Description
Loaded baked potatoes bacon cheddar become your ultimate comfort meal when crispy bacon and melted cheddar turn simple spuds into a seriously satisfying dinner. Creamy potato insides blend perfectly with salty, sharp cheese and smoky bacon bits for a quick weeknight feast that makes your taste buds dance.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 large Russet potatoes
- 6 strips bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled
- ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
Supporting Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish:
- Sour cream
- Fresh chives or green onions, diced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and prepare a wire rack over a lined baking sheet. Your crispy-skin method starts here.
- Rinse 4 large Russet potatoes under cold water, then thoroughly dry them. Pierce each potato multiple times with a fork to prevent bursting.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over the potatoes, massaging it into the skin. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Bake potatoes for 1 to 2 hours until tender. Avoid wrapping in foil to maintain a crispy exterior.
- While potatoes roast, arrange 6 bacon strips on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes until crisp.
- Let bacon cool, then crumble into bite-sized pieces.
- Once potatoes are done, carefully slice a lengthwise slit across the top. Gently squeeze the ends to open like a flower.
- Fluff the potato’s interior with a fork to create a light texture.
- Sprinkle ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese over each potato. Return to the oven for 3-5 minutes until cheese melts.
- Top each potato with a dollop of sour cream, crispy bacon crumbles, and diced fresh chives.
- Add a final pinch of salt and pepper to enhance the flavors. Serve immediately while cheese remains gooey.
Notes
- Choose russet potatoes for the best texture and flavor because they have a fluffy interior that works perfectly for loaded baked potatoes.
- Make sure to dry the potatoes completely after washing so the olive oil helps create a crisp, golden skin that’s wonderfully crunchy.
- Cooking bacon in the oven gives more consistent results and less mess compared to frying in a pan, plus it catches all the delicious grease for extra flavor.
- For a lighter version, swap regular bacon for turkey bacon and use low-fat cheddar cheese to reduce calories without sacrificing taste.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 430 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg