Creamy Twice Baked Potato Casserole Recipe for Holiday Sides

This casserole captures everything you love about a traditional twice-baked potato but in a simple, crowd-friendly format. It’s easy to prepare, easy to serve, and works well for potlucks, family dinners, and holidays.

My first time making this dish was pure chance. After a cowboy-style dinner of steak, baked potatoes, and beans, the host offered leftovers to anyone who wanted them. I accepted a bag thinking I’d grab a quick lunch the next day—but I ended up with a dozen baked potatoes plus extra steak and beans.

A great way to jazz up a side dish of potatoes is to make this twice baked potato casserole.

I used the leftover steak for other meals and froze the beans, but the potatoes begged to be something special. Some became crispy home fries and the rest turned into this casserole—now a requested dish whenever I bring sides to a gathering.

The recipe is forgiving and makes planning ahead simple. Prepare it up to two days before baking and keep it covered in the refrigerator. That flexibility makes holiday cooking and busy entertaining much easier.

baked potatoes in foil — These baked potatoes were the start of one of our favorite side dish recipes.

You can bake the potatoes in the oven, the air fryer, or the microwave—whichever method you prefer. The important thing is that they are cooked until fork-tender before you begin assembling the casserole.

fresh baked potatoes — Potatoes can be baked using any preferred method—just make sure they are tender.

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

While this started as a way to use leftover baked potatoes, the casserole is best made with freshly baked potatoes. Bake until soft, then let them cool enough to handle. Fry bacon while the potatoes cook—cutting it into pieces before frying speeds the process and reduces splatter.

Peel all but two of the potatoes so you have a mix of skins for texture, then cut them into chunks. Place the potato pieces in a large bowl and add room-temperature butter, sour cream, and milk. Using dairy at room temperature helps the potatoes mash smoothly; adding cold dairy to hot potatoes can cause the starch to become gluey.

Add one cup of shredded cheddar, seasoned salt, and salt and pepper to taste. Mash the mixture until smooth and creamy—use a potato masher rather than an electric mixer to avoid a pasty texture.

bacon crumbled — Cook the bacon until crisp, then crumble it for the casserole and topping.

Spread the mashed potato mixture evenly in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick spray. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and most of the bacon over the top, reserving a little bacon for garnish. Bake at 350°F until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through, about 20–25 minutes.

Use a potato masher to achieve the right mashed texture—over-mixing can make the potatoes gummy.

When the casserole comes out of the oven, let it rest for a few minutes, then finish with diced green onions for color and a fresh oniony bite. Serve warm alongside your favorite mains.

Make Ahead and Freeze

This casserole is ideal for preparing ahead. Assemble it, cover tightly, and store it in the refrigerator for up to two days. When ready to bake, warm it covered for 10–15 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 20–25 minutes until bubbly and golden. Leftovers can be refrigerated or frozen for later use.

twice baked casserole — Bake until the cheese is melted and the edges are slightly golden. Let it rest briefly before serving.

Enjoy this comforting casserole as a hearty side that combines creamy mashed potatoes, sharp cheddar, and crisp bacon—everything people love about twice-baked potatoes, simplified for a crowd.

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Yield: 10

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

All the flavors of a classic twice-baked potato in an easy-to-serve casserole—perfect for holidays, potlucks, and weeknight meals.

Ingredients

½ pound bacon, precooked and crumbled
8 russet potatoes, medium size, approximately 6 lbs.
3 TBSP olive oil
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature and sliced into cubes
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
1 cup milk, room temperature
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 tsp seasoned salt
Salt and pepper, to taste

Garnish

3 green onions, diced

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside.
Wash and dry the potatoes, pierce several times with a knife, rub with olive oil, and bake on a sheet until a fork slides in easily, about 40 minutes depending on size.
Remove the potatoes and reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
Leave the skins on two potatoes for texture if desired; when cool enough to handle, peel the remaining potatoes and cut each into chunks. Place them in a large bowl.
Add about three-quarters of the crumbled bacon to the potatoes and reserve the rest for topping.
Add butter, sour cream, milk, 1 cup shredded cheddar, seasoned salt, and pepper. Mash with a potato masher until smooth and creamy.
Spread the mashed potato mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining bacon and the remaining cup of shredded cheddar.
Bake uncovered at 350°F for 20–25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve.

Notes

This casserole can be assembled up to two days in advance (do not bake before storing). Keep covered in the refrigerator. Leftovers may be refrigerated or frozen for later use.

Recipe provided by Make Your Meals.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1 serving

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 608Total Fat: 49gSaturated Fat: 23gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 84mgSodium: 596mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 11g