Twice cooked stuffed potatoes, baked with everything and anything, is an easy meal for busy homes!
America’s Comfort Food – The Potato
The twice-baked potato is pure American comfort, the kind of food that feels instantly familiar even if you can’t remember the first time you ate one.
It likely began as a simple upgrade to the classic baked potato, a familiar side dish on steakhouse plates and family dinner tables. Someone realized the best part was the fluffy center, and that mixing it with butter, cheese, and cream only made it better. Scooping it out, stuffing it back in, and baking it again wasn’t extravagance; it was common sense.
For many of us, twice-baked potatoes carry a certain nostalgia. They show up at holiday dinners, at potlucks, alongside a grilled steak or a roasted chicken. They feel a little fancy, but never intimidating. The kind of dish that signals effort without pretension.
Stuffed Potatoes For Family Meals
What makes them so lovable is the contrast: crisp skins, a creamy, whipped interior, and a golden top that browns just enough in the oven. They’re endlessly adaptable too, happy to hold bacon and chives, leftover vegetables, sharp cheddar, or whatever the fridge has to offer.
At their heart, twice-baked potatoes are about taking something simple and giving it a second pass, more care, more flavor, more comfort. An easy way to get picky family members to eat other ingredients they might otherwise turn their nose up at. And maybe that’s why they’ve stuck around so long: they taste like home, reheated in the best possible way.
Potatoes
Potatoes are one of those fabulous vegetables we could eat all by itself; roasted, boiled, grilled or fried, and they are so easy to grow!
Potatoes are hard not to love simply because they are versatile and they accommodate just about any flavor or ingredient you want to put with them.
Potatoes were the first food I fed my children when they were starting to eat food (and not just milk), and will probably be the last food we eat before departing this world, for reasons we won’t go into here (wink)!
Various Ways To Cook Potatoes
Roasted potatoes, skin on, are about the easiest way to cook a potato. Toss those scrubbed potatoes clean, toss in olive oil, coarse salt and some fresh rosemary and you could eat potatoes this way just about everyday.
Oven Fried Potatoes are another great way to enjoy the nourishing ‘skins left on’ a potato and not have the potatoes swimming in oil the way oil fried potatoes have.
The oven is set to 450, potatoes sliced to the desired size, tossed in a little olive oil, not much, salted and let them crisp up in the oven.
And, where would comfort good be without good ole mashed potatoes! Peeled, boiled, seasoned and whipped into fluffy white clouds of deliciousness!
What Is A Twice Cooked Stuffed Potato?
A big ole russet potato, scrubbed, skin on and baked in the oven for an hour. That is once cooked. Simple, nothing to do except toss a bunch of potatoes into the oven and roast them.
This part can be done early in the day, put the cooked potatoes aside until dinner time when you are ready to make a meal out of them.
This step can also be done at ‘meal-prep time’ over the weekend when you have time to plan out meals for the busy week ahead.
Twice cooked happens when you are ready to open the baked potato, stuff it with whatever you may have in the fridge, bake it for a brief time again, and you’ve got an entire meal in less than 15-minutes!
Stuffed Potatoes
The question is; what to stuff those potatoes with! A favored stuffing for many busy young families is bacon, cheese and of course toss some broccoli in there. I can’t think of a faster meal to satisfy a busy family on weeknights.
Vegan stuffings are a healthy and satisfying way to stuff the potato; tomatoes, spinach lemon vinaigrette and a little cashew cheese would make for a fabulous stuffing. Red beans and cauliflower with a little salsa verde would be fabulous as well.
A little gourmet touch to these ole spuds would be nice for those adult, fireside meals. How about a cheesesteak stuffed baked potato? Oh yes please!
Got a little leftover chili, either loaded with meat or a fabulous black bean chili? Stuff that in the baked potato and in 15-minutes you’ve got dinner.
What To Stuff Potatoes With?
- Zucchini (confetti-cut) – Finely chopped zucchini melts beautifully into the potato filling, adding moisture and a gentle green freshness without stealing the show. Cut small, it feels more like a whisper of vegetable than a statement, perfect for sneaking in something fresh.
- Broccoli (very finely chopped) – Tiny pieces of broccoli bring both texture and color. When chopped small and mixed into the warm potato, it softens just enough while keeping a faint bite, making the whole thing feel hearty and wholesome.
- Cheeses (shredded) – This is where comfort really shows up. Shredded cheeses melt evenly through the filling, creating that creamy, stretchy interior we all hope for. Sharp cheddar, mozzarella, Gruyère, or a simple blend, each one makes the potato feel richer and more indulgent.
- Beef, chicken, or turkey (pre-cooked and shredded) – Leftover proteins turn a side dish into a full meal. Shredded meat tucks easily into the potato, soaking up butter and cheese and giving the whole thing a savory backbone that feels deeply satisfying.
- Roasted peppers (thinly sliced) – Roasted peppers add sweetness and a touch of smokiness, brightening up the richness of the potato. Cut into fine strips, they weave through the filling like little ribbons of color.
- Fried onions – Crispy fried onions are perfect for a vegetarian potato, adding crunch and that unmistakable savory note. Sprinkled on top before the second bake, they toast even further, creating a golden, irresistible finish.
- Bacon (pre-cooked and chopped) – Bacon brings instant nostalgia, salty, smoky, and crunchy. Added at the end or sprinkled on top, it contrasts beautifully with the soft interior and feels like a nod to classic steakhouse potatoes.
- Leftovers (stews, chili, or just the solids) – This might be the most comforting option of all. Spoon in thick leftovers, chili, stew, or braised vegetables, and let the potato become a second life for yesterday’s dinner. It’s thrifty, cozy, and quietly brilliant.
