Oven-Fried Stuffed Potatoes
Let’s Talk About Why I Can’t Stop Making These
Okay, so here we go: oven-fried stuffed potatoes. This is that dish for when you want something sort of fancy, but not so fancy you need to wear your nice shirt. My first encounter? One winter, got stuck inside after a snowstorm, potatoes were the only veg (besides half-frozen peas—no thanks). Hungry and almost outta cheese, so I did what any resourceful cook with limited patience and big hunger does, and voilà: stuffed the heck out of those potatoes, crisped them up, and the rest is kind of a delicious blur. Oh, once I dropped one face-down on the stovetop…it still tasted great. Just more *rustic*.
Why You’ll Love This (Or at Least, Why I Do)
I make these oven-fried stuffed potatoes every time I need to impress, but also when I just need to clean out my fridge. My family goes totally bonkers for these because they’ve got that crispy-outside, creamy-inside magic (and they’re basically a cheese delivery system, so win-win). Trust me, if you like your potatoes a little fancy but still want ketchup on the side, this is your jam. Sometimes I get lazy and use pre-shredded cheese—works fine! Oh, and don’t even get me started on how satisfying it is to scoop out potatoes without tearing the skin. Took me ages to figure that trick out.
Here’s What You’ll Need (No Judgement If You Improvise)
- 4 big ol’ Russet potatoes – or honestly whatever potatoes are lurking at the bottom of the pantry (Yukons are grand, just a bit waxier)
- 1/2 cup sour cream – or Greek yogurt if you’re being virtuous
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar (Grandma swore by Tillamook; I just get whatever’s on sale)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 scallions, chopped up (skip if you dislike the green bits; but why?)
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder—or just a regular clove, if you remember to buy garlic
- Salt & pepper—a good pinch of each, but who’s counting?
- A splash of milk (not too much; just eyeball it honestly)
- Optional: crumbled bacon (my neighbor once tried tofu bacon; jury’s out)
How to Make Oven-Fried Stuffed Potatoes (My Cathartic Method)
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C). Poke the potatoes with a fork a few times so they don’t explode (don’t laugh—this happened once; spud shrapnel everywhere). Pop them on a baking sheet and stick them in for about an hour. Go watch part of a movie.
- Let them cool off a bit. Seriously, they’re like lava rocks straight from the oven. Now, cut them in half lengthwise—slice gently, or the skins will tear, and nobody likes leaking potatoes.
- Scoop out the insides into a bowl, but leave a little behind for structure. I usually mesh up the potato with a fork. Add most of your cheese, butter, sour cream, scallions, pinch of garlic powder, salt, pepper, and that splash of milk. Mix it all up. (This is my sneaky taste-test stage—sometimes needs just a pinch more salt.)
- Spoon the glorious filling back into the skins. Don’t be stingy. Top with the remaining cheese, a little more butter if you’re feeling wild, and maybe bacon if you’ve got some. Place the stuffed halves back on the baking sheet.
- Bake at 425°F (220°C) for another 15-20 minutes. The tops should look crisp and golden. Sometimes I broil for the last 2 minutes, but don’t walk off or you’ll burn them—I speak from (crispy) experience.
Random Notes From Far Too Many Potato Experiments
- If you use waxier potatoes (like Yukon golds), your filling can be denser—delicious, but different! The flavor’s still spot-on though.
- Microwaving the potatoes to speed things up kind of… works, but the skins go soggy. I regret nothing, but consider yourself warned.
- If you’re feeling extremely lazy, the filling can go straight into a casserole dish. Not technically a ‘stuffed potato,’ but you do you.
How Have I Messed With This Recipe? (Maybe Too Much)
- Tried blue cheese instead of cheddar—good, if you like strong flavors. My kids wouldn’t go near it, though.
- Messed around with broccoli in the filling: love it. My brother, not so much (he’s picky, always has been).
- One time I tried salsa in the potato mix—let’s just say, that was… well, interesting. Maybe not again.
- Leftover cooked chicken or ham works, too. The more you stuff in, the more the potato becomes a main instead of just a side, which is pretty handy at dinnertime.
Stuff I Use in My (Very Not Professional) Kitchen
- Baking sheet (any old pan will do honestly—once I used the bottom of a Dutch oven)
- Good, sharp knife for the potato surgery
- Medium bowl for mixing—it can be plastic or glass, doesn’t matter; I’ve used a soup pot in a pinch
- Sturdy fork or potato masher (even a clean glass has done the trick when forks were all in the dishwasher)
Can You Store These? (Uh, Sort Of)
You can keep leftover stuffed potatoes in the fridge for up to two days, wrapped or tucked in a container. But, honestly, they rarely survive more than 24 hours here. If you need to reheat them, toss them back in a hot oven, or even the toaster oven—microwave works, but you’ll lose a bit of that crispiness. Actually, I think they taste even better the next day, not kidding.
How I Like to Serve ‘Em (Honestly, Anything Goes)
These go with roast chicken, grilled sausages, or all by themselves in a pile with some good, sharp pickles (our weird holiday tradition). I have a habit of slathering extra sour cream on top and hitting it with hot sauce—don’t tell my mom. My partner usually insists on a big salad with the potatoes, but that’s optional, obviously.
If I Could Offer Just a Few Pro Tips…
- I once tried to scoop the potatoes while they were still steaming hot—trust me, just wait ten minutes, or you’ll need oven mitts and a heroic tolerance for pain.
- Don’t over-mash—leave it a bit chunky. Smooth puree is kind of boring here (like cafeteria food, sorry not sorry).
- If you broil at the end for extra crispiness, don’t turn away (Potatoes go from perfect to charcoal before you can say ‘spud’).
FAQ: Your Real Questions, My Real Answers
Can I use sweet potatoes? Sure! Just know it’ll taste, well, sweet. Personally I prefer regular potatoes, but sweet ones are fun now and then.
What if I don’t have sour cream? Yogurt or even a splash of milk works in a pinch (done it, lived through it). Cream cheese is great too, just richer.
How do you get the skins to stay together? Oh, good one—someone actually DM’d me this. Just leave a thin layer of potato attached, and use a decent sharp spoon or scoop; don’t try to get every last bit out.
Can I freeze these? Not really my favorite. The texture turns a bit weird, but you can if you don’t mind a slightly rubbery spud. For more tips, The Kitchn has lots of freezer advice.
Do I need foil on the baking tray? Nah. I almost never bother. Maybe if you want less cleanup, line it with parchment. Or don’t. Up to you.
Where can I see more riffable potato recipes? I love browsing Smitten Kitchen’s potato archive—seriously, endless inspiration.
One Last (Probably Unnecessary) Digression
This is totally unrelated, but recently I tried making stuffed mushrooms and ended up with a face-full of breadcrumbs. So, if you’re feeling ambitious, don’t stray too far from the classics until you’re ready for chaos. Potatoes, at least, won’t explode unless you forget the fork pokes. Which I have, but only the once. Maybe twice.
Ingredients
- 4 large russet potatoes
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for brushing)
Instructions
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1Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Scrub potatoes clean and prick each potato several times with a fork.
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2Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack and bake for 45 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork.
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3While potatoes are baking, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels and crumble.
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4Remove potatoes from the oven and let cool slightly. Cut each potato in half lengthwise and carefully scoop out most of the flesh into a bowl, leaving a thin shell.
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5Mash the potato flesh with the butter, sour cream, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in half the bacon and chives. Spoon mixture back into potato shells.
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6Place stuffed potatoes on a baking sheet, brush tops lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with remaining bacon. Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Garnish with extra chives and serve hot.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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