Loaded Baked Potatoes

This loaded baked potatoes recipe takes classic baked potatoes to a whole new level with just a few simple ingredients. But, don’t worry – simple doesn’t mean boring or flavorless!

By adding the butter and seasonings and fluffing it with a fork, the potato itself is fluffy and flavorful. The sour cream is a nice balance and adds a lightness to the potato, while the saltiness of the cheese and bacon complement everything nicely. The skin is crispy and, because we oiled and salted it, actually really nice to eat. Once dressed, the potatoes are best eaten warm, although undressed potatoes can easily be stored wrapped in tinfoil in the fridge to be reheated, topped, and enjoyed later, so feel free to bake a few extra potatoes!

Why These Loaded Baked Potatoes Are The Perfect Side Dish

• Only 5 ingredients. There are just five primary ingredients in this recipe – potatoes, bacon, cheese, sour cream, and green onions. Any recipe that keeps my shopping list short and sweet is a win for me.
• Pair well with everything. There are few entrees that loaded baked potatoes don’t pair well with, whether you’re going for a casual weeknight dinner or a nicer special occasion meal.
• So many customizations. There are endless ways to customize this recipe, from adding a topping or two, to turning it into a full meal. I’ve included lots of my favorites below, including suggestions for chili baked potatoes and taco stuffed baked potatoes.

Key Ingredients

• Russet potatoes – Try to use potatoes that are all roughly the same size, that way they all finish cooking at the same time. If you want your potatoes done faster or are looking to use another method than the oven, check out my post How to Make Baked Potatoes.
• Shredded cheese – I used shredded cheddar. Mild or sharp cheddar both work great.
• Bacon – You can cook the bacon ahead of time. It can be fried on the stove, or check out my post How to Cook Bacon for tips on cooking it in the oven, microwave, air fryer, or Instant Pot.
• Sour cream – The tangy flavor of the sour cream is a nice contrast to the salty bacon and cheese.
• Green onions – Chives can be used too. Either will add a pop of color and flavor to the loaded baked potatoes.

How To Make Loaded Baked Potatoes

Here’s an overview of how to make a restaurant-worthy loaded baked potato at home. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full printable instructions.

• Prep. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Scrub the potatoes, then pat them dry and pierce the skin several times with a fork. Rub olive oil over the skin of the potatoes, then season with salt.
• Bake. Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack. Bake for an hour or so. Test the doneness by inserting a knife in the potatoes. It should slide in easily. Let cool until easy to handle (but still hot).

• Add the butter. Slice the potatoes longways and gently open. Season with salt and pepper, then add a pat of butter. Fluff the insides with a fork to mix in the seasonings and butter.
• Add the toppings. Top with cheese, bacon, and sour cream. Finish with a sprinkle of green onions. Enjoy immediately!

Recipe Tips & Variations

Truthfully, this recipe is so easy that there aren’t many tips to share! But, here are a few things to keep in mind, as well as easy ways to adapt for vegetarian and vegan diets.

• Bake on the rack. The best way to bake the potatoes is to place them directly on the oven rack, which helps the air circulate and ensures they cook evenly. I slide a baking tray underneath to catch any moisture.
• Check for doneness. The exact time it takes to bake a potato will depend on your oven and the size of the potato. I typically check at the one hour mark. If the knife doesn’t slide easily into the potato, I let it continue cooking.
• Use another method. If you need your potatoes ready quicker or don’t want to heat up the oven, check out how to make baked potatoes using five different methods.
• Make it vegetarian. For vegetarian loaded baked potatoes, just skip the bacon.
• Make it vegan. Vegan butter, cheese, and sour cream work great in this recipe for a dairy free option.

More Topping Ideas

To really make these potatoes your own, you can try out any combination of toppings! Here are a few ideas.

• Extra cheesy – If you like your potatoes a little gooier, try my Gluten Free Cheese Sauce instead of or in addition to the shredded cheese.
• Chili baked potato – Top the baked potato with your favorite chili (I love this No Bean Chili), cheddar cheese, crushed tortilla chips, and sour cream.
• BBQ baked potato – For a BBQ twist, top the potato with pulled pork or BBQ chicken, pickled jalapenos, and coleslaw.
• Taco baked potato – Add leftover taco meat (like from Ground Turkey Tacos) and toppings like black beans, corn, cheese, sour cream, salsa, and guacamole for a Taco Tuesday twist. I shared a variation of this in my Mexican Baked Sweet Potatoes recipe.
• Sloppy Joe potato – A scoop of the meat from Sloppy Joes and some shredded cheese is a quick and easy twist.
• Cheesy broccoli potato – Get some extra veggies in by topping the baked potato with steamed broccoli and cheese sauce, similar to my Broccoli Cheddar Twice Baked Potatoes.

Make It A Meal

• Mains: Loaded baked potatoes pair well with pretty much any protein, from Garlic Butter Chicken to Individual Beef Wellingtons to Bourbon Oven-Roasted Pork Tenderloin. Or channel your inner steakhouse and pair them with Balsamic Marinated Flank Steak.
• Veggies: Round out the meat and potatoes with a simple veggie side, like Honey Roasted Carrots, Grilled Asparagus, or Parmesan Roasted Broccoli.
• Salad: A side salad drizzled with Italian Dressing or Avocado Ranch Dressing is a great way to start the meal.

More Potato Side Dishes To Try

• Ranch Potato Salad
• Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
• Smashed Potatoes
• Pesto Roasted Potatoes