Home » Side Dishes » The Pioneer Woman’s Twice Baked Potato Casserole
by Stephanie on December 3, 2018 (Updated November 21, 2023)422*This post may contain affiliate links. Read more »
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This Twice Baked Potato Casserole recipe from The Pioneer Woman is loaded with creamy mashed potatoes, bacon, cheese and bites of potatoes skins.PLUS, it’s make-ahead and freezer friendly!
Love Pioneer Woman Recipes? Try her Meatloaf Recipe next!
This recipe is everything, and I meaneverything.I have always been a sucker for twice baked potatoes and making it in casserole form is just everything I need in life. Especially since you can make ittwo days ahead of time.
As if the convenience of making it ahead of time isn’t enough, you can easily freeze leftovers! Read on for everything you need to know about this ultimate side dish idea!
Ingredients
- Russet Potatoes-Starchy potatoes such as Russets or Yukon Gold are best when making mashed potato casserole. Avoid red or new potatoes as they tend to have a gluey consistency when mashed.
- Canola Oil
- Bacon
- Salted Butter
- Sour Cream
- Whole Milk
- Cheddar Cheese- Shredded from a block at home for best results
- Seasoned Salt
- Salt/Pepper
- Green Onions- to Garnish
How to Make it
- Clean the potatoes, wipe completely dry. Rub with Canola oil.
- Bake at 400° for 40 minutes.
- Take butter, sour cream, and milk out of the fridge and allow to come to room temperature.
- Cook bacon while the potatoes bake.
- Remove potatoes from oven and wait until cool enough to handle.
- Leave skins on 2 of the potatoes and peel the rest. Cut into thirds.
- Crumble the bacon. Add half of the bacon to the bowl of potatoes along with the milk, cream, butter, cheese, seasoned salt, salt and pepper. Mash until creamy.
- Place in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Top with remaining bacon and additional cheese.
- Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes. Top with green onions and serve.
Make-Ahead Method
This casserole can be prepared up to two days ahead of time:
- Assemble the casserole as noted in the recipe but hold off on baking and refrigerate ready to serve.
- When you’re ready to bake, cover the top andbake for 10-15 minutes. Remove the top, and bake for 25-30 minutes.
See belowfor instructions on heating it in the Crock Pot:
Crock Pot Method
- Follow the instructions as outlined, but assemble the casserole in the Crock Pot instead of a casserole dish.
- Heat on low for 2 hours or on high for 1 hour. Once the cheese is melted, switch it to warm.
- If you’re reheating it from a cold state, add an additional 1-2 hours of heating time.
Storing Leftovers
- Leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator and is best if eaten withinthree days.
- If frozen, they are best if used within three months.
Freezing Leftover Potato Casserole
-This potato casserole isperfect for freezingas the butter, sour cream, and whole milk help hold up the consistency. If the potatoes are a little watery when reheated, adding some additional butter or sour cream will help mitigate this.
- Method #1: Freeze portion sizes in foil packets and place in a Ziploc freezer bag.
- Method #2: Use a measuring cup to scoop portion sizes onto a plate and put the entire plate in the freezer for 1-2 hours. Stack the frozen potatoes on top of one another in a freezer bag.
It’s best to use the potatoes within three months of freezing.
Reheating Frozen Potatoes
Here is how to reheat these potatoes from a frozen state:
- Oven: Wrap the frozen potatoes in foil or place in an oven-safe covered dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or so. The exact amount of time depends on the portion size.
- Microwave: Place the frozen potatoes on a microwave-safe plate or bowl and heat for about 5 minutes at half power, stirring them occasionally.The exact amount of time depends on the portion size.
- TIP: This resource provides additional information and images regarding how to freeze, store, and reheat mashed potatoes.
Try These Next
- Green Bean Casserole
- Corn Casserole
- Sausage Stuffing
- Buttermilk Biscuits
- Blackberry Cobbler
- Baked Mac and Cheese
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The Pioneer Woman's Twice Baked Potato Casserole
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
4.97 from 104 ratings
Servings: 10 people
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This Twice Baked Potato Casserole recipe from The Pioneer Woman is an easy make ahead side dish idea for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any family dinner!
Ingredients
- ½ pound bacon
- 8 medium russet potatoes, Equal to about 6 pounds
- 3 Tablespoons canola oil
- 2 sticks salted butter, softened and sliced into cubes.
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese, plus more for topping
- 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
- 3 green onions, sliced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400° F.
