Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes
Indulge in the perfect fusion of creamy mashed potatoes topped with a cheesy and salty baked top. A holiday favourite and the ultimate comfort side dish, you’ll never get enough!
Why You’ll Love Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes
These twice baked mashed potatoes are so creamy and flavourful. It is a terrific combination of good old fashioned mashed potatoes that is elevated by the crispness of the baked top and the gooey, salty melted cheese.
You’ll also love it because it’s appealing to both adults and kids, affordable and a family favourite. At the same time, it is also delicious enough for the holiday table.
This versatile dish can be made in advance. Just pop it in the oven just before serving. It is also highly customisable. Add and subtract ingredients to mix it up for different occasions.
Finally, it is such an easy side dish to make! However if you’re after a simple mashed potato recipe, try out fancy purple mashed potatoes.
Difference Between Mashed Potatoes and Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes?
The first part of the process is the same when it comes to mashed potatoes.
The difference starts when we add additional ingredients such as bacon, chives, and sour cream to the mashed potatoes. We would then spread it out on a skillet and then sprinkle additional crispy bacon pieces and shredded cheddar cheese on top.
The skillet goes in the oven and is baked until the top is nice and brown and the cheese is perfectly melted.
Why Are My Twice Baked Potatoes Gummy?
Overmixing: When you’re mashing the potato flesh and mixing in the other ingredients, overmixing can cause the potatoes to become gummy. It’s important to mix just until the ingredients are combined.
Overworking the potatoes can release too much starch, resulting in a sticky texture. Try to mix the ingredients gently until they are just incorporated.
Undercooking the potatoes: If the potatoes are not fully cooked before the initial baking, they can turn out gummy after being reheated.
Make sure to bake the potatoes until they are tender and cooked through in the first baking phase. This will ensure a light and fluffy texture when they are reheated.
Using the wrong type of potato: Some potato varieties are naturally starchier than others. Starchy potatoes, like Russet potatoes, are typically preferred for making twice-baked potatoes as they yield a fluffier texture.
If you use waxy potatoes, they can result in a gummier consistency. Stick to starchy potatoes for the best results. Waxy potatoes are great for recipes such as Korean braised potatoes or air fryer potatoes with truffle salt.
Insufficient dairy or liquid: Adding enough dairy or liquid ingredients, such as butter and sour cream, is essential for achieving a creamy and smooth texture.
These ingredients help to moisten the potato mixture and prevent it from becoming gummy. Make sure you’re adding enough dairy or liquid to achieve the desired consistency.
Reheating at too high a temperature: When reheating the twice-baked potatoes, it’s important to use a moderate oven temperature to avoid overcooking and making them gummy.
Lower temperatures allow the potatoes to heat evenly without becoming overly sticky. 200°C or 400°F works well.
Recipe Overview
Flavour/Texture: The flavour of twice baked mashed potatoes is creamy, cheesy, and rich.
The butter and sour cream make the potatoes smooth and creamy, while the cheese adds a sharp and salty flavour. The bacon, of course, makes the side dish nice and salty!
The texture of twice baked mashed potatoes is smooth and creamy on the inside, with a crispy and gooey top. The contrast between the two textures is what makes twice baked mashed potatoes so delicious.
Ease: Easy enough to make any time. Boil, mash, and bake. Nothing to it!
Time: Takes about an hour. If a recipe tells you otherwise, it is not done right! The boiling and mashing part takes 30 minutes, while the baking part takes another 30 minutes. Well worth it.
Ingredients
These are the ingredients you need for twice baked mashed potatoes:
Russet potatoes: We need a nice floury potato to make the fluffiest of mashed potatoes. Russet potatoes are the top choice for mash but any floury potato will be fine.
Butter: Can’t have mashed potato without butter. Makes the recipe extra soft, creamy, and rich.
Sour cream: For added silkiness, sour cream is added to the recipe. It also gives the twice baked mashed potatoes a slightly acidic finish to balance out all the richness and saltiness.
Bacon: Be sure to render off the fat so that the recipe doesn’t become too oily. Toss them constantly to give them an even cook and ensure they are nice and crispy.
Chives: Chop the chives finely. Gives the twice baked mashed potatoes not only some colour but also some freshness.
Shredded cheese: You can use either use ready-shredded cheddar cheese or you can shred your own block. Add a little more if you like it extra gooey, or you can even add an extra layer of cheese between scoopfuls of mashed potato.
Variations and Substitutions
Vegetarian option: For a vegetarian option, omit the bacon.
Other floury potatoes: Apart from Russet potatoes, you can also use these floury potatoes: Desiree, Estima, King Edward, Maris Piper, Rosamunda, Early Puritan, Evergood, Linzer, Melody, Blue Congo, Porvita and Red Baron.
Types of cheese: You can mix up your cheese if you like by adding some parmesan, mozzarella, American, or if you want some bite, gorgonzola will work well.
