I love everything potatoes, and you can’t tell me differently. Mash ’em, smash ’em, drown ’em in butter, and I’m happy. And this Twice Baked Potato Casserole? It’s basically my Southern love language in a baking dish. I’m talking about fluffy potatoes, melty cheeses, rich butter, and crispy bacon, all cozied up together in one glorious casserole. This baby will feed a small army, with leftovers to spare, if they survive that long! Bring this loaded casserole to a potluck, holiday feast, or random weeknight dinner, and watch it disappear faster than sweet tea on a hot day.
When I say this potato casserole is loaded, I mean it. I start with good old russet potatoes that I bake until fork tender. Then they’re mashed together with butter, sour cream, cream cheese, cheddar, and crispy bacon. Once it’s all mixed together and topped with even more cheese and bacon, you get a creamy, cheesy, bacon-studded side dish that’s got all the decadence of classic twice baked potatoes, but without the tedious scooping and refilling.
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Gather all your ingredients and preheat the oven to 400°F.
Bake the potatoes: Wash and dry 6 russet potatoes (6 lbs. total). Then, pierce them with a fork to allow steam to escape during baking.
Bake potatoes: Brush all the potatoes with 2 Tbsp vegetable oil, and put them on a parchment-lined oven-safe tray, and place them in the oven.
Meanwhile, place ½ lb. bacon on another parchment-lined oven-safe tray and place it in the oven. Cook the bacon for 15-20 minutes, until crispy. Then remove them from the oven and crumble when cooled. Set aside.
Allow the potatoes to continue baking for an additional 40 minutes, until they’re fork-tender. The total bake time for your potatoes will vary based on their size (mine were large, so I needed a full hour in the oven). Once fork-tender, remove the potatoes from the oven.
Make the casserole filling: Now turn your oven down to 375°F. Once they’re cool enough to handle, cut three of the baked potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out the potato flesh using a spoon into a large bowl.
You can either add the skins to the casserole for extra texture, or leave them out. I air-fried mine for a snack!
Slice the three remaining potatoes and add them to the large bowl with ½ of the crumbled bacon, 1 stick softened butter, 1 cup sour cream, 1 cup milk, 8 oz. softened cream cheese, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 Tbsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper. Mash and fold everything together to combine.
Make the casserole: Grease a 9×13 oven-safe casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Now add the potato mixture to the dish and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese on top.
Also, top with the remaining crumbled bacon.
Bake: Place the baking dish back into the oven, uncovered, and bake for 25 minutes until the cheese has melted and the casserole is heated through. Remove it from the oven and top with 2 sliced green onions. Enjoy!
This recipe for twice baked potato casserole casserole plays well with just about everything. I’d serve it with baked ham for the holidays, grilled chicken for a weekend cookout, or glazed pork chops for an easy, but hearty, weeknight meal. Honestly, I think it’s just as good on its own with a side salad or some roasted veggies, too!
Leftovers (if you’re lucky enough to have any) can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. I like to stir in a splash of milk if it thickens too much when reheating it in the oven (at 350°F) or microwave.
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