Loaded Baked Potato Recipe
Extra-large baked potato stuffed with bacon, cheddar cheese, scallions, butter and sour cream.
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Ingredients
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Potatoes
Filling & Toppings
Optional garnish
Method
Prepare and bake potatoes
- 1
- 2
Oil and season skins
Rub each potato with about 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, then sprinkle with a little kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper so the skin crisps and is seasoned.
- 3
Bake
Place potatoes directly on the oven rack or on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until tender when pierced with a fork and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads about 205°F (96°C), about 60–75 minutes for extra-large potatoes. Rotate once halfway through for even baking.
Prepare fillings and toppings
- 4
Cook and chop bacon
If bacon is not already cooked, cook 8 slices in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 6–8 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then chop into small pieces.
- 5
Warm butter and mix sour cream
Soften the unsalted butter (or melt briefly). In a small bowl combine butter and sour cream; season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. This will be used to fluff the potato interior and add creaminess.
- 6
Prepare scallions and cheese
Thinly slice scallions, keeping some green tips for garnish. Shred the sharp cheddar cheese if not pre-shredded.
Assemble loaded baked potatoes
- 7
- 8
Mix in butter and sour cream
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the butter mixture into each potato (divide the 4 tbs butter / 1 cup sour cream mixture evenly), then gently fold it into the fluffed potato flesh to make it creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- 9
Add cheese and bacon
Divide 1 3/4 cups of shredded cheddar among the potatoes, saving a small handful for topping. Mix some of the chopped bacon into the potato flesh (about half of the chopped bacon total), then mound the remaining cheese on top of each potato. Return the stuffed potatoes to the oven (broiler or 425°F) for 2–4 minutes, until the cheese melts and begins to brown slightly. If using the broiler, watch closely to avoid burning.
- 10
Finish with sour cream and scallions
Remove potatoes from oven. Top each with about 2 tablespoons sour cream (from the butter-sour cream mixture or extra if desired), sprinkle on remaining chopped bacon, the reserved shredded cheddar, and sliced scallions. Garnish with snipped chives and a dash of hot sauce or smoked paprika if using.
- 11
Serve
Serve immediately while hot. Provide extra butter, sour cream, bacon, and scallions on the side for guests to customize.