Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Twice-baked sweet potatoes are a delicious take on twice-baked russets, only they have that sweet potato taste that is perfect for fall weather.  They could be used for a great side dish to a meal, or you could bake a batch to share as an appetizer for a tailgating party!

We had the sweet potatoes with grilled pork chops and grilled fresh pineapple.  It was a nice combination.  While we were eating, Mary Jo commented that she had never eaten sweet potato skins.  I thought for a while and I’d never eaten the skins either. 

What is good about these is the way they are prepared and baked to make crispy skin.  The skin is actually quite delicate and adds to the overall flavor of the potatoes.  Try this the next time you are thinking baked potatoes.

Ingredients for the Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes

The ingredients I used are simple and could be adjusted to your own taste.

2 small to medium sweet potatoes, 4-5 inches long

1/4 cup whole milk, half and half or heavy cream

olive oil

4 slices bacon, diced into small pieces

1/2 cup grated cheese, (mozzarella, cheddar, jack cheese, colby)

1/4 cup green onion or chives chopped

1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper

Try to use sweet potatoes that aren’t too large. I’d say that 5 inches long is just about right. Be sure to remember to poke a few holes in the skins before baking. This will allow steamy moisture to escape and not “explode” through the skin. This won’t always happen but you never know. Best to be safe.

Tasty Tips

Chop the bacon into fairly small pieces. I’d say around 1/4 inch square. That way they will sit nicely on the melted cheese. When cooking the bacon reduce the heat when all of the fat is rendered and the bits are bubbling. When they are cooking in the fat like this it is easy for them to start to burn pretty quickly. Take the skillet off the heat and remove them to the paper toweling.

When you make this dish, don’t skip the crisping of the skins. It makes such a difference in texture and it makes the skins yummy to eat…even if you usually don’t eat the skins. They are so good.

Place the potato skins on the foil and brush both insides and outsides with olive oil.  Place back into the oven, this time at 375 degrees, and bake the skins to make them crisper for about 15 minutes. 

Remove the skins from the oven and spoon in the creamy potato flesh, then top with cheese.

When I made the potatoes in the picture, I used sharp cheddar and mozzarella. You can use any good melting cheese which there are many. Some examples: swiss, cheddar, Colby, mozzarella, Havarti, Fontina, Monterey Jack, Muenster, provolone, smoked gouda, and even blue cheese. 

Finish the twice-baked sweet potatoes with a garnish or accompaniment of chopped green onions or chopped chives.

Remove from the oven and immediately top with bacon bits and onion or chives.  Serve right away.

If you really wanted to be decadent, you could put a dollop of sour cream on the potatoes too.  Hope you try this recipe.

And here are some more tasty recipes to try:

• Garlic Salt Baked Potatoes with Oregano
• Sweet Potato and Caramelized Onion Skillet
• Sauteed Shredded Sweet Potatoes
• Cranberry-Orange Glazed Sweet Potatoes
• Healthy Roasted Fall Vegetables

And take a look at this Sweet Potato recipe from Half Baked Harvest, a fellow blogger I follow.

Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes

Twice-baked sweet potatoes with bacon and green onions. Such a treat.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: sweet potato twice baked, twice baked sweet potatoes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Resting Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes

Calories: 280kcal

Author: Joe Boyle

Ingredients

• 2 sweet potatoes approx. 4 to 5 inches long
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup half and half
• 4 slices bacon, diced small
• 1/2 cup grated melting cheese, like cheddar, jack, or colby
• 1/4 cup green onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 400°. Place the potatoes on a foil-lined small sheet pan. Use a fork to poke holes in the potato skin. I poked each one 6 times.
• Bake the potatoes for 45 to 55 minutes until the potatoes are quite soft. Use a fork or paring knife to check if they are soft. Remove them from the oven and allow to cool for 15 to 20 minutes.
• While the potatoes bake, cook the bacon in a skillet on medium heat until the bacon bits are crisp. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bits from the skillet and place them on a paper towel-lined plate.
• Also, grated the cheese you will be using and chop the green onions or chives and set aside.
• Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half lengthwise and use a spoon to remove the flesh, leaving about 1/8 inch of the flesh on the skin. Place the flesh into a medium-sized bowl.
• Place the potato skins back onto the foil-lined sheet pan and brush both the insides and outsides of the skins with olive oil. Set your oven to 375° and bake the skins for 15 minutes to crisp.
• While the skins are crisping, mash the potato flesh along with the half and half, salt, and pepper. You can use a hand masher or electric mixer.
• Remove the skins from the oven and spoon the mashed potatoes into the potato shells. Top the potatoes with the grated cheese of choice. Put the potatoes back into the oven for 15 minutes in order to melt the cheese.
• Remove them from the oven and top with bacon bits and chopped onions or chives. Serve hot.

Notes

1. Leftovers sadly would lose that special crispiness. It would be best to scoop the potato filling out of the skins. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat in the microwave. 

Nutrition

Calories: 280kcal