Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Taking all the best parts of twice baked potatoes and throwing them into a casserole dish was one of those ideas that seemed almost too obvious once I tried it. I love twice baked potatoes but scooping out all those potato halves and refilling them takes forever, and half the time the skins break and the whole thing becomes a mess. This casserole gives you all those same flavors—crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, tangy sour cream, green onions—without all the fussy individual potato work. You bake whole potatoes until they're tender, chop them up with the skins still on, mix everything together with all the good stuff, and bake it again until it's hot and bubbly with melted cheese on top. I made this for Thanksgiving a few years ago when I was hosting and needed sides that could feed a crowd without requiring constant attention, and it's been on my holiday menu ever since.

My mother-in-law is pretty particular about her holiday sides. She's made the same dishes for like thirty years and isn't big on changes. When I brought this to Thanksgiving instead of regular mashed potatoes, I was honestly nervous about her reaction. She took a serving to be polite, ate a bite, and then went back for seconds before she'd even finished her turkey. At the end of dinner, she asked if I could make it for Christmas too and maybe teach her how to do it. That's when I knew this recipe was special, because getting her approval on anything food-related is basically impossible.

What Goes Into It

• Medium potatoes: Eight of them, russets or Yukon golds both work great. Scrub them clean but don't peel them since the skins add flavor and texture to the finished casserole.
• Olive oil: For rubbing on the potatoes before baking, which helps the skins get crispy and flavorful while the insides cook through until they're fluffy and tender.
• Kosher salt: The coarse grains stick to the oiled potato skins and create that classic baked potato exterior with just the right amount of saltiness.
• Bacon: Three-quarters of a pound total, divided between mixing into the casserole and sprinkling on top. Cook it until it's really crispy so it stays crunchy even after baking in all that creamy mixture.
• Sharp cheddar cheese: Eight ounces total, with most going into the mixture and some reserved for topping. Sharp cheddar has way more flavor than mild and stands up to all the other ingredients.
• Mayonnaise: Adds richness and helps bind everything together while keeping the potatoes moist. I know it sounds weird if you've never used mayo in potatoes before, but trust me on this.
• Sour cream: The tangy creaminess is what makes twice baked potatoes taste like twice baked potatoes. Don't skip this or substitute with something else.
• Green onions: Sliced thin for mixing in and sprinkling on top. They add a mild onion flavor and bright green color that makes the casserole look more appetizing.

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Making the Casserole

Baking the potatoes:

Turn your oven to 400 degrees and let it heat up completely. Take your eight scrubbed potatoes and rub each one all over with olive oil using your hands, making sure the entire surface gets coated. Sprinkle kosher salt generously over all the oiled potatoes, using your hands to rub it in so it sticks. Set them on a baking sheet with a little space between each one so air can circulate. Slide the pan into your hot oven and bake for 45 to 60 minutes depending on how big your potatoes are. About halfway through, use tongs to flip each potato over so both sides get evenly crispy. You'll know they're done when you can easily pierce them all the way through with a fork without much resistance. Take them out and let them cool on the counter for at least 15 minutes. They need to cool enough that you can handle them without burning your hands, but they don't need to be completely cold.

Preparing your dish:

While the potatoes are cooling, turn your oven temperature down to 350 degrees. Get out a 9-inch square baking dish or a 9x13 if you want the casserole a little thinner, and spray it really well with cooking spray or rub butter all over the inside so nothing sticks later.

Mixing everything together:

Once your potatoes are cool enough to handle, use a sharp knife to cut them into bite-sized chunks, maybe an inch or so on each side. Don't worry about being precise or keeping them all the same size. Leave the skins on and just chop through everything. Some of the potato pieces will fall apart or crumble as you're cutting them, and that's completely fine—actually it's good because those broken bits will soak up all the creamy mixture better. Dump all your chopped potatoes into a large mixing bowl. Add your mayonnaise and sour cream to the bowl and use a big spoon or spatula to stir everything together, folding gently so the potatoes get coated in the creamy mixture. Some of the potato pieces will break down even more as you stir, creating this mixture that's part chunky and part mashed, which is exactly what you want. Add most of your cooked, chopped bacon to the bowl, saving about a quarter pound for the topping later. Stir in most of the shredded cheese, again saving a couple ounces for sprinkling on top. Add most of your sliced green onions, reserving a couple for garnish. Fold everything together gently but thoroughly so the bacon, cheese, and onions distribute evenly throughout the potato mixture. Taste it and add salt and pepper as needed, keeping in mind that the bacon and cheese are already pretty salty so you might not need much additional salt.

