This loaded baked potato casserole is like the most delicious and easy version of twice baked potatoes you’ll ever eat. It’s packed with flavor from the bacon, cheese, herbs, and sour cream.
Easy Baked Potato Casserole
Loaded potatoes are seriously one of my favorite foods, so this baked potato casserole is right up my alley!
The flavor combination is so delicious – everything from the crispy bacon bits, the buttery and sour creamy goodness, the melted gooey cheese throughout, and that little bit of garlic flavor. SO good! Absolutely the best combination.
I know it’s technically a side dish, but we ate this for dinner and it was seriously delicious. Everyone at the table happily cleaned their plates. It would make an awesome side dish for this Chili con Carne though.
This recipe is so quick and easy to make, and it would be great to bring as a dish for a potluck or to a BBQ.
It’s also the perfect holiday side dish, and I love serving it as one my side dishes for Christmas. It’s especially great serving with our Copycat Honey Baked Ham recipe!
If you want to have it as your main dish, I think it would be next level delicious with some shredded rotisserie chicken. That really sounds like the ultimate best dinner to me. If chicken isn’t your vibe, you could also make this a complete meal by mixing in some cooked ground beef or cooked and crumbled sausage.
If you love easy casseroles as much as I do, be sure to check out our Chicken Tater Tot Casserole and our Philly Cheesesteak Casserole. They’re both SO good and always gets thumbs up at the dinner table.
Ingredients
Potatoes: Russet potatoes have a higher starch content, which makes them fluffier. They’re definitely the variety I would recommend for this recipe because they taste the best when mashed.
I used boiled potatoes, because it’s the quickest and easiest method. If you’re super picky about the texture of your casserole, and really want it a bit more dry and fluffy, I’d recommend using baked potatoes instead.
If you want to make a healthier version, you could swap some of the potatoes for some cauliflower.
Bacon: Bacon adds so much flavor to this dish. You can swap it for turkey bacon if you prefer, or you can opt to leave it out to make a vegetarian version.
Butter: Butter makes the flavor totally dreamy, creamy, and luscious.
Sour Cream: Sour cream adds enough moisture to the dish that it can have a true casserole texture. Since it’s a relatively thick ingredient, it’s able to add moisture and flavor without thinning out the consistency.
If you like a really thick and creamy consistency, you make this with cream cheese and without sour cream.
Milk: This thins out the consistency just enough. I would recommend using whole milk since it will be heated in the oven.
Cheese: Freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese is the best option for this recipe. It melts well and has a delicious flavor that pairs perfectly with the other ingredients.
Spices and Herbs: Dried parsley, garlic powder, fine sea salt, and ground black pepper all get mixed into the casserole for the most amazing flavor combination.
Fresh green onions are sprinkled on top before serving for a bit of brightness that pairs well with the rich flavors in this dish. A sprinkling of seasoned salt would taste great here, too!
How To Make Twice Baked Potato Casserole
Boil the russet potato chunks until they are fork tender. Drain the potatoes, and stir in the butter, sour cream, milk, parsley, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. I like the potatoes chunky, but if you prefer them smoother, you can mash them with a potato masher before stirring everything else in. (See the recipe card below for the full written instructions.)
Stir in some of the cheddar cheese, and some of the bacon.
Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish that’s been greased with cooking spray. Top it with the remaining cheese and bacon.
Bake until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through. Top the casserole with with green onions and serve. See the recipe card below for the full printable instructions, including ingredient amounts, cooking times, and helpful tips, etc.
What Do You Eat With Twice Baked Potatoes?
I like to serve this side dish with a protein-packed main dish. Some of my favorites mains that pair well with this are Melt In Your Mouth Chicken, Baked Panko Chicken, Chili Lime Chicken, and this super popular Instant Pot Frozen Roast.
What Side Dishes Go With Potatoes?
Since potatoes are starchy, I love balancing them out with non-starchy vegetable side dishes. Some of my favorites are Southern Green Beans, Honey Glazed Carrots, Tomato Cucumber Salad, and Broccoli Cranberry Salad.
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Side Dish Recipes
If you like this recipe, be sure to check out our entire section of side dishes! Some reader favorites are:
BEST Baked Potato Casserole Recipe
This loaded baked potato casserole is like the most delicious and easy version of twice baked potatoes you’ll ever eat. It’s packed with flavor from the bacon, cheese, herbs, and sour cream.
Ingredients
- 1 pound bacon (cooked and crumbled, divided)
- 3 pounds russet potatoes (washed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
- 1/4 cup butter (cubed)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 1/2 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese (divided)*
- 1/4 cups green onions (chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Lightly grease a 9x13 casserole dish and set it to the side.
- Place your potatoes in a large pot of water, then bring to a boil. Boil potatoes until they are fork tender (about 8 minutes). Drain the potatoes, then transfer them back to the pot.
- Add the butter, sour cream, milk, parsley, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the pot. Mix until well incorporated and butter has melted.
- Add in 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese and half the bacon. Mix again.
- Transfer the potato mixture to the prepared casserole dish, and spread it out evenly.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese and bacon over the top of the casserole. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes (or until cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through).
- Carefully remove from the oven. Top with the chopped green onions, and serve.
Notes
*It's important to use freshly shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheeses are coated in anti-caking agent that stops them from melting smoothly.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1/8Amount Per Serving: Calories: 658Total Fat: 43.4gCarbohydrates: 35.3gFiber: 2.4gSugar: 3.2gProtein: 32.1g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
This baked potato casserole is one of the best make ahead potato recipes!
