Do Ahead Twice Baked Potatoes

Do Ahead Twice Baked Potatoes are fabulous to have in the refrigerator or freezer for easy breezy entertaining. These creamy mashed and stuffed potatoes with lots of butter, cream and cheddar cheese are a family favorite!

Does having guests over for dinner send you into a panic? Spend some time making few dishes ahead of time. Tuck them in the freezer to make entertaining a breeze. Be a guest at your own party and enjoy the fun. Cheddar Cheese Stuffed Potatoes make entertaining a breeze.

why I love cheddar cheese stuffed potatoes

Cheddar cheese stuffed potatoes are a perfect side dish to stash in the freezer for future dinner time or entertaining ease. Wrap individually in plastic wrap and place in a resealable bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Pull just 1 or many out of the freezer and heat.

ingredients

• large russet potatoes
• olive oil
• kosher salt
• freshly ground pepper
• salted butter
• heavy cream
• cheddar cheese - freshly shredded
• parsley

expert tips

• Pick potatoes with unblemished skin and no soft spots.
• Spuds that are about 6 inches long and weigh close to 1 pound each make generous servings for your guests.
• Grate the cheddar cheese from a block of cheese. Pre shredded cheese is coated with preservatives to keep the shreds from clumping. That means that they won't melt together as well when cooked.
• Adding a generous amount of butter along with the half and half and cheddar cheese ensure creamy and delicious twice baked potatoes.

how to store stuffed potatoes

• Store the stuffed potatoes in the refrigerator in an air tight container for up to 4 days. Pull them out of the fridge about 20 minutes before heating to take the chill off. They will reheat more evenly that way. See the recipe below for heating directions.
• Store individually wrapped stuffed potatoes in the freezer for up to 3 months. After stuffing the skins and topping them with the shredded cheese, wrap cooled potatoes in plastic wrap and pop into a large resealable bag. Reheat the potatoes from frozen (this will take longer) or thawed for 24 hours in the refrigerator for a shorter heating time. The recipe below has the heating directions.

more side dish recipes

• Fresh Herb and Zucchini Pie
• Mashed Potato Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
• Chickpea Salad with Fresh Herb Vinaigrette
• Apple and Bacon Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

just one more thing

If you make this delicious stuffed potato recipe, I'd love hearing from you all. Be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating ~ I do my best to reply to all your comments. And snap a photo to post to Instagram. I'll add the photos to my Insta stories as I love seeing all your creations.

Also check out my Facebook and Pinterest pages for lots of fabulous foodie stories, videos, cooking tips, and recipes.

Recipe

Do Ahead Twice Baked Potatoes

Large russet potatoes ~ I like to use 6 inch long potatoes that weigh about 1 pound each ~ are baked and the mashed potatoes are mixed with softened butter, half and half shredded cheddar cheese. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 319kcal

Author: Amy Casey

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• 4 russet potatoes about 1 pound each
• olive oil
• kosher salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 8 tablespoons butter softened
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• fresh parsley chopped - for garnish

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Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Scrub the potatoes under cold water and dry with a paper towel.
• Poke each potato several times with a sharp knife.
• Rub each potato with olive oil and season generously with kosher salt and pepper.
• Place potatoes directly on the baking rack in the oven. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. The potatoes are ready when they are soft when squeezed and a knife is easily inserted.
• Remove the potatoes from the oven when done. Place on a large cutting board. Let cool 5 minutes.
• Slice each potato in half lengthwise. Hold the potatoes with a towel if they are too hot to handle.
• Scoop out the inside of the potatoes and place in a large bowl. Set the skins aside.
• Add 1 stick of softened butter and mash the potatoes with a potato masher. I like to leave the filling with a few lumps.
• Add the half and half and 1 cup of the shredded cheese and stir to combine. Taste the filling and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Evenly divide the filling among the potato skins. Top with the remaining shredded cheese and a sprinkle of parsley.
• To serve immediately, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. When the oven reaches temperature, place the desired number of potatoes on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through and the cheese has melted.

Notes

1. To refrigerate, place the stuffed potatoes in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on a baking sheet in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 20 - 30 minutes.
2. To freeze, cool the potatoes and wrap each half individually in plastic wrap. Place in large gallon sized resealable bags. Press out as much air as possible. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove the desired number of potatoes from the freezer and unwrap. Place on a baking sheet and heat in the preheated oven for about 45 - 60 minutes. Alternately, thaw wrapped potatoes for 24 hours in the refrigerator. Then heat in preheated 375 degree F oven for 30 - 35 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1half potato | Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 273mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g

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