Easy Twice Baked Potatoes Recipe with Bacon & Cheese (2024)

FAQs

Why are my twice baked potatoes falling apart? ›

Do not wrap the potatoes in foil before baking. It softens the shells and will make them fall apart. Baking them unwrapped makes the skins crispy and stronger, which will help keep the potatoes together when scooping out the flesh and filling them.

Tip: Don't over mix the potato filling. Over-mixing causes mashed potatoes to become gluey instead of light and fluffy. To Make Ahead: Prepare potatoes completely, without baking them the second time. Place them on a large sheet pan, lightly cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to one day, until ready to bake.

Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes.

Greek yogurt replaces the sour cream often found in twice-baked potatoes for a healthier spin on this delicious classic. Meat-eaters will be happy to have bacon added to theirs, but this recipe is plenty delicious without it.

Yes, the skin of a twice baked potato is one of the most delicious parts! It's crispy, salty, and contains many health benefits.

Make the twice baked potatoes the entree. Why not grab a couple rotisserie chickens? Or you could roast them yourself if you wanted to cook everything. A salad or green veg like asparagus or green beans would be a good accompaniment as well.

The main difference is in the preparation of the mashed potato mixture before it is returned to the skins. Twice-baked potatoes are typically mashed with butter, sour cream, cheese, and seasonings, then spooned back into the potato skins and baked again until golden brown and crispy.

Incorporating Potatoes into a Healthy Diet

Double cooking potatoes can improve the absorption of starch-based carbohydrates, encourage SCFA production, and promote gut health and weight loss. So next time you're cooking up a batch of potatoes, consider giving them a double cook for maximum nutritional benefit.

Rumor has it that an un-pricked spud will explode in the oven—but in all actuality, that's unlikely. Conventional wisdom says that when you bake a potato, you have to prick it with a fork all over a few times, piercing the skin to allow steam to release.

Chefs put salt on the outside of their baked potatoes

The secret to achieving this is a hefty dose of salt. Steakhouse chefs cover their baked potatoes in salt before sticking them in the oven, often helping the crystals adhere with a generous coating of oil.

What is the best temperature to bake potatoes? ›

Potato baking temperatures range from 350˚ to 450˚F. The sweet spot seems to be at 400˚F, a temperature that cooks the potato all the way through and crisps the skin without singeing it. That said, you don't need to strictly adhere to a certain temperature every time you bake a potato.

Yes! Soak the potatoes in cold water to remove the excess starch from the outside of the potato. There are a few reasons why you want to remove that starch (it makes the potatoes burn, it keeps them from crisping up, it turns to sugar) but all you really need to remember is to soak them at least one hour.

Dunk the Potatoes in a Saltwater Solution

This step is extremely important because it seasons the skin and encourages it to dry and crisp in the oven.

Fill a large bowl with cold water and stir in 2 tablespoons of salt. Place the sliced potatoes in the salt water and let them soak for 15 to 30 minutes. This will help them bake up crispier. When the potatoes are done soaking, drain them, and dry very well with a towel.

To further prevent potatoes from falling apart, try using waxy potato varieties like red potatoes or Yukon Gold. These types tend to hold their shape better when boiled. Additionally, avoiding overcooking and handling them gently when straining will help maintain their integrity.

If your potatoes have been growing in very dry soil, the potatoes themselves will have a fairly low moisture content when harvested. What this then means is that when the potatoes are build they absorb more water and fall to pieces quite quickly.

Drainage: If you don't drain the potatoes thoroughly after boiling, they can become mushy and fall apart. Make sure to drain them well and shake the pot to remove any excess water. Type of potato: Different types of potatoes have different levels of starch and can behave differently when boiled.

If you want to use a conventional oven to reheat them, place any leftover potatoes on a baking sheet and over with foil. Bake at 425 degrees Farenheit for about 15 minutes. My favorite way to reheat them, though, is in the air fryer.