Potato Skins – Stuffed & Twice Cooked
Here’s another fabulous approach to twice cooked potatoes that actually carves out two separate meals; bake the potato, cut it in half, scoop out the cooked potato for another meal and fill the skins with your favorite filling, roast one more time and you’ve got dinner, or at least a yummy side dish.
When I was growing up, no one ate the skins on the potato. How ignorant. Now we know the skin offers so many wonderful health benefits as well as great flavor.
What to make with the scooped out cooked potato? That’s easy! Add it to any soup stock to make for a creamier broth. If you like to make bread or are willing to try an easy recipe for Potato Bread, then the cooked potato is the perfect ingredient for bread making.
How To Make Twice Cooked Stuffed Potatoes
Deciding what you want to stuff the potato with is entirely up to you, even though I am sharing one of my favorite stuffing here with you.
While the potato is roasting, you have an hour to precook any meats you may want in the stuffing, or simply pull out some leftovers.
Once the potato is roasted and cooled, cut an oval opening on the top, scoop out some of the cooked potato, which can be mixed with stuffing ingredients and spooned back into the cooked potato cavity.
Wrap the potato in foil, store it in the fridge if it is for later, or pop it back into the oven at 400 for 15-minutes and you’ve got dinner.
This is a great, not to mention fun, way to serve a large crowd for game day or casual gathering of friends.
Ingredients Needed For A Few Variations
- Russet Potatoes – Russets are the classic choice for a reason. Their thick skins hold their shape through two bakes, while the insides turn fluffy and light, ready to be mashed, seasoned, and re-stuffed without becoming heavy.
- Broccoli – Broccoli brings a welcome hint of green and a subtle earthiness. Finely chopped, it blends seamlessly into the filling, adding balance to all the richness without feeling like an afterthought.
- Bacon – Bacon lends its unmistakable smokiness and crunch. Whether folded into the filling or scattered on top, it adds contrast and that familiar, savory note that makes a twice-baked potato feel extra comforting.
- Onion – Onion forms the quiet backbone of flavor. Softened in butter or oil, it becomes sweet and mellow, grounding the potato and tying all the other ingredients together.
- Butter – Butter is where the indulgence begins. It enriches the filling, smoothing everything out and giving the potatoes that luxurious, melt-in-your-mouth texture we associate with special dinners.
- Mushrooms – Mushrooms add depth and a gentle umami that makes the filling feel hearty and satisfying. Sautéed until golden, they bring a richness that pairs beautifully with cheese and butter.
- Garlic – Garlic adds warmth rather than sharpness when gently cooked. Just enough to perfume the filling, it deepens the overall flavor without overpowering the potato itself.
- Cheese – Cheese binds everything together. Melted into the filling and baked again on top, it creates both creaminess inside and that golden, bubbling finish we all look for.
- Chives – Chives add a fresh, grassy note at the end, cutting through the richness with a subtle onion flavor and a pop of green that makes the dish feel complete.
- Olive Oil – Olive oil plays a supporting role, used to sauté vegetables or brush the skins, it adds a light fruitiness and helps everything cook evenly.
- Salt – Salt is essential for bringing the potato to life. Proper seasoning makes all the difference, turning something simple into something truly satisfying.
- Pepper – Freshly ground pepper adds gentle heat and warmth, finishing the dish with just enough bite to keep each bite interesting.
Equipment Needed
- Cutting Board & Chopping Knife – These are where the prep begins. A good, sturdy board and a sharp knife make quick work of vegetables, herbs, and toppings, setting everything up for an easy, unrushed cook.
- Baking Sheet Pan – The baking sheet is essential for both rounds in the oven. It supports the potatoes as they bake, catch any bubbling cheese or butter, and keeps cleanup simple.
- Sauté Pan – A sauté pan is where much of the flavor is built. Onions soften, mushrooms brown, and broccoli turns tender, all before being folded into the potato filling.
- Spatula – The spatula helps move things along, stirring vegetables, scraping the pan, and making sure nothing is left behind. It’s a small tool with a big supporting role.
- Spoon – A sturdy spoon is key for scooping out the potato interiors and mixing the filling. It’s also perfect for gently mounding everything back into the skins.
- Stovetop or Burner – The stovetop brings everything together before the second bake, allowing flavors to develop and ingredients to soften just enough.
- Oven – The oven (even a countertop oven), does the real transformation, twice. First to bake the potatoes until tender, then again to meld the filling, crisp the skins, and create that golden, comforting finish.
TWICE COOKED STUFFED POTATOES
Equipment
- Saute pan
- Baking pan
- Cutting board & sharp knife
Ingredients
- 4 Russet potatoes scrubbed clean
- 1/2 cup Broccoli cooked & chopped
- 1/2 cup Bacon cooked & chopped
- 1 Onion, medium chopped and caramelized
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 1/2 cup Mushrooms chopped
- 2 Garlic cloves crushed
- 3/4 cup Cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup Chives, chopped
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400
- Place scrubbed clean, unpeeled potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, covered. Cool
- While potatoes bake, cook the bacon and chop into small pieces.
- Melt the butter in a pan and caramelize the chopped onions along with the chopped mushrooms.
- Cut a long oval in the top of the baked, cooled potato and carefully remove much of the cooked potato.
- In a large bowl, place the cooked, scooped out potato, the chopped broccoli, caramelized onions and mushrooms, crushed garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and half of the shredded cheese. Mix gently.
- Stuff the potato mixture back into the cooked potatoes. Top with the remaining cheese, bacon and sprinkle the chopped chives.
- Place on a baking sheet and bake at 400 for 20-minutes. Serve
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I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.