Food and Recipes Side Dishes Potato Side Dishes Twice-Baked Potato Casserole 5.0 (7) 6 Reviews Save a scoop of this cheesy twice-baked potato casserole for us, please! By Southern Living Test Kitchen Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on January 12, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Active Time: 25 mins Total Time: 1 hr 55 mins Servings: 8 Twice-baked potato casserole makes a rich and comforting addition to any buffet table, holiday feast, or weeknight dinner. It can also serve as a cozy main dish with some salad on the side. Enjoy the richness of a loaded baked potato in convenient casserole form. Creamy mashed potatoes enhanced with a trio of butter, heavy cream, and sour cream, are studded with crisp potato skins, bacon, and sliced scallions. It's all topped off with a layer of melty Cheddar cheese, more bacon, and a smattering of scallions for a bright, oniony finish. Learn how to make twice-baked potato casserole and discover a new family-favorite side dish. Ingredients for Twice-Baked Potato Casserole To make this indulgent casserole, you'll need: Russet potatoes: A hearty variety that mashes up into a light and fluffy filling.Olive oil: Coats the potatoes before baking for crispy skins.Kosher salt & black pepper: Seasons the potato skins and casserole filling.Unsalted butter and heavy whipping cream: Mashed into the potatoes for additional richness.Sour cream: Added to the mashed potatoes for a creamy, tangy flavor.Bacon slices: Cooked and crumbled for a salty, meaty bite with the potatoes, and as an inviting topping.Scallions: Adds a fresh, oniony flavor to the casserole.Cooking spray: Grease the baking dish with spray for easy cleanup.Sharp Cheddar cheese: Shred your own Cheddar for a perfectly melty casserole top, or swap with pre-shredded cheese if needed. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Community Tip Some Southern Living community members mentioned adding garlic to the mashed potatoes for even more flavor. How To Make Twice-Baked Potato Casserole With only 25 minutes of active time, this recipe for twice-baked potato casserole is worth every second. Full instructions are below, but here's a brief recap before you get started: Step 1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Rub potatoes with oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Pierce with a fork, and bake on a foil-lined baking sheet until tender, about 1 hour. Cool slightly.Step 2. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise, and scoop out flesh. Add butter and mash. Add cream and sour cream, and stir until mostly smooth.Step 3. Cut potato skins into 1-inch pieces, and stir 1/2 cup into mashed potatoes. Stir in half the bacon, 1/4 cup scallions, and remaining salt and pepper. Transfer to a lightly greased 2-quart baking dish. Top with cheese and remaining skins.Step 4. Bake until bubbly, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining bacon and scallions, and serve hot. Can I Prepare Twice-Baked Potato Casserole in Advance? To make this casserole in advance, prepare as directed through Step 5. Cool, wrap tightly, and refrigerate overnight, or freeze in a freezer-safe baking dish, well-wrapped, for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen, then bring to room temperature before baking as directed (casserole may need additional baking time). How To Store and Reheat Leftover Twice-Baked Potato Casserole Wrap and refrigerate leftover potato casserole for up to three days, or freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen, then bring to room temperature before heating, covered, in a 350°F oven until hot throughout before serving. What To Serve With Twice-Baked Potato Casserole This cheesy, bacon-topped potato casserole is the epitome of comfort food. Served on its own, it makes a hearty main course, especially if paired with a light salad. To serve as a hearty side dish, pair with roasted or grilled chicken, steak, or any protein you prefer, along with steamed or roasted vegetables, and/or a side salad. More Potato Casserole Recipes You'll Love Is there anything more comforting than hot, creamy potatoes? These recipes are all guaranteed to get gobbled up in no time: Cheesy Potato Casserole Classic Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes Scalloped Potatoes with Ham Hot Potato Salad Chipotle Scalloped Potatoes Tasty Tex-Mex Mashed Potato Bake Zucchini-Potato Casserole Hashbrown Casserole Editorial contributions by Katie Rosenhouse. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Ingredients 3 lbs. russet potatoes, scrubbed (about 8 small potatoes) 1 Tbsp. olive oil 2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided 3/4 tsp. black pepper, divided 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and softened 1 cup heavy whipping cream 1/2 cup sour cream 8 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled, divided 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions (about 4 scallions), divided Cooking spray 4 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup) Directions Prepare oven: Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake potatoes: Rub potatoes with oil, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Pierce all over with a fork, and place on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until tender, about 1 hour. Cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Make potato filling: Cut potatoes in half lengthwise, and carefully scoop out pulp into a large bowl. Set potato skins aside. Add butter to potatoes, and mash with a potato masher. Add whipping cream and sour cream, and stir until mixture is mostly smooth. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Combine casserole ingredients: Cut potato skins into 1-inch pieces. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Stir 1/2 cup into mashed potatoes. Stir in half of the bacon, 1/4 cup of the scallions, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Add mixture to baking dish: Transfer mixture to a lightly greased (with cooking spray) 2-quart baking dish. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Sprinkle top with cheese and remaining potato skin pieces. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Bake casserole: Bake in preheated oven until golden and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Garnish and serve: Sprinkle casserole with remaining half of bacon and 1/4 cup scallions, and serve hot. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Frequently Asked Questions Can I use a different type of potato for this potato casserole? While russets are the potato we recommend most for baking, Idaho, Yukon Gold, or other varieties can also be used, if needed. Can I skip the bacon in twice-baked potato casserole? You can leave out the bacon entirely, or substitute with turkey bacon, fried shallots, or any additions you prefer. What else can I add to twice-baked potato casserole? Feel free to get creative when it comes to this casserole. You can substitute the cream with cream cheese, the scallions with chives, the Cheddar with Monterey Jack, the bacon with any crispy, salty touch you prefer, or add any other additions you love. Rate It Print Additional reporting by Katie Rosenhouse Katie Rosenhouse Follow us Katie Rosenhouse is a pastry chef and food writer with over 15 years of experience in the culinary arts. She's worked as a pastry chef in some of the finest restaurants in New York City, as a culinary instructor, and as a recipe developer. learn more