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Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Twice baked potato casserole with creamy mashed potatoes, sharp cheddar, and crispy bacon—baked twice for a hot, bubbly golden top. Fork-tender russet potatoes are scooped, mashed smooth, layered in a 9x13 dish, then baked again until the cheese blisters.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

russet potatoes
  • 4 lb russet potatoes, scrubbed
butter
  • 0.5 cup butter, softened
sour cream
  • 1 cup sour cream
whole milk
  • 0.5 cup whole milk
shredded sharp cheddar
  • 2 cup shredded sharp cheddar, divided
bacon
  • 8 slice bacon, cooked and crumbled, divided
green onions
  • 4 green onions, sliced, divided
salt
  • 1.5 tsp salt
black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the potatoes
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F, then bake the scrubbed russet potatoes 50-60 minutes until fork-tender. Visual cue: the skins should look set and a fork should slide in with little resistance.
Make the mashed filling
  1. Cool the baked potatoes slightly, then scoop out the flesh and mash until smooth. Visual cue: the mash should be creamy without large lumps.
  2. Mix the mashed potatoes with softened butter, sour cream, and whole milk until fully combined. Visual cue: the mixture should look glossy and thick.
  3. Stir in 1 cup of the divided cheddar, half the bacon, half the sliced green onions, salt, and black pepper. Visual cue: cheddar should melt slightly into the warm mash for a uniform color.
Second bake with cheese topping
  1. Spread the potato mixture into a buttered 9x13-inch baking dish and top with the remaining cheddar and bacon. Visual cue: the top should be covered evenly for even bubbling.
  2. Reduce the oven to 350°F and bake 20-25 minutes until hot and the cheese is bubbly. Visual cue: you should see active bubbling and golden spots on the surface.
Serve
  1. Sprinkle the remaining green onions over the casserole, then serve. Visual cue: the garnish should look fresh and bright against the golden top.

Notes

For smoother mash, warm the butter, sour cream, and milk slightly so they blend in without cooling the potatoes too fast. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat covered in a 350°F oven until hot. Freezing is not ideal because the potatoes can become grainy after thawing. For a lighter option, substitute light sour cream and reduced-fat cheddar (the texture stays creamy, and the bake still bubbles).