A seat for everyone
Loaded Baked Potatoes
Crisp skins, fluffy centers, and all your favorite toppings.
Turn oven-baked potatoes into an easy dinner with cheddar, sour cream, crispy bacon, and green onions. For a crowd, set out the toppings separately and let everyone build their own.
Serves: 4
Prep: 15 minutes
Bake: 50–70 minutes
Gather your favorites
Ingredients
- 4 large russet potatoes, about 10–12 ounces each
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Something delicious starts here
How to make them
- Heat the oven. Preheat to 425°F. Scrub the potatoes and dry them thoroughly. Prick each potato several times with a fork.
- Season and bake. Rub the potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 50–70 minutes, depending on size, until the skins are crisp and a knife slides easily into the centers.
- Open and fluff. Let cool for about 5 minutes. Carefully split each potato lengthwise and fluff the inside with a fork. Add 1 tablespoon butter to each potato and season to taste.
- Add the cheese. Divide the cheddar among the potatoes. Return to the oven for 2–3 minutes, until melted.
- Load them up. Top with sour cream, cooked bacon, and green onions. Add black pepper and serve warm.
Big-table dinner inspiration
Make it a baked potato bar
Plan on one large potato per person and scale the toppings to match. Offer steamed broccoli, sautéed mushrooms, or beans for extra variety. Keep bacon separate for guests who prefer a meat-free potato.
Prepare toppings while the potatoes bake. Keep hot toppings hot and chilled toppings refrigerated until serving, then replenish small bowls as needed.