Loaded Baked Potato Recipe

Preheat and prepare potatoes

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Scrub the russet potatoes well under running water and pat dry. Pierce each potato 6–8 times with a fork to allow steam to escape.

Oil, salt and roast

Rub each potato with about 1/2 tbs olive oil (use the 2 tbs total) and sprinkle evenly with coarse salt and a little black pepper. Place potatoes directly on the oven rack or on a baking sheet lined with foil. Roast for 50–60 minutes, until skins are crisp and an inserted knife meets little resistance and the center yields.

Cook bacon

While potatoes roast, cook the bacon until crisp: in a skillet over medium heat, cook bacon slices 6–10 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned and crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then chop into small pieces. Reserve about 1 tbs of bacon fat (optional) to add to mashed potato for flavor.

Warm dairy

In a small saucepan or in the microwave, warm the milk (or cream) until just warm, not boiling. This helps incorporate into the potatoes smoothly.

Assemble the loaded potatoes

When potatoes are done, remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes until cool enough to handle. Working one at a time, slice each potato lengthwise across the top about 3/4 of the way through. Using a spoon, scoop or push the interior flesh into a mixing bowl, leaving a thin shell of skin to hold the filling.

Mash and season

Add 1 tbs butter to the hot potato flesh for each potato (use 4 tbs total), pour about 1/4 cup of the warmed milk into the bowl, and mash until smooth but still a bit fluffy. If you reserved bacon fat, add up to 1 tbs for extra smoky flavor. Stir in 1/2 cup shredded cheddar and 1/2 cup sour cream (adjust to desired creaminess). Taste and season with the 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper; adjust as needed.

Fill shells and top

Spoon the mashed potato mixture back into the potato skins, mounding slightly. Top each stuffed potato with the remaining shredded cheddar (about 1.5 cups distributed across 4 potatoes) and sprinkle the chopped bacon evenly over the potatoes.

Melt cheese and finish

Return the filled potatoes to the oven (set to broil if available) and bake at 425°F or broil for 3–5 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly and edges begin to brown — watch closely to prevent burning. Alternatively, bake at 425°F for 8–10 minutes until heated through and cheese melted.

Garnish and serve

Remove from oven. Add a 1 tbs dollop of sour cream to each potato if desired (use remaining sour cream), sprinkle with sliced green onions and snipped chives. Serve hot, passing extra salt, pepper and any additional toppings (hot sauce, extra butter) at the table.