This Loaded Baked Potato Casserole has all the flavors you love in a classic baked potato, cheese, bacon, sour cream, and green onions, layered together in one cozy, crowd-pleasing dish. It's easy to make ahead, reheats beautifully, and works just as well for weeknight dinners as it does for holidays and potlucks. Comfort food at its best!
This Loaded Baked Potato Casserole is one of my all-time favorite holiday side dishes, and for good reason. It's ridiculously easy to make, can be prepped ahead of time (a lifesaver during the busy holiday season), and has those classic, cozy flavors everyone craves. It's cheesy, creamy, and just the right amount of indulgent.
Because it makes a generous batch, it's the perfect dish to bring along to Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas gatherings, or potlucks where you want something hearty and guaranteed to disappear fast. Every time I make it, I get requests for the recipe. It's truly one of those sides that feels special without adding stress to your holiday cooking.
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Equipment
For this recipe you will need:
- Baking sheet with a wire rack (optional) - You can also set the potatoes right on the oven rack if preferred.
- Large mixing bowl
- Large casserole dish
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Russet Potatoes: You can also use Yukon Gold potatoes if preferred.
- Bacon: I recommend using a pound, but you can add as much as you want. I also like adding a tablespoon of bacon grease to the potatoes to add extra flavor. Feel free to omit if desired.
- Butter: I like using salted but you can use unsalted if preferred. Just adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Sour Cream: I recommend using full fat for the best flavor and texture.
- Cream Cheese: Again, I highly recommend using full fat for the best results.
- Whole milk
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Salt & pepper
- Cheddar cheese: I always recommend grating your cheese by hand for the best texture. But you can use pre-shredded in a pinch. If you don't have cheddar Colby jack also works great, and you can throw in some blue if you'd like for extra flavor.
- Green onions: You can substitute with chives if desired.
Step-by-Step Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can assemble the casserole up to 24 hours in advance. Then cover tightly and refrigerate. When ready to serve, bake until hot and bubbly.
Russet potatoes are classic for their fluffy texture, but Yukon golds also work well for a creamier bite.
If your potatoes are too al dente it probably means that weren't baked enough initially. But don't worry! Just cover the casserole with foil and return it to the oven at 350°F. Bake for an additional 15-25 minutes (checking every so often) until the potatoes are tender all the way through. If the top starts to brown too much, keep it loosely covered with foil to prevent over-baking the cheese
More cozy potato recipes for you to enjoy.
Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
Potatoes Au Gratin with Pancetta and Leeks
Made this homemade Loaded Bake Potato Casserole recipe? Let me know what you think in the comments!
Recipe
Loaded Baked Potato Casserole
Equipment
- 9 x 13 casserole dish
- large mixing bowl
- baking dish with wire rack
Ingredients
- 6 russet potatoes (4-5 lb)
- olive oil
- 1 lb bacon, diced
- 1 tablespoon reserved bacon grease optional
- ½ cup butter, diced
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 oz cream cheese
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Scrub the potatoes. Then rub with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place on a baking with topped with a wire rack, or directly on the oven rack, for 50–60 minutes or until fork tender.
- While the potatoes are baking, cook the diced bacon until crisp. Drain on a paper towel lined plate. Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon grease (if desired).
- Once the potatoes are done cooking take them out of the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Peel 4 of them (leaving the skin on 2) and dice into chunks.Turn the oven temperature down to 350 F.
- Place the warm potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Add the diced butter and cream cheese, letting them melt into the warm potatoes and stir to combine. Then add sour cream, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Mash until creamy but still a little textured, adjusting milk as needed for consistency. Add in 1 cup of the shredded cheese, bacon, and green onions and mix until well combined. Taste and add additional seasoning as needed.
- Transfer the potato mixture into a large casserole dish. Top with the remaining 1 cup of cheese. Bake at 350 F for about 30 minutes until hot and bubbly. If desired, you can broil for 20-30 seconds to lightly brown the cheese. Remove from the oven and serve warm. Enjoy!
Jet
Took this to a potluck and it vanished fast. Creamy, cheesy, and that bacon crunch - perfect comfort food.
jamjarkitchen
So glad y'all liked it!
Lora
This loaded baked potato casserole sounds like the ultimate comfort food! All the classic flavors in one easy, cozy dish—definitely trying this for our next family dinner.
Swathi
Loaded bake potato casserole is so good, perfect for our dinner, I enjoyed with some homemade bread.
Ashley
I'm embarrassed by how much of this I ate by myself. So so good!
Tisha
This was a huge hit and turned out to be the perfect side dish! We loved it!