Take out the butter, sour cream, and milk and set them aside, they shouldn’t be cold when combined with the potatoes.
Scrub the potatoes clean. Wipe them dry and rub them with canola oil. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, until they can be easily sliced through.
While the potatoes bake, cook the bacon in a large pan slowly on low heat. As the edges begin to curl, use tongs to flip them over periodically until evenly cooked. Set them aside on a paper towel-lined plate to cool once finished.
Remove the potatoes from the oven and decrease the heat to 350 degrees.
Leave the skins on two of the potatoes and peel and discard the remaining skins. Cut each potato into thirds and add them to a large mixing bowl.
Crumble the cooked bacon and set some aside for topping the casserole. Add the rest to the mixing bowl along with the butter, sour cream, grated cheese, seasoned salt, and salt and pepper. Give it a rough mash.
Add the milk gradually, mashed in between additions, until desired consistency is obtained. (I usually add all of it, but doing it gradually will ensure your desired consistency is obtained.)
Transfer to a lightly greased 9 x 13 baking dish.
Top with reserved bacon and additional shredded cheese.
Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes. Top with sliced green onions and serve!
Notes
Make-Ahead Method
-This casserole can be prepared up to two days ahead of time.You will prepare the entire casserole as noted in the recipe but you'll hold off on baking it until you're ready to serve it, and will need to refrigerate it until then.
-When you're ready to bake it, you'll want to cover the top andbake for 10-15 minutes. Thenremove the top, and bake for 25 minutes.
Crock Pot Method
Follow the instructions as outlined, but assemble the casserole in the Crock Pot instead of a casserole dish.
Heat on low for 2 hours or on high for 1 hour. Once the cheese is melted, switch it to warm.
Garnish with green onions just before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 317kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 38mg, Sodium: 693mg, Potassium: 832mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 339IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 159mg, Iron: 2mg
Did you try this recipe?Mention @TheCozyCook on Instagram or tag #thecozycook!
Author: Stephanie
Source: The Food Network
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posted by Stephanie on December 3, 2018 — 422 Comments »
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Leave a Comment & Rate this Recipe
422 comments on “The Pioneer Woman’s Twice Baked Potato Casserole”
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Dianne C Beck — March 31, 2024 @ 6:41 pm Reply
My entire fam loved this recipe. It was creamy and cheesy. The bacon added a nice crunch. I peeled them all cuz my fam doesn’t like the skins. I don’t think it lost anything. I used my stand-up mixer. Thanks for this!
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Stephanie — March 31, 2024 @ 8:31 pm Reply
I’m so happy that you and your family loved the recipe Dianne!! ❤️❤️❤️
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Andrea LaManno — March 30, 2024 @ 10:13 am Reply
I have a question, on the Pioneer Woman website her recipe is a little different than yours, is this your adaptation of her original recipe? I was wondering if you made her actual recipe? Thank you
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Stephanie — March 30, 2024 @ 10:50 am Reply
The recipes on her site are always different than her recipes on The Food Network. My source is The Food Networks version because that’s what I’ve seen her make on her show. ❤️
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Jan — March 29, 2024 @ 4:26 pm Reply
Can I make this casserole 1-2 days before & bake the day of the event?
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Stephanie — March 29, 2024 @ 6:03 pm Reply
Yes, you can make it up to 2 days ahead of time, here is the info from the recipe post:
-Assemble the casserole as noted in the recipe but hold off on baking and refrigerate ready to serve.
-When you’re ready to bake, cover the top andbake for 10-15 minutes. Remove the top, and bake for 25-30 minutes.
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Susan Griffin — February 29, 2024 @ 5:26 am Reply
Everyone loved this dish. Added perk. Make soup with the left overs. So simple. Add Chicken Broth. Top with cheese and bacon bits. Done! I actually do this with baked potatoes we take home from a restaurant. Scoop out the potatoes. Chop and fry the skins then add to soup.
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Stephanie — February 29, 2024 @ 8:31 am Reply
I’m so happy that this dish was a hit Susan! You should check out my baked potato soup sometime as well, I love utilizing leftovers or extra potatoes for it as well! 😍 https://thecozycook.com/baked-potato-soup/
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Tamia — February 16, 2024 @ 10:45 am Reply
I had to use 20 potatoes for 6lbs so hopefully I measure everything else correctly, taste is key lol
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Stephanie — February 16, 2024 @ 2:07 pm Reply
I’m so happy that you loved it Brenda, thank you so much!
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