Assembling for baking:

Scrape your potato mixture into your prepared baking dish and use your spatula to spread it out into an even layer that reaches all the corners and sides. The surface doesn't need to be perfectly smooth, but try to get it relatively level so everything bakes evenly. Sprinkle your reserved shredded cheese over the entire top surface, covering it completely. Scatter your remaining chopped bacon pieces over the cheese layer, distributing them so every serving will get some. Tear off a piece of aluminum foil large enough to cover your baking dish and lay it over the top, crimping the edges around the rim to seal it.

Baking until hot:

Put your covered casserole in the 350-degree oven and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, carefully remove the foil—watch out for steam that'll escape when you pull it off—and put the uncovered casserole back in the oven. Bake for another 10 minutes without the foil so the cheese on top gets melted and slightly golden and everything is heated all the way through. When you see the edges bubbling and the cheese looks gooey and slightly browned in spots, it's ready. Take it out of the oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes before serving so it sets up slightly and isn't boiling hot when people dig in. Sprinkle your reserved sliced green onions over the top right before bringing it to the table.

Essential Things to Know

• Cooling: Letting the baked potatoes cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting them up makes them way easier to handle and prevents the potato chunks from turning into mush when you mix them with the creamy ingredients
• Skins: The potato skins add great texture and flavor to the casserole, plus leaving them on saves you tons of time you'd otherwise spend peeling eight hot potatoes
• Make-Ahead: This casserole actually tastes better if you make it a day ahead and refrigerate it overnight before baking, which gives all the flavors time to meld together and makes meal prep so much easier
• Bacon: Cooking the bacon until it's really crispy is important because it needs to hold up to all that moisture from the sour cream and mayo without getting soft and chewy

I learned about making this ahead the hard way when I tried to do everything the morning of Thanksgiving one year. Between baking the potatoes, letting them cool, assembling the casserole, and baking it again, the whole process took way longer than I expected and I was still in the kitchen when guests started arriving. Now I always make it the day before, cover it tightly, and stick it in the fridge. The next day I just pull it out, let it sit at room temperature while the oven heats up, and bake it. So much less stressful and it honestly tastes better after sitting overnight.

The mayonnaise might seem like a weird ingredient if you're not used to putting it in potato dishes. I was skeptical the first time too. But it adds this richness and helps everything bind together in a way that just sour cream alone doesn't achieve. The flavor isn't mayo-forward at all—it just makes the whole thing creamier and more cohesive. I've made this without mayo when I ran out once, using all sour cream instead, and the texture was completely different and not as good.

Using sharp cheddar instead of mild makes a noticeable difference. Mild cheddar kind of disappears into all the other flavors, but sharp cheddar has enough punch to stand out even with all the bacon and sour cream competing for attention. I tried using a fancy aged white cheddar once thinking it would be even better, and while it was good, regular sharp cheddar from the grocery store actually worked just as well for way less money.

The potato variety matters less than I thought it would. I've made this with russets, Yukon golds, and even red potatoes when that's what I had around. Russets are my favorite because they have that classic baked potato flavor and texture, but honestly any medium-sized potato works fine. Just avoid those tiny new potatoes because you'd need like twenty of them and cutting them all up would be annoying.

Flipping the potatoes halfway through baking seems like a small thing but it really does make them cook more evenly. The side sitting directly on the pan can develop a tough spot if you don't flip them, and one side gets way crispier than the other. Taking thirty seconds to flip them all over makes a difference in the final texture.

Serving This Dish

This casserole works beautifully as a side dish for holiday meals alongside roasted turkey, ham, or beef. The rich, creamy potatoes balance out lighter main dishes and provide that comfort food element everyone expects at big family dinners. For regular weeknight meals, serve it with something simple like grilled chicken or steak and a green vegetable to round out the plate. It's substantial enough that you could honestly eat it as a main course with just a salad on the side if you wanted a lighter meal. I usually let people serve themselves directly from the baking dish at the table, which keeps it casual and lets everyone take as much as they want. The leftovers are just as good, sometimes even better, than when it's fresh from the oven.

