Loaded Baked Potato Casserole

Meat and potato fans are going to love this casserole. It’s a loaded baked potato all nicely packed into one convenient, easy-to-make casserole. Tastes so good you’ll be doing a happy dance!

This dish started out as a mustgoes creation when I once made a ridiculous amount of Loaded Baked Potato Salad for a dinner party. I ended up with lots of leftovers and, after the second day, the thought of eating another plateful of cold potato salad made my eye twitch.

Since I abhor wasting food, I decided to warm the leftovers. Into a casserole dish it went, topped it with a little extra cheese, and warmed it in the oven. It was a new dining experience for sure, and so worth it.

My family loved it so much, it wasn’t long before I made a few tweaks in the preparation. Cook the onions and bacon before adding the boiled potatoes and mixing in all other ingredients. Then transfer to a baking dish and add a little extra cheese, onions, and bacon before baking. Quick and easy, and I now make this all time from scratch instead of waiting for leftovers.

This loaded baked potato casserole takes comfort food to a whole new level. It makes a terrific side dish or even as a meal all by itself. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Worry-Free Cooking

• I use my favorite 8-quart mixing bowl to pull together and combine all the ingredients in this recipe. It’s my go-to bowl because of its perfect size and shape for mixing.

• A glass baking dish offers more convenience over nonstick metal for this dish. Most especially, the glass dish is way more presentable so you’re able to go straight from the oven to the table. And the glass will retain the heat longer, which means your side dish can sit out longer without getting too cold. This Pyrex 8-piece bakeware set is what I have and it’s a great deal if you’re in need.

Menu Planning

• This casserole is an ideal make-ahead side dish for the holidays or large gatherings. Once you prepare and put in the casserole dish, cover tightly and store in the fridge for up to 2 days. When you’re ready, just bake until its nice and bubbly.

• For the same yummy flavors in a cold version, try the Loaded Baked Potato Salad recipe. Hot or cold, you can’t go wrong here!

• The loaded baked potato flavors in this casserole pairs wonderfully with dishes like Barbecue Rubbed Country Ribs.

• For the meat and potato purists, pair this casserole with savory steak.

Helping Hand

• Red potatoes tend to hold their shape better in casseroles such as this; however, using Idaho or Russet potatoes will work just as well.

• I like to boil my potatoes and leave in the fridge overnight to cool. It makes handling and peeling the potatoes so much easier. A serrated peeler like the Spring Chef Vegetable Peeler is an excellent choice for getting the job done.

• To skin or not to skin the potatoes? It’s a personal choice for sure. I will sometimes leave the skin on when using red potatoes, especially the smaller new potatoes. I find that the skin on other varieties have a little tougher consistency for this salad.

• For my vegetarian friends, omit the bacon altogether and you’ll still have a delicious side dish.

• While a packet of ranch seasoning or dip mix will work, I recommend Hidden Valley Seasoning & Salad Mix for its bolder flavors. I use this stuff in a variety of recipes, which makes the larger size well worth it.

Loaded Baked Potato Casserole

Recipe by Annette (•‿•)

Meat and potato fans are going to love this casserole. It’s a loaded baked potato all nicely packed into a convenient, easy-to-make casserole.

Course: SidesCuisine: American

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Servings

10

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

5

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon 1 vegetable oil

• 1 large 1 onion, diced

• 1 pound 1 bacon, cut into 1/2″ pieces, divided

• 5 pounds 5 potatoes, washed, peeled and cut into 1” chunks

• 2 cups 2 cheddar cheese, shredded, divided

• 1 cup 1 sour cream

• 1 cup 1 mayonnaise

• 2 bunches 2 green onion, chopped, divided

• 3 tablespoons 3 ranch seasoning mix

• 1/2 tablespoon 1/2 garlic powder

• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Add potatoes to stock pot and cover with water. Bring water to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and cook about 10-15 minutes until potatoes are soft and easily pierced with a fork. Remove from water, rinse in cool water, and put in the fridge to cool down.
• Preheat oven to 350° F.
• In a medium non-stick skillet, cook onions in oil over medium heat until tender and translucent. Reserve ¼ cup of bacon pieces, then add the remaining pieces to the skillet and continue to cook with the onions until the bacon is brown and crispy. Drain excess grease and transfer onions and bacon mixture to large mixing bowl.
• Peel cooled potatoes and cut into 1” chunks. Add potatoes to onions and bacon in the mixing bowl. Set aside ¼ cup of the green onions and ¼ cup of the shredded cheese, and add remaining cheese and onions along with all the remaining ingredients and seasonings to the bowl. Mix well to combine all ingredients.
• Transfer mixture to a 9 x 13 baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray. Sprinkle reserved cheese, onions, and bacon across the top of the casserole.
• Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until bubbly and light brown.
• Garnish with green onions and sour cream drizzle, as desired.
• Serve and enjoy!

Grocery & Gourmet

• Try Hidden Valley Seasoning & Salad Mix for its bolder flavors that everyone loves.

Worry-Free Cooking

• 8-Quart Mixing BowlView Details
• Pyrex 8-Piece Bakeware SetView Details
• Spring Chef Vegetable PeelerView Details

Have you tried this recipe? Tag @annettes.cooking on Instagram and hashtag it #annettescooking

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a comment and star rating below. It’s always refreshing to hear how others like a recipe, find success with it, or tweak to suit. I’d love to hear from you!