Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Potatoes
- 4 russet potatoes, scrubbed and dried
- 15 ml olive oil
- 5 g sea salt, coarse
Filling
- 60 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 120 g sour cream
- 60 ml whole milk, warmed
- 150 g sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 3 g salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 292 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 29 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 532 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 9 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 23 mg
- Potassium
- 690 mg
- Calcium
- 184 mg
- Iron
- 1.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 43 mg
- Phosphorus
- 198 mg
- Zinc
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 123 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 10 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 16 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.14 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.09 mg
- Niacin
- 1.6 mg
- Folate
- 27 mcg
- Water
- 143 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Thoroughly scrub the potatoes and pat them completely dry with a towel to ensure crispy skins.
Pierce each potato 3-4 times with a fork. Rub the skins generously with olive oil and coat with coarse sea salt.
Place potatoes directly on the oven rack (with a baking sheet on the rack below to catch drips) or on a baking sheet. Bake for 60 minutes or until the skins are crisp and the insides yield easily to pressure.
Remove potatoes from the oven and let them rest for 10 minutes until cool enough to handle. Reduce oven temperature to 175°C (350°F).
Slice potatoes in half lengthwise. carefully scoop out the flesh into a large bowl using a spoon, leaving about 5mm (1/4 inch) of potato attached to the skin to maintain structural integrity.
To the bowl of potato flesh, add the butter, sour cream, warm milk, salt, and pepper. Mash until creamy but slightly textured.
Fold in the sliced green onions and 100g of the shredded cheddar cheese. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.
Spoon the mixture back into the potato shells, piling it slightly high. Sprinkle the remaining 50g of cheddar cheese over the tops.
Place the filled potatoes on a baking sheet. Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
Chef's Notes
- Select potatoes that are uniform in size so they finish baking at the same time.
- Do not wrap the potatoes in foil for the first bake; foil traps steam and results in a soggy skin rather than a crisp one.
- Warming the milk before adding it to the mash helps the potatoes absorb the liquid better and keeps the mixture warm.
- For extra crispy skins, brush the empty shells with a little more olive oil and bake them alone for 5 minutes before stuffing.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze after stuffing but before the second bake. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
Reheating: Reheat in a 175°C (350°F) oven for 15-20 minutes until heated through. Microwave not recommended as skins will lose crispness.
Troubleshooting
Potato skin tears while scooping
Cause: Scooping too aggressively or digging too deep into the wall
Fix: Piece the skin back together and wrap the bottom of that potato tightly in aluminum foil to hold its shape during the second bake
Prevention: Leave a thicker rim of potato (about 5mm) inside the skin
Filling is gummy or gluey
Cause: Overworking the potatoes (using a food processor or electric mixer on high)
Fix: Cannot be fixed; texture is permanent but flavor remains good
Prevention: Use a hand masher or ricer and stop as soon as ingredients are combined
Cultural Context
The twice-baked potato is a quintessential staple of American comfort food, evolving from the simple baked potato to become a hearty side dish often appearing at steakhouses and Thanksgiving tables. By removing, enriching, and returning the potato flesh to its jacket, the dish maximizes both texture and flavor.
