Get ready to elevate your potato game with the ultimate comfort food that will make your taste buds dance and your dinner guests swoon! Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes are not just a side dish - they're a creamy, cheesy experience that transforms the humble potato into a culinary masterpiece. Imagine crispy potato skins filled with a luxuriously smooth potato filling, topped with melted cheese that creates a golden, irresistible crust. This recipe is your ticket to becoming the ultimate home chef who can turn a simple ingredient into a show-stopping dish that everyone will be talking about.
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 1 hrs
Total Time: 1 hrs 20 mins
Cuisine: American
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 4 large russet potatoes
- 1/2 cup of sour cream
- 1/4 cup of milk
- 1/2 cup of shredded cheese
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Thoroughly wash the russet potatoes and pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel.
- Pierce each potato several times with a fork to allow steam to escape during baking. Place potatoes directly on the middle oven rack and bake for 50-60 minutes until they are completely soft when pierced with a fork.
- Remove potatoes from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes until they are comfortable to handle. Carefully slice each potato in half lengthwise.
- Using a spoon, scoop out the potato flesh, leaving a thin layer attached to the skin to help maintain the potato shell's structure. Place the scooped potato flesh into a large mixing bowl.
- Mash the potato flesh using a potato masher or electric mixer. Add sour cream, milk, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth and creamy.
- Fold in half of the shredded cheese into the mashed potato mixture, ensuring even distribution.
- Spoon the creamy potato mixture back into the potato skin shells, creating slightly mounded tops. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over each potato half.
- Return the stuffed potato halves to the oven and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the tops are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with optional chopped chives or green onions if desired.
Tips
- Choose the right potatoes: Russet potatoes work best due to their high starch content, which creates a fluffy interior.
- Don't skip piercing the potatoes before baking - this prevents them from potentially exploding in the oven.
- Let potatoes cool slightly before scooping to make handling easier and prevent burning your hands.
- For extra smoothness, use a ricer or food mill instead of a masher.
- Experiment with mix-ins like crispy bacon, chopped chives, or different cheese varieties to customize your potatoes.
- Make sure to leave a thin layer of potato inside the skin to help maintain the shell's structure.
- For a golden, crispy top, consider broiling for the last 2-3 minutes of baking.
- These potatoes can be prepared ahead of time and reheated, making them perfect for meal prep or entertaining.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 320kcal
Carbohydrates: 45g
Protein: 8g
Fat: 14g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Cholesterol: 35mg
