American
Fully Loaded Baked Potatoes with Cheddar, Bacon, and Scallions
Ina Garten's baked potato method gives the skins a crisp shell and the centers a fluffy, steamy interior, while Nigella's chive sour cream and the Food Network twice-baked approach show how to finish them with real loaded-potato flavor. This version keeps the potato itself simple and lets the toppings do the heavy lifting so the split at the table stays easy.
Gluten-FreeDairy-FreeHigh ProteinHigh CarbComfort Food
At a Glance
- Time
- 1 hr 15 mins
- Serves
- 4
- Cost
- Low
- Cuisine
- American
- Dietary fit
- Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Rub the potatoes with the olive oil and salt, then place them directly on the oven rack or on a rack set over a sheet pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes until the skins are crisp and the centers give easily when squeezed.
- While the potatoes bake, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp and browned at the edges. Transfer it to paper towels, leaving the rendered fat behind if you want to brush it back onto the skins for extra flavor.
- Split each potato lengthwise and fluff the insides with a fork. Add butter or dairy-free butter, sour cream or dairy-free yogurt, then top with cheddar or dairy-free cheddar, bacon, chives, and black pepper.
- If you want the cheese melted, return the loaded potatoes to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately with extra sour cream or dairy-free yogurt while the skins are still crisp and the centers are steamy and soft.
Adaptations
Easy Swap- Gluten-Free: Works As Written Works as written; verify packaged ingredients as noted below.
- Dairy-Free: Easy Swap Easy swap; see the adaptation note below.
- Vegetarian: Not Vegetarian Not adaptable; this recipe is built around meat, poultry, or seafood.
How to adapt: The potato base is naturally gluten-free, then you can split the toppings: butter, cheddar, and sour cream for one and dairy-free butter or yogurt with the same bacon and chives for the other.