Loaded Baked Potato Classic (Printable)

Fluffy baked potatoes with creamy butter, sour cream, melted cheese, bacon, and fresh chives.

# Ingredient List:

→ Potatoes

01 - 4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed

→ Toppings

02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - ½ cup sour cream
04 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
05 - 4 slices bacon
06 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
07 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - Pierce each potato several times with a fork, then place directly on the oven rack. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes until skins are crisp and potatoes are tender when pierced.
03 - While potatoes bake, cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels and crumble.
04 - Remove potatoes from oven. Cut a lengthwise slit in the top of each potato and gently squeeze sides to open.
05 - Fluff the inside of each potato with a fork. Add ½ tablespoon butter and season with salt and pepper.
06 - Top each potato with 2 tablespoons sour cream, ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, and a sprinkle of chopped chives.
07 - Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's basically a blank canvas where you can load it with whatever sounds good in that moment.
  • One dish that satisfies as a side or becomes a complete meal depending on what you serve alongside it.
  • The contrast between crispy skin, creamy inside, and all those toppings hitting at once never gets old.
02 -
  • Cooking bacon before you assemble everything is the move—it stays crispy instead of getting soft from sitting on warm potatoes.
  • Putting potatoes directly on the rack instead of on a baking sheet gives you crispier skin all around, and that's where the flavor lives.
03 -
  • Pierce your potatoes multiple times so they bake evenly and don't burst—this small step makes everything easier.
  • Keep your toppings at room temperature or slightly warm so they don't cool down your hot potato, and always add hot toppings last so nothing gets soggy.
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