This pairs really well with simple roasted or grilled vegetables since the casserole itself is pretty rich and heavy. Roasted Brussels sprouts, green beans, or asparagus all work great because their slight bitterness cuts through the creamy potatoes. For holiday spreads, set this out with your other traditional sides and watch it disappear faster than almost anything else on the table. During summer cookouts, I've served this alongside burgers and hot dogs as a more interesting alternative to regular potato salad or fries. The casserole holds up well on a buffet table and can sit out for an hour or so without getting cold or congealing, which makes it great for parties where people are serving themselves over time rather than sitting down for one meal.

Ways to Change It

Add some cream cheese to the mixture along with the mayo and sour cream for an even richer, tangier flavor. Throw in some steamed broccoli florets for added nutrition and a pop of green color throughout the casserole. Use pepper jack cheese instead of sharp cheddar if you want some heat, or mix in some diced jalapeños with the bacon. Stir in some ranch seasoning mix with the sour cream and mayo for a ranch-flavored version that tastes amazing. Top with crushed potato chips or french fried onions before the final baking for extra crunch. Add some diced ham along with or instead of the bacon for a different smoky, salty element. Mix in some sautéed mushrooms and caramelized onions for a more sophisticated flavor profile. Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream for a slightly healthier version that still tastes creamy and tangy.

Storing and Reheating It

Leftover casserole keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days in a covered container or with the baking dish wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or foil. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for a minute or two until heated through, or reheat the whole thing in a 350-degree oven covered with foil for about 20 minutes. The texture holds up remarkably well to refrigeration and reheating, though the potato skins might soften slightly after a day or two. You can freeze this casserole either before or after baking for up to 3 months wrapped really well in a couple layers of plastic wrap and then foil. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before baking or reheating. If you're freezing it unbaked, I'd recommend assembling everything except the final cheese and bacon topping, then adding those fresh right before baking so they look and taste their best.

Making this completely ahead is probably the best way to handle it for entertaining. Assemble the whole casserole the day before, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it overnight. The next day, pull it out about 30 minutes before you want to bake it so it can come closer to room temperature, which helps it heat through more evenly. Then just bake as directed, maybe adding an extra 5 to 10 minutes since you're starting with cold ingredients. This approach lets you do all the messy prep work when you have time and energy, then just pop it in the oven when you need it. The flavors actually improve after sitting together overnight, so you're not sacrificing anything by making it ahead—if anything, it tastes better.

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I've made this twice baked potato casserole so many times now that I don't even need to look at the recipe anymore. It's become my default potato dish for any occasion where I need to feed more than just my immediate family. There's something really satisfying about taking a classic dish that's kind of labor-intensive and turning it into something way easier without losing any of the flavor. People always seem impressed by it, like I spent hours doing something complicated, when really most of the work is just waiting for potatoes to bake. The combination of crispy bacon, sharp cheese, tangy sour cream, and fluffy potatoes with their skins still on hits all the right notes. It's comfort food at its finest—rich, creamy, satisfying, and the kind of thing that makes people go back for seconds even when they're already full. Every time I make it, someone asks for the recipe, which I take as the ultimate compliment. It works for fancy holiday dinners and casual weeknight meals equally well, which makes it one of those reliable recipes I'll probably be making for the rest of my life

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Can I use Russet potatoes for this?

Yes! Russet potatoes work great. You can also use Yukon Gold potatoes - they have a naturally buttery flavor that's really good in this dish.

→ Can I make this ahead of time?

Absolutely! You can bake the potatoes and assemble the whole casserole a day ahead. Keep it covered in the fridge, then bake when you're ready to serve.

→ What can I use instead of mayonnaise?

You can use all sour cream if you don't like mayo, or try Greek yogurt for a lighter version. The mayo does add a nice richness though.

→ Can I make this vegetarian?

Sure! Just leave out the bacon or use vegetarian bacon bits. You could also add sautéed mushrooms for that savory flavor.

→ How do I know when the potatoes are done baking?

Poke them with a fork - if it slides in easily with no resistance, they're ready. Usually takes 45 to 60 minutes depending on the size.

→ Can I freeze this casserole?

Potato casseroles don't freeze super well because the texture can get grainy. It's best made fresh or stored in the fridge for a few days.