Loaded Baked Potato Casserole

Name: Loaded Baked Potato Casserole
Prep time: 40 min
Total time: 2 h 20 min
Yield: 18
Ingredients: 5 lb russet potatoes; 4 tablespoons butter, softened; 1 cup sour cream; 3/4 cup half-and-half; 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; 1/2 teaspoon pepper; 3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (12 oz); 10 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled; 4 green onions, thinly sliced

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Prep 40 min
Total 2 hr 20 min
Servings 18

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What happens when you take a loaded baked potato and blow it up to 10 times its original size? You get a casserole dish that’s to die for, that’s what. Stuffed with mashed russet potatoes, this golden baked casserole is loaded with crispy bacon, butter, sour cream and cheese for a decadent, bubbly side that will upstage whatever main dish is on the table.

by: Tablespoon Kitchens

Updated Sep 18, 2019

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Ingredients

5 lb russet potatoes
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup half-and-half
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (12 oz)
10 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
4 green onions, thinly sliced

Steps

1

Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
2

Place potatoes on cookie sheet; prick all over with fork. Bake 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until tender. Remove potatoes; reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Let potatoes cool until able to handle, about 15 minutes.
3

Cut potatoes in half, and scoop out insides into large bowl. Add softened butter; mash with potato masher until most of the lumps are gone. Stir in sour cream, half-and-half, salt and pepper. Reserve 1 cup of the cheese, 3 tablespoons of the crumbled bacon and 1/4 cup of the sliced green onions for topping. Stir remaining cheese, bacon and green onions into potatoes.
4

Spoon mixture into baking dish. Sprinkle reserved 1 cup cheese on top. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until top is slightly puffed and starting to brown around edges.
5

Garnish with reserved crumbled bacon and green onions, and serve.

Expert Tips

tip 1
An easy way to get crisp pieces of bacon is to cut the slices crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces. Scrape them into a large skillet and fry them over medium heat until deeply golden brown.
tip 2
Try adding other kinds of cheese like Gruyère, Monterey Jack, feta, Parmesan or Gorgonzola to change up the flavor.
tip 3
After baking, top this casserole with your favorite baked potato toppings like sour cream and chives, chili, salsa or even leftover chopped cooked chicken.
tip 4
Looking to make a meat-free side dish? Feel free to omit the bacon.
tip 5
If you prefer chunkier, more rustic-style potatoes, mash the potato skins in with the rest of the potatoes.

Nutrition Information

460 Calories, 26g Total Fat, 16g Protein, 41g Total Carbohydrate, 4g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving

Calories: 460

Calories from Fat: 230

Total Fat: 26g; 40%

Saturated Fat: 14g; 72%

Trans Fat: 1g

Cholesterol: 75mg; 24%

Sodium: 780mg; 33%

Potassium: 1120mg; 32%

Total Carbohydrate: 41g; 14%

Dietary Fiber: 4g; 17%

Sugars: 4g

Protein: 16g

% Daily Value*:

Vitamin A: 15%; 15%

Vitamin C: 15%; 15%

Calcium: 30%; 30%

Iron: 15%; 15%

Exchanges:

1 1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 High-Fat Meat; 2 1/2 Fat;

Carbohydrate Choice

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

More About This Recipe

You’ve probably had potato casseroles in your life, but we’re willing to bet you haven’t had one like this before. Basically, if mashed potatoes and a baked potato had a baby, this potato casserole would be it. We love it topped with bacon and cheese (obviously; that could basically be the Tablespoon.com motto) but feel free to play around and use whatever your favorite baked potato toppings are. Broccoli and cheese, chili, or sour cream and chives—anything goes.