato “boats” (leaving about a ¼” border for support), placing the flesh into a bowl.

- Mash the potato flesh with a fork until very smooth, then add in some salt and pepper, the butter, sour cream, and half and half (or milk), and mix to combine; add in the mashed roasted garlic, 1 tablespoon of the chives, and ½ cup of the grated cheese, and fold to combine.

- Spoon the mixture into the cavity of each potato “boat” generously, top with equal amounts of the remaining 1 cup of grated cheese, and broil for a few minutes until melted and hot.

- Sprinkle over top the rest of the chives and the chopped, crispy prosciutto, and serve hot!

Tips & Tidbits for Twice Baked Potatoes:

• Russet potatoes, best for baking: Medium-large russet potatoes are the perfect pick for twice baked potatoes. They're a good size, and they're flesh is starchier, which helps bind together all the other added ingredients deliciously.
• High temp for a crispy skin: I like to rub a little oil on each potato before placing it into the oven, and use a higher temp (400°), so that the potatoes' skin becomes nice and golden and crisp. I set the oven to “broil” when placing them back in the second time.
• Getting cheesy: I love a sharp white cheddar cheese in this recipe, but feel free to use traditional yellow cheddar if that's what you prefer. However, sharper cheeses do tend to offer more savoriness.
• Sub bacon for prosciutto in a pinch: Prosciutto is not quite as smoky as bacon is, but has a milder, salty flavor that is delicious when crisped up in a pan. But if you prefer to use bacon, feel free to do that!
• Roasting garlic: To roast the garlic, you'll simple cut the top off a head, drizzle over a touch of olive oil, then wrap the whole head tightly in foil. (Typically, it takes about 45 minutes for a head to roast to sweet, soft golden-brown deliciousness, so I remove it from the oven about 15 minutes before the potatoes are done.)
• Prepare ahead for easy twice baked potatoes: You can prepare these twice baked potatoes 2-3 days ahead of when you plan to serve them! Simply follow the recipe up to the point that you spoon the seasoned mashed potato filling back into the cavities of the potato “boats”, then allow them to completely cool; once cool, place the filled potatoes onto a plate or platter, wrap with plastic wrap, and keep in fridge. When ready to bake and serve, allow the filled potatoes to come to room temp before baking (30 minutes to 1 hour); then, top with grated cheese, and bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Hungry for more potato recipes? Check out these Skillet Potatoes, these Roasted Potatoes, these Garlic Mashed Potatoes, or these Potatoes au Gratin!