The Best Broccoli and Cheese Twice Baked Potatoes
Fall is my favorite season for so many reasons! The warm days followed by cool, crisp nights are a welcome reprieve after a long, hot summer. Fall also represents a shift from BBQs to comfort food. At our house, nothing represents comfort food more than potatoes, and a twice baked potato definitely fits the bill! The seasonings, together with the melty cheddar cheese and steamed broccoli, will take a baked potato to a whole new level of comfort that I’m completely on board with!
What Are Twice Baked Potatoes?
Twice baked potatoes are essentially crispy potato skins filled with creamy mashed potatoes. The potatoes are baked first to crisp the skins and cook the insides, then the insides are scooped out and mashed until they’re creamy. The hollowed-out skins are then filled with the yummy mashed potatoes and returned to the oven for a second time to warm and melt the cheese.
What Is The Cooking Time For Twice Baked Potatoes?
It takes one hour to bake the potatoes initially. Once the potatoes have been stuffed with the mashed potato mixture, they’ll cook for an additional 20 – 25 minutes.
What Is Needed To Make Twice Baked Potatoes?
- 4 medium russet potatoes, washed well and air-dried
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon chives
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried onion flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 cups steamed broccoli florets, chopped small
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, grated, divided
How To Make Twice Baked Potatoes with Broccoli and Cheese:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil and set aside.
- Rinse the potatoes under water to wash and remove any dirt off the potato skins.
- While the potatoes are still wet, rub the outside skins with salt.
- Place salted potatoes on the sheet pan and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
- Once the potatoes have cooled enough to touch, slice each one in half, lengthwise. Scoop out the potato inside and add it into a large bowl, careful to leave the skins intact.
- Rub the outsides of the potato skins with a little olive oil. Place the skins back on the lined sheet pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl add the softened butter to the potato insides and mash with a potato masher or using a stand mixer or hand mixer. Add sour cream, buttermilk, salt, pepper, chives, garlic powder, onion powder, dried onion flakes, dill weed, paprika, chopped broccoli florets and 3/4 cup of the cheese. Stir.
- Divide the filling evenly among the potato shells then top each one with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted on top and the potatoes are warmed through. Serve warm.
How Long Do Twice Baked Potatoes Last?
Once they’ve been cooked, Twice Baked Potatoes can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 – 5 days in an air-tight container.
How To Reheat Twice Baked Potatoes
It’s best to reheat Twice Baked Potatoes in the oven so the potato skin stays crispy. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the potatoes on a prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until heated through.
Can Twice Baked Potatoes Be Made Ahead?
Truth be told, that’s one of the many beauties of this dish! Twice Baked Potatoes can be made the day before and refrigerated overnight. When you’re ready to cook them, take them from the refrigerator and place on a prepared baking sheet. Pop them in the oven for about 25 minutes (or until warmed through) and they’ll be ready to go!
Can Twice Baked Potatoes Be Frozen?
Twice Baked Potatoes can absolutely be frozen! Wrapped individually, they freeze very nicely and are a snap to reheat! They just may become your go-to for lunch! To freeze Twice Baked Potatoes:
- Prepare the potatoes to the point of stuffing the potato shells. It’s up to you if you’d like to top with the remaining cheese, or add the cheese after you thaw the potato; it works well either way. Don’t bake for the second time.
- Allow the stuffed potatoes to cool completely, then wrap individually in plastic wrap. Place the wrapped potatoes in a labeled gallon-size freezer bag, removing as much air as possible. They’ll keep in the freezer for up to three months.
- Move the potatoes to the refrigerator the night or morning before you want to reheat them.
- Unwrap the potatoes and place them on a prepared baking sheet. If you skipped adding the remaining cheese, add it to the top of the potatoes now.
- Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 – 25 minutes or until warmed through.
Forget to the potatoes out of the freezer in the morning? That’s ok! Twice Baked Potatoes can also be cooked from frozen by increasing the baking time to 40 – 50 minutes or until heated through.
What Is Good In A Twice Baked Potato?
This recipe calls for broccoli and cheese; however, the options are endless! Give these ideas a try:
- Add chopped cooked chicken to the broccoli and cheese potatoes to make this a main dish for dinner
- Loaded with bacon, cheddar cheese, and green onion
- Bacon, egg, and cheddar cheese for a breakfast option
- Spinach and Monterey Jack cheese
Broccoli and Cheddar Twice Baked Potatoes
Classic cheesy twice baked potatoes with the added bonus of perfectly steamed broccoli.
Ingredients
- 4 medium russet potatoes washed well and air-dried
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 4 tablespoons salted butter softened
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon chives
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried onion flakes
- ½ teaspoon dried dill weed
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 cups steamed broccoli florets chopped small
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese divided
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil and set aside.
-
Rinse potatoes under water to wash and remove any dirt off the potato skins.
-
While the potatoes are still wet, rub the outside skins with salt.
-
Place salted potatoes on the sheet pan and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
-
Once the potatoes have cooled enough to touch, slice each one in half, lengthwise. Scoop out the potato inside and add it into a large bowl, careful to leave the skins intact.
-
Rub the outsides of the potato skins with a little olive oil. Place the skins back on the lined sheet pan and set aside.
-
In a large bowl add the softened butter to the potato insides and mash with a potato masher or using a stand or hand mixer. Add sour cream, buttermilk, salt, pepper, chives, garlic powder, onion powder, dried onion flakes, dill weed, paprika, chopped broccoli florets and 3/4 cup of the cheese.
-
Divide the filling evenly among the potato shells then top each one with the remaining cheese.
-
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted on top and the potatoes are warmed through. Serve warm.
Making This Recipe? Tag us on Instagram: @NoBiggie using the hashtag #NoBiggieRecipes, so we can see what you are making in the kitchen!
Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram for more NoBiggie content.
If you make this recipe, please let me know!
-Using the star icons below: RATE and COMMENT… I would love to hear your experience. Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe with your comment.
-If you take a photo… tag me on Instagram @nobiggie with the hashtag: #nobiggierecipes. I’d love to share!
Love potatoes as much as we do? You won’t want to miss these recipes:
- Loaded Potato Skins
- The Most Fluffy Mashed Potatoes
- How to Bake Sweet Potatoes
- Loaded Baked Potato Soup
