Loaded Baked Potatoes with Cheese, Bacon & Sour Cream
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Get ready to indulge in the ultimate comfort food with our Loaded Baked Potatoes with Cheese recipe. Stuffed with gooey melted cheese, crispy bacon, and a dollop of sour cream, these potatoes are a hearty and satisfying dish.
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I know that readers like to skip to the recipe card, but I recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions, to ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required and understand the steps and timings involved.
Loaded Baked Potatoes with Cheese
Who can say no to a soft buttery baked potato filled with cheese? Not me that’s for sure!
These loaded baked potatoes with cheese and bacon are filling and comforting, and an easy meal any night of the week.
You can enjoy them as they come, or top them with some Greek yogurt or sour cream and some snipped chives for added freshness.
Loaded baked potatoes (although in the UK we call them jacket potatoes!) also make a great side dish for chicken or steak.
Use nice big potatoes when enjoying as a main meal (maybe with a salad on the side), and smaller ones as a side.
Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, ingredients, and equipment needed for this recipe have been linked to Amazon, Amazon Fresh, or other stores if available online.
Ingredients Needed For Loaded Baked Potatoes
- Fresh Produce – Baking Potatoes (Idaho, Russet, King Edward, Maris Piper), Chives
- Protein – Bacon
- Dairy – Cheddar Jack Cheese (or a mix of Sharp (Strong) Cheddar and Monterey Jack or similar), Sour Cream
- Pantry – Sea Salt
The complete list of ingredients with measurements is found on the recipe card at the end of this post.
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Equipment Needed For This Recipe
- Large Rimmed Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper – also known as baking paper or greaseproof paper.
- Sharp Knife
- Chopping/Cutting Board
- Mixing Bowl
- Rubber/Silicone Spatula
Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use cups and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American US customary, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. Please note, that you can mix cup measurements with weighted measures, but never mix US customary/imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, liters, etc.,).
More Recipes Using Potatoes
One of the hero ingredients in this dish is potatoes, so here are some more recipes using the same:
- Baked Potato Skins with BBQ Chicken & Caramelized Onions
- Pizza-Stuffed Baked Potato Skins with Pepperoni & Fresh Basil
- These Jalapeño Popper Baked Potatoes Are Popping with Flavor!
- Classic Baked Potato Skins with Cheese & Bacon
How Do I Make Loaded Baked Potatoes with Cheese?
The printable recipe card with the full ingredients list and instructions can be found at the end of this post.
Step 1 – Preheat & Prep: Preheat your oven to 400°F/200°C/Gas 6. Place a wire rack on top of a large, rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set it aside.
Step 2 – Prepare Potatoes: Drizzle each potato with a little olive oil and use your hands to thoroughly coat. Pierce the potatoes several times with a fork and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
Step 3 – Bake Potatoes: Place the prepared potatoes onto the wire rack and cook in the center of the preheated oven for about 60 minutes or until they are fork-tender. Leave the oven on.
Step 4 – Scoop Potatoes: Remove the potatoes from the oven and leave them to cool for about 10 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, cut an oval-shaped opening into the top of each potato and carefully remove the skin from the opening.
Scoop out the baked flesh inside with a spoon and transfer it to a medium bowl. Do not cut all the way through the potato.
Step 5 – Make Filling: Add ½ cup of cheese and ⅔ cup of bacon to the bowl of potato flesh. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine.
Step 6 – Cook Potatoes: Divide the potato mixture equally between the four potato skins and place them back in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
Step 7 – Finish & Serve: Remove the stuffed potatoes from the oven and sprinkle the remaining cheese and bacon between them. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of fresh chives. Enjoy!
More Potato Side Dish Recipes
Looking for more potato side dishes to make? Check these recipes out next:
- Butter Parsley Baby Potatoes in the Instant Pot
- Greek-Style Lemon Potatoes
- Cuban Mojo Potatoes – A Delicious Side Dish with Chili, Garlic & Lime
- Comforting & Creamy Instant Pot Mashed Red Potatoes
- Tri-Color Roasted Rosemary Potatoes Recipe – A Quick Side Dish
Printable Loaded Baked Potatoes with Cheese Recipe Card
To save ink, any demonstration photos on the recipe card do not print.
Loaded Baked Potatoes
Indulge in a comforting classic with Loaded Baked Potatoes oozing with melted cheese, crispy bacon, and sour cream for a mouthwatering delight that satisfies with every bite.
Ingredients
- 4 large baking potatoes, washed and patted dry
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp coarse sea salt
- ¾ cup Cheddar Jack* cheese, shredded, divided
- 6 strips bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled, divided
- 3 Tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
- ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C/Gas 6. Place a wire rack on top of a large, rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set it aside.
- Drizzle each potato with a little olive oil and use your hands to thoroughly coat. Pierce the potatoes several times with a fork and sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
- Place the prepared potatoes onto the wire rack and cook in the center of the preheated oven for about 60 minutes or until they are fork-tender. Leave the oven on.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven and leave them to cool for about 10 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, cut an oval-shaped opening into the top of each potato and carefully remove the skin from the opening.
- Scoop out the baked flesh inside with a spoon and transfer it to a medium bowl. Do not cut all the way through the potato.
- Add ½ cup of cheese and ⅔ cup of bacon to the bowl of potato flesh. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine.
- Divide the potato mixture equally between the four potato skins and place them back in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
- Remove the stuffed potatoes from the oven and sprinkle the remaining cheese and bacon between them. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of fresh chives. Enjoy!
Notes
*If not available, use equal amounts of shredded sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack (or similar) cheese
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 607Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 2329mgCarbohydrates: 68gFiber: 7gSugar: 5gProtein: 25g
This site uses Nutritionix to provide estimated nutrition. Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Dinner Party Menu Suggestions
You’ve made the main dish, or perhaps the side, but what about the rest of the courses?
Here are additional recipes to create a menu for a dinner party or special meal:
- Appetizer: Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites with Homemade Ranch Dip
- Soup: Easy Vegetable Soup Recipe
- Salad: Roasted Golden Beet Salad with Goat Cheese
- Main Dish: Seared Strip Steak with Sautéed Mushrooms
- Side Dish: Caramelized Onions For Topping Burgers & Steak!
- Beverage: Mixed Berry Margaritas with Grand Marnier & Fresh Berries
- Dessert: Quick & Easy Cherry Pecan Ice Cream Recipe
There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too.