Baked potatoes with bacon and cheese

Baked potatoes with bacon and cheese. Photo credit: Carla Zinkfontein.

Cheesy bacon baked potato: Brunch time, lunchtime or braai time

It’s filled with cheese, bacon, cream and other great flavours. Our cheesy bacon baked potato is versatile, tasty, easy to make and a crowd favourite.

Baked potatoes with bacon and cheese

Baked potatoes with bacon and cheese. Photo credit: Carla Zinkfontein.

Potatoes are some of the world’s best ingredients because it’s so versatile and is always tasty. Today we are improving on a classic baked potato by adding lots of tasty ingredients to it. Our cheesy bacon-baked potato recipe is easy to make and a good base for any cooking creatives out there. If you have a braai or dinner party, these are a fantastic side or you can include them for your next friends’ brunch day.

Cheesy bacon baked potato suggestions

Our recipe includes crispy bacon, strong cheddar to get that flavour through and sour cream because backed potatoes love it too. You can do anything creative with these potatoes like adding some peppers or chillies. You can even prepare a whole bunch of ingredients like ham, different cheeses, and types of onion and get your friends to choose before they go into the oven. Have fun with it, because potatoes are great with anything you pop onto them.

It’s filled with cheese, bacon, cream and other great flavours. Our cheesy bacon-baked potato is versatile, tasty, easy to make and a crowd favourite.

Cheesy bacon baked potato recipe

3 from 2 votes
Recipe by Carla Zinkfontein Course: SidesCuisine: GlobalDifficulty: Easy
Servings

8

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

1

hour 

30

minutes
Total time

2

hours 

Ingredients

  • 4 large 4 Russet potatoes

  • 6 strips 6 thick-cut bacon or 8 strips thin-cut bacon, diced

  • 1 large 1 yellow onion, diced

  • 2 cloves 2 garlic, minced

  • ½ cup ½ sour cream

  • 1 cup 1 strong cheddar cheese, shredded

  • coarse kosher salt or flaky sea salt

  • freshly ground black pepper

  • olive oil

Method

  • Heat the oven to 220°C. Line a baking sheet with aluminium foil.
  • Scrub the potatoes clean, rub them will olive oil, and sprinkle them with salt. Prick the potatoes a few times with the tines of a fork. Arrange them a little ways apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 50 – 60 minutes, until they are completely soft when pierced with a fork and the skins are dry.
  • While the potatoes are baking, begin preparing the filling. Warm a skillet over medium heat and cook the bacon until most of the fat has rendered and the bacon has crisped to your liking. Remove the bacon bits with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
  • Pour off all but a teaspoon of the bacon fat. Cook the onions with a half teaspoon of salt until the onions are deep golden and caramelized. Stir in the garlic and cook for another thirty seconds. Remove from heat.
  • When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them in half and scoop the insides into a medium-sized bowl. Leave a quarter inch or so of potato next to the skin. Mash the potatoes with the onions, garlic, bacon, sour cream, and about ¾ cup of the cheddar cheese. Give it a taste, and add more salt and pepper as you see fit.
  • Arrange the potato skins on the baking sheet. Divide the filling between all the skins and sprinkle the tops with the remaining ¼ cup of cheddar cheese. At this point, the potatoes can be baked right away, or refrigerated and baked later.
  • Bake for another 15 – 20 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the peaks of the mashed potatoes are crispy. Potatoes that were refrigerated may take a little longer.
  • Serve straight off the baking sheet while still hot and bubbly. Leftovers will keep for up to a week.

Notes

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