Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links. I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase as a result of clicking one of these links. There is no additional cost to you.

Loaded Baked Potato Casserole turns a steak house classic into a delicious side dish for the whole family. We're mixing in all the good stuff like cheese and bacon and leaving out those gross potato skins. You'll want to make this way too often.

Loaded Baked Potato Casserole | How to Be Awesome on $20 a Day

My darling husband has a cold. Bless him. This means he's going to spend the entire weekend on the couch playing video games surrounded by an ever-growing pile of used tissues and half empty cups of team and orange juice. It's fine. Being sick is the worst. You should get to do whatever you want. I've brought him a bag for his tissues, so at least that problem is contained. Now I just have to find a way to keep him from breathing on me.

Luckily for my husband, my dinner plans were thwarted last night. That means he got to order a takeaway. In his opinion, the ultimate comfort food is Chicken Tikka Masala. He simply had to have it. So that's what he got.

This highlights yet another perfect example of the difference between Brits and Americans. I only eat Indian food under the most dire of circumstances. I'm a very boring, very picky eater with the palate of a 12-year-old. This is no secret. Just leave me alone with my PB&J. He, on the other hand, could eat curry every day.

What makes Loaded Baked Potato Casserole so awesome?

As far as I'm concerned, this Loaded Baked Potato Casserole ticks all the comfort food boxes. There's fluffy mashed potatoes with all their carby goodness, obviously. There's also plenty of cheese because what's life without it. And of course, there's lots of crispy bacon. It's the source of all our power.

Regular baked potatoes are great, and yes the skin is good for you, but it's practically impossible to get all the different elements together in the right amount. That's why Loaded Baked Potato Casserole is superior. Everything is pre-mixed, so you get the perfect bite every time. You don't have to make a mess trying to do batle with your baked potato. It's genius. Take this to your next potluck and watch people line up for the recipe.

Next time you need a comforting side dish, make this Loaded Baked Potato Casserole. Eat it every day. Bring it to parties. Share it with friends. The more the awesomer.

Loaded Baked Potato Casserole

Recipe by ReneeCourse: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4-6

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Loaded Baked Potato Casserole is a delicious side dish with plenty of cheese and bacon.

Ingredients

2-½ pounds baking potatoes, peeled and chopped
5 strips streaky bacon
4 ounces cream cheese
2 ounces butter, melted
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup thinly sliced chives or green onions
1-¼ cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C) and lightly spray a small casserole dish with non-stick spray or oil.
Add your peeled, chopped potatoes to a pot and cover them with cold water. Add a fat pinch of salt, and clamp the lid on. Bring the water to a boil, then lower to a rapid simmer for about 20 minutes or until your potatoes can easily be pierced with a fork. Drain the potatoes, and transfer them back to the pot.
While your potatoes are boiling, put a skillet over medium heat, and add your bacon. I like to use scissors to chop the bacon right into the pan. You can chop it raw, or cook the whole strips of bacon and chop them when they're cooked. Totally up to you. When your bacon is crisp, remove it to a paper towe-lined plate.
Going back to your potatoes, use a hand mixer to beat your potatoes until they're light and fluffy. You could just use a potato masher here, but your mixture will be more dense and chunky. A hand mixer will work in some air giving you a lighter texture.
Next, add your cream cheese, butter, and sour cream. Use your mixer to beat that in to combine. Now you can ditch your mixer and just use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to stir in the chives, 1 cup of your shredded cheese, about half the bacon, and your seasonings. Mix well.
Transfer your potato mixture to your casserole dish, and scatter over your remaining cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly golden on top.
Scatter your remaining bacon over the top and serve hot.