Who says elegance can’t be deliciously indulgent? With our Loaded Twice Baked Fingerling Potatoes, you get an upscale twist on a comforting classic.
This recipe transforms unassuming fingerling potatoes into a looks gourmet but is so simple side dish that’s bursting with smoky bacon, melty cheese, and pantry spices.
The potatoes are roasted to perfection first, then topped with a rich mixture of mashed potatoes, crispy bacon, and green onions, and finally topped with melted cheddar cheese for an irresistible finish. Serve these loaded potatoes at your next dinner party or family gathering and watch them disappear!
Tools & Equipment
- Sharp knife and cutting board
- 2 medium mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons
- Baking sheet and parchment paper
- Spatula
- Cooking bacon: Skillet, tongs, paper towels to drain grease
- Cutting green onion: Kitchen shears or paring knife/cutting board
- Preparing fingerling potatoes: Colander and kitchen towel for clean potatoes, knife/cutting board to cut them all lengthwise, spoon or spatula for serving
The bottom line
These Loaded Twice Baked Fingerling Potatoes are not just a dish, they’re a conversation starter, a way to connect and share a moment of joy. Each potato is a tiny treasure trove of flavors, a testament to the fact that the best things indeed come in small packages.
More Potato Recipes
- Twice Baked Potato Recipe
- Creamy Red Potato Salad Recipe
- Hasselback Potatoes in the Air Fryer
- Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
- Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
- Smashed Potatoes
Loaded Twice Baked Fingerling Potatoes
Is it an appetizer or side dish? It's both! Fingerling finger foods for the win, it's hard to beat luscious bacon and potatoes together!
Ingredients
- 1 lb fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
- 2 T olive oil
- ½ t paprika (sweet or smoked)
- 1 t of table salt
- 1 t of ground pepper
- 1 c mashed potatoes (homemade or prepared from instant mix)
- ¾ c crumbled cooked bacon (about 1/4 lb of raw bacon, or ⅓ of the package)
- ¼ c chopped green onions
- 1 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Two or three additional turns of cracked black pepper at serving
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: Sour cream for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 F.
- Wash and dry @ 1 pound of fingerling potatoes. Carefully cut each potato once lengthwise, so they are cut in half.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the halved fingerlings, 2 T olive oil, 1 t salt and 1 t pepper, and paprika. Toss or stir to coat well.
- Place fingerlings cut-side-down on a parchment-lined or greased baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until fork tender.
- While the potatoes roast: Wash and dry 2 or 3 stalks of green onions. Scissor or chop them into small pieces, @ ¼ c and set aside.
- In a skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel to cool and drain, then crumble into small pieces. Set aside.
- If cheese is a block, shred then measure out 1 c AFTER shredding/grating. Set aside.
- Prepare the mashed potatoes according to directions, or pull out your leftover mash.
- Then, in a medium bowl, combine mashed potatoes, cooked bacon, and green onion.
- Test a fingerling with a fork at the 30-minute mark; it should enter easily. Once all fingerlings are done, remove from oven. Spoon mashed potato/bacon mixture onto the fingerlings, smooth with back of spoon, and top with all of the cheese.
- You warm it all just enough to melt the cheese: Reduce oven temp to 325F and bake for 10-15 minutes to warm through the potatoes and melt the cheese.
- OR to get a browned top on the mashed potatoes: Keep the oven at 450F and return to bake undisturbed for another 8 minutes.
- Serve warm. Offer fresh cracked pepper and a container of sour cream for self serve.
