Description

A comforting casserole featuring crispy twice baked potatoes with smoky bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, and fresh chives, topped with a golden crunchy breadcrumb crust. Perfect for family dinners and easy to prepare.

Ingredients

Scale

4 large russet potatoes (about 2 pounds / 900g)
6 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked crisp and chopped
1½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 170g)
3 tablespoons chives, finely chopped
½ cup sour cream (120ml)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (about 57g)
½ cup milk (whole or 2%, 120ml)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and black pepper to taste
½ cup panko breadcrumbs (about 50g)
1 tablespoon olive oil or melted butter

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Scrub the russet potatoes clean and prick them a few times with a fork. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for 45–55 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork.
While the potatoes bake, heat a skillet over medium heat. Cook the bacon slices until crisp, about 6–8 minutes, turning occasionally. Transfer to paper towels to drain and chop into small pieces once cooled.
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, halve them lengthwise and scoop out the insides into a large bowl, leaving a thin shell (about ¼ inch) to help hold the shape.
Add softened butter, sour cream, and milk to the bowl. Mash using a potato masher or hand mixer until smooth but still a bit fluffy. Stir in garlic powder, salt, black pepper, chopped chives, half the cheddar cheese, and most of the bacon (reserve some bacon for topping). Mix gently to combine.
Spread the mashed potato mixture evenly into the potato skins or directly into your casserole dish if you prefer. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar and bacon over the top.
In a small bowl, mix panko breadcrumbs with olive oil or melted butter until evenly coated. Sprinkle this mixture generously over the casserole.
Place the casserole back in the oven at 400°F (200°C) for 20–25 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and crisp, and the casserole is hot and bubbly. If the topping browns too fast, cover loosely with foil.
Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra fresh chives.

Notes

For a gluten-free version, substitute panko breadcrumbs with crushed gluten-free crackers or almond flour. For dairy-free, use coconut yogurt instead of sour cream and vegan cheese alternatives. To save time, bake potatoes the day before and prepare filling fresh before assembling. Toss panko with melted butter or olive oil for better browning. Watch the casserole in the last 10 minutes to avoid burning the topping; tent with foil if needed.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving (approxima
Calories: 375
Sugar: 3
Sodium: 550
Fat: 22
Saturated Fat: 10
Carbohydrates: 32
Fiber: 3
Protein: 12

Keywords: twice baked potatoes, potato casserole, bacon, chives, crispy topping, comfort food, family dinner, easy casserole