Loaded Baked Potatoes
Fluffy baked potatoes with salty, crispy skins, loaded with butter, cheddar, bacon, sour cream and scallions. Steakhouse-style comfort food for lunch.
By Tasty Nest Recipes Editorial TeamPublished
1 hr 10 min total 4 potatoesEasy
Photo: Red Lobster Lover Joe twitter:RLLoverJoe · Public Domain Mark. Illustrative photo; your results may look different.
About this recipe
A great baked potato has skin that crackles and an inside that is light and fluffy. Baking the potatoes directly on the oven rack, rubbed with oil and salt, is the way to get there.
Load them up with the classic steakhouse toppings: butter, sharp cheddar, crispy bacon, sour cream and scallions.
Equipment you'll need
- Baking sheet
- Skillet
Tips for success
- Do not wrap potatoes in foil; it steams them and leaves the skins soft.
- Russets give the fluffiest interior thanks to their high starch content.
- Return the loaded potatoes to the oven for 2 minutes to melt the cheese, if you like.
Substitutions and variations
- Top with leftover chilli, broccoli and cheese, or pulled chicken.
- Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
- Leave out the bacon for a vegetarian potato.
Storage and reheating
To store: Refrigerate cooled baked potatoes, without toppings, for up to 4 days.
To reheat: Reheat in a 400°F (200°C) oven for 15 to 20 minutes to re-crisp the skin, then add toppings.
Recipe
Loaded Baked Potatoes
Fluffy baked potatoes with salty, crispy skins, loaded with butter, cheddar, bacon, sour cream and scallions. Steakhouse-style comfort food for lunch.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 1 hr
- Total
- 1 hr 10 min
- Yield
- 4 potatoes
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
Tick off ingredients as you gather them.
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the potatoes
Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Prick each potato several times with a fork, rub with oil and sprinkle with salt.
Step 2: Bake
Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack, with a baking sheet on the rack below to catch drips. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the skins are crisp and a knife slides easily into the centre (about 205 to 210°F / 96 to 99°C inside).
Step 3: Cook the bacon
Meanwhile, cook the bacon in the skillet until crisp, then drain and crumble.
Step 4: Open and fluff
Cut a cross in the top of each potato, squeeze the ends to open it and fluff the flesh with a fork. Add a little butter to each.
Step 5: Load
Top with cheddar, bacon, sour cream, scallions and black pepper and serve hot.
Cuisine: American · Course: Lunch
Estimated nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 570
- Protein
- 19 g
- Fat
- 29 g
- Carbs
- 60 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
- Sugars
- 3 g
Approximate values estimated from typical nutrition data for the listed ingredients, excluding optional toppings and serving suggestions. Actual values vary with brands, portion sizes and substitutions. Not verified by a dietitian or laboratory analysis.
tastynestrecipes.com/recipes/loaded-baked-potatoes
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