Twice-Baked Potatoes - Done Right

I have long been the only person in the family who can make an acceptable twice-baked potato. Just in case I’m not around, I’ve labored over this recipe in hopes that someone else can carry the torch—or at least try.

Note: The amount of ingredients needed varies greatly depending on the size of the potatoes (this recipe assumes approximately 3–3 ¼ lbs). Small to medium potatoes are better—after all, you can always have seconds. 

Culinary Nirvana: to get as much butter, sour cream, onions and garlic into the potato filling as you can without making it “runny”.

Serves 6-8 people

3 hours, including baking time

Ingredients

  • 4 medium russet potatoes (oval and flatter shapes work best)

Sidebar: 4 potatoes yield 6–7 halves.

  • 2 Tbsp butter (to rub on the skins)

  • Kosher salt (for seasoning the skins)

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • ¾ cup white onion, finely diced

  • 2 Tbsp butter + a dash of olive oil (for sautéing onions and garlic)

  • 6–8 Tbsp butter, softened (for potato mixture)

Sidebar: If you’re OCD use unsalted butter for better salt control. If you use salted butter, add less salt later obviously.

Sidebar: If you are going to use cheap, frozen butter, let me stop you right here. Not only will it ruin this recipe, but it’ll tarnish my good name. Just skip the cooking altogether and embrace fast food. Otherwise use Kerrygold, Plugrá, Président or Vermont Creamery butter all of which deliver  a creamier texture, richer flavor, exceptional taste, and higher (healthier) butterfat content. 

  • 1 cup sour cream, room temperature

  • ½ cup Gruyère cheese, super finely shredded

  • Salt/to taste

  • ½ tsp white pepper/to taste

  • Paprika for sprinkling (not smoked—this isn’t a BBQ)

  • Finely chopped chives (optional)

An option:

  • 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

  • ⅓ cup of cheddar cheese (you can now skip the gruyere, or not).

Sidebar: Bacon and cheese overpower the delicate onion sour cream filling. So think of it as a bacon cheddar potato or a sourcream and onion potato, but not both.

  • Finely chopped chives

Instructions

1. Bake the Potatoes

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F.

  • Lightly clean the potatoes (don’t scrub or cut out the “eyes”—this isn’t cosmetic surgery). Pat them dry.

  • Take 2 Tbsp of butter and rub all over the potatoes. Yes, with your hands, think of it as a moisturizer.

  • Season the potatoes with kosher salt.

  • Poke 6-8 holes in each potato with a fork.

  • Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack, evenly spaced, and bake for 1–1 ½ hours, until the skins are crisp and the insides tender when squeezed between your fingers by the sides. Do not pokes hole is the potato at this point with a fork to test for doneness (cuz the filling will leak out you dumb shit just kidding chat)

Sidebar: Undercooked or cold potatoes = lumpy filling. Don’t be that person.

2. Prep the Filling

  • While the potatoes bake, in a medium bowl, combine 6 Tbsp softened butter and ¾ cup sour cream at room temperature. Keep the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter and ¼ cup of sour cream in reserve in case the potato mixture is dry.

Note: Sour cream curdles at high heat, so gently warm it, don’t nuke it.

  • Heat 2 Tbsp butter and a splash of olive oil in a small pan. Add garlic and onion. Sauté until caramelized—a rich, golden brown. Fold in this fragrant mixture to the bowl until combined with the sour cream and butter.

3. Cut and Scoop

  • Remove potatoes from the oven with a dishcloth, one by one, to keep them hot.

  • Using the dishcloth, hold the hot potato sideways. With a serrated bread knife, cut it in half lengthwise. Let the knife slice all the way down to the towel for a clean cut.

Sidebar - Disclaimer: The FDA would like you to know that this is not an officially approved cutting method. I’d like you to know that if you slice through the towel and into your hand, it might be time to consider a safer hobby. Cooking involves sharp objects, and apparently, that’s not your strong suit.

  • Scoop out the flesh with a thin-edged tablespoon and add to the mixture in the bowl. Leave enough of the shell intact to hold the filling. Place the potato shells on a parchment-lined baking sheet so they keep their shape as they harden.

Note: If you want a fancier potato with more filling, slice off only the top third off each potato lengthwise. If you really want to be extra you can put the filling in a piping bag and make pretty designs next to your meat like a 3 star Michelin restaurant plongeur (eye roll)

4. Mash and Fold

  • Use a potato masher (or hand mixer on low) to mash the scooped-out potato. Don’t overwork it—you’re making potatoes, not glue.

  • Fold in ½ cup finely shredded Gruyère for creaminess. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. If the mixture is too thick, add the reserved butter and sour cream incrementally.

Note: Because… a too-thin mixture will leak out of the potatoes when baked again. If that happens, ramekins can save your reputation. No one needs to know.

5. Fill the Shells

  • Loosely fill each shell with the mixture, slightly over the top. Create ridges with the edge of a spoon. Do not densely pack the shells (Teagan, looking at you). Smooth the sides with the bottom of the spoon.

Note: Fill the nicest-looking shells first. (Feed the rejects to the dog, or save for deep-fried potato skins).

  • Sprinkle lightly with paprika (hold the spice bottle high for an even dusting).

6. Bake Again

  • Bake at 400°F for 10–15 minutes, until the tops are browned and the potatoes are heated through.

7. Serve

  • Garnish with chives, and serve immediately.

Adjustments: Potatoes can be unpredictable: some absorb butter and sour cream like they’re on a hunger strike. If your mixture ends up stiff or bland, add more butter and sour cream a little at a time. Sure, it’s indulgent, but dry potatoes are not the hill you want to die on.