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Twice baked potato casserole is one of my favorite comfort food side dishes. It’s all of the rich, creamy flavors I love of a classic stuffed potato, but it will feed way more people than just me. The potatoes stay nice and fluffy, the cheese melts perfectly, and the crispy bacon adds that little crunch on top. Everything bakes together in one dish, which makes it so easy to scoop out and serve to a hungry crowd.
I’ve tested this twice baked potato casserole enough times to know exactly where things can go wrong. One of the biggest issues I hear about potato casseroles is that they turn dry or stiff after baking, so I adjusted the dairy ratios until I finally found the perfect balance that keeps the potatoes fluffy and moist without ever turning gummy. I also tested several cheese combinations before landing on the perfect mix of sharp cheddar and Colby Jack, which gives you the best flavor and the creamiest melt.
If you’re looking for more easy sides to feed a crowd, you have to try my classic Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole or my Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese.
How to Make Twice Baked Potato Casserole
Step 1: Prep and cook the bacon
Preheat your oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9×13 casserole dish with butter. In a medium skillet over medium-low heat, cook the chopped bacon for 9 to 11 minutes until just crispy. Transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Step 2: Boil the potatoes
Place the cubed potatoes in a large pot and cover with 2 inches of cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-high and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
Step 3: Mash and mix
Drain the potatoes well and return them to the warm pot. Add the room-temperature sour cream, heavy cream, butter, seasoned salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Mash until the potatoes are completely smooth and everything is fully combined.
Step 4: Add cheese and assemble
Stir ½ cup of the cheddar and ½ cup of the Colby-Jack into the mashed potatoes. Spoon the potato mixture into your prepared baking dish and smooth it into an even layer.
Step 5: Top and bake
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, followed by the cooked bacon. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, just until the cheese is melted. Finish with chopped green onions before serving.
Storage Tips
- Make-Ahead: I love preparing this casserole ahead of time for holidays or busy dinners. Simply assemble it, cover tightly with foil, and keep in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Before baking, let it sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes so it heats evenly.
- Storage: This casserole is always best served hot from the oven. If you have leftovers, let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: To reheat, warm individual portions in the microwave in 30-second bursts, or heat the whole pan in the oven at 350°F until warmed through. This helps the cheese get perfectly melty again.
More Side Dishes Recipes You May Enjoy
If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it turned out in the comments below.
Twice Baked Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 6 slices center cut bacon cut into ½ inch dice, yields approximately ⅓ cup when cooked.
- 3 pounds russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- ¾ cup sour cream room temperature
- ½ cup heavy cream room temperature
- ¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature, plus additional to grease the baking dish
- 2 teaspoons seasoned salt Lowery’s brand used
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese divided ½ cup mixed into the potatoes and 1 cup for the topping
- 1½ cups shredded colby-jack cheese divided ½ cup mixed into the potatoes and 1 cup for the topping
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped green onions optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish with butter and set aside.
- Cook the bacon pieces in a medium skillet over medium-low heat for 9-11 minutes or just until crispy. Be careful not to over crisp as they will continue to crisp slightly when baked. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain then set aside. While the bacon is cooking, proceed with cooking the potatoes.6 slices center cut bacon
- Cover the cubed potatoes with 2-inches cold water in a large pot. Bring the water to a boil, once boiling reduce the heat to medium-high and cook for 10-12 minutes or until fork tender.3 pounds russet potatoes
- Drain the potatoes and return to the pot. Add the sour cream, heavy cream, unsalted butter, seasoned salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Mash the potatoes until smooth and all the ingredients are fully incorporated.¾ cup sour cream, ½ cup heavy cream, ¼ cup unsalted butter, 2 teaspoons seasoned salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Add ½ cup shredded cheddar and ½ cup shredded colby-jack cheese to the mashed potatoes and stir to combine.1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, 1½ cups shredded colby-jack cheese
- Transfer the potato mixture to the prepared baking dish and smooth to an even layer.
- Top the potatoes with the remaining 1 cup shredded cheddar and 1 cup shredded colby-jack cheeses.
- Sprinkle the reserved cooked bacon over the cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes or just until the cheese is melted.
- Remove from the oven and top with the chopped green onion for garnish before serving.1 tablespoon finely chopped green onions
Jenn’s Notes
- Make-Ahead: I love making this ahead of time for holidays! You can assemble the whole casserole, cover it tightly with foil, and keep it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Just let it sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before baking so it heats evenly.
- Storage: This dish is definitely best served hot right out of the oven. If I have leftovers, I let them cool completely and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: To reheat, I recommend warming individual portions in the microwave in 30-second bursts, or warming the whole pan in the oven at 350°F until heated through, so the cheese gets perfectly melty again.
