🥔 Twice-Baked Potatoes with Meat & Cheese Filling
Ingredients (Serves 4):
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4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed
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1 tbsp olive oil (for rubbing potatoes)
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Salt and pepper
For the Filling:
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1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey, sausage, etc.)
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½ small onion, finely chopped
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2 cloves garlic, minced
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½ tsp salt
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½ tsp black pepper
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1 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
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½ cup sour cream
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¼ cup milk or cream
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2 tbsp butter
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1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (plus extra for topping)
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2 green onions, sliced (optional)
🔥 Instructions:
1. Bake the Potatoes (First Bake):
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Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
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Rub the cleaned potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
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Place directly on oven rack or on a baking sheet. Bake for 45–60 minutes, or until fork-tender.
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Let cool slightly so you can handle them.
2. Cook the Meat Filling:
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In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef with chopped onion until browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat.
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Add garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika. Cook another minute. Set aside.
3. Scoop & Mix the Potato Filling:
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Cut a slit lengthwise in each potato and gently scoop out the insides into a mixing bowl, leaving about ¼ inch of flesh to hold the shell’s shape.
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Mash the potato insides with butter, sour cream, milk, and 1 cup of shredded cheese until smooth and creamy. Add more milk as needed for creaminess.
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Stir in the cooked meat mixture and green onions (if using). Taste and adjust seasoning.
4. Stuff and Bake (Second Bake):
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Spoon the mixture back into the potato shells.
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Top with extra shredded cheese.
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Return to oven and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15–20 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is bubbly and golden.
🧀 Optional Add-Ons:
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Crumbled bacon
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Jalapeños for spice
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A drizzle of BBQ or hot sauce before serving
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Topped with a fried or poached egg for a full meal
Would you like a vegetarian version or a version with pulled chicken or taco-seasoned beef?