Spicy fix: If you like a little heat, add a bit of spicy paprika, chilli flakes, or some fresh jalapenos.
Herbs: Coriander (cilantro), parsley, chervil, and even green onions make for great chive substitutes.
Instructions
Step by step instructions for how to make twice baked mashed potatoes:
Peel the potatoes and cut them into even cubes.
Place them in a pot of water and bring it to the boil for 20 minutes or until fork tender.
Drain the potatoes, place the cooked potatoes back into the pot and put the lid on. Let it steam for another 10 minutes to draw out any excess moisture.
Cut the bacon into small, even pieces. Fry until slightly crispy. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil and set aside.
Chop the chives finely.
Put the potatoes into a mixing bowl. Add butter, sour cream, ¾ of the bacon, chives and salt and pepper. Mash until well combined.
Place the mash on a skillet and spread it out evenly. Add the shredded cheese and the rest of the bacon on top. Bake in the oven at 200°C or 400°F for 30 minutes until the top is nicely browned.
How to Make This Side Dish Perfectly [Expert Tips!]
Floury potatoes: A good mash requires good potatoes. What you’re looking for are floury potatoes which have less water content and therefore are great for mashing.
Even-sized potatoes: For the most even cook of the potatoes, ensure you’re buying potatoes of around the same size. It is also important to try and cut them up evenly, so they cook in unison.
Boiling together: Don’t add potatoes to a pot of boiling water. What will happen is that the outside will cook faster than the inside, resulting in an uneven cook. Bring the water and the potatoes to the boil at the same time.
Steaming the potatoes: After the potatoes have cooked, drain them, and place them back into the pot. Place the lid on and let them steam for 10 minutes. The steaming process draws out excess moisture, allowing the mashed potatoes to be nice and fluffy.
Even-sized bacon: Cutting bacon into small, even sizes contribute to an even fry and a good distribution across the skillet. It also means you can render off the fat evenly. We don’t want some pieces to be fattier than others.
What To Serve with This Side Dish
What to serve with twice baked mashed potatoes? Try these delicious main dish recipes:
This twice baked mashed potato side screams warm and wintery comfort food. Mains such as a delicious lasagna bolognese with parmesan béchamel, easy homestyle meatloaf or even a Mediterranean-inspired salmon would go perfectly for a wholesome meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use instant mashed potatoes for twice baked potatoes. However, it is important to note that the texture and flavour of the potatoes may be different from those made from scratch.
Instant mashed potatoes tend to be denser and have a slightly different flavour than mashed potatoes made from scratch.
If you choose to use instant mashed potatoes, follow the instructions on the packaging to prepare them. Once the potatoes are rehydrated and mashed, you can proceed with the usual steps of preparing the filling for twice-baked potatoes.
Yes, you can. If there are leftovers, simply place them in the refrigerator, and you can bake them again in the oven the next day or simply reheat them in the microwave.
Most definitely, and what a great idea this would be! It will help reheat the baked potatoes a little if they are cold. This way, when you’re mashing it with the butter, it won’t get clumpy. Continue with the rest of the steps and then place in the oven to bake.
And there you have it! The potato side dish that everyone craves and disappears the quickest! A great side dish for so many fantastic main dishes for your mid-week meal right through to a celebratory feast.
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Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 500 g potatoes, Russet
- 4 tbso butter
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 10 bacon rashers
- 10 g chives
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
Click on the toggle below for conversion to US Cooking Units.
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into even cubes.
- Place them in a pot of water and bring it to the boil for 20 minutes or until fork tender.
- Drain the potatoes, place the cooked potatoes back into the pot and put the lid on. Let it steam for another 10 minutes to draw out any excess moisture.
- Cut the bacon into small, even pieces. Fry until slightly crispy. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil and set aside.
- Chop the chives finely
- Put the potatoes into a mixing bowl. Add butter, sour cream, ¾ of the bacon, chives, salt, and pepper. Mash until well combined.
- Place the mash on a skillet and spread it out evenly. Add the shredded cheese and the rest of the bacon on top. Bake in the oven at 200 °C or 400 °F for 30 minutes until the top is nicely browned.
Notes
- For a vegetarian option, omit the bacon.
- Apart from Russet potatoes, you can also use these floury potatoes: Desiree, Estima, King Edward, Maris Piper, Rosamunda, Early Puritan, Evergood, Linzer, Melody, Blue Congo, Porvita and Red Baron.
- Keep ¼ of the bacon for the top of the skillet to provide extra crispiness and some colour.
- You can mix up your cheese if you like by adding some parmesan, mozzarella, American, or if you want some bite, gorgonzola will work well.
- If you like a little heat, add a bit of spicy paprika, chilli flakes, or some fresh jalapenos.
- Coriander (cilantro), parsley, chervil, and even green onions make for great chive substitutes.
Nutrition
*Disclaimer: Nutritional information provided is an estimate only and generated by an online calculator.
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