Mexican Inspired Twice Baked Potatoes

These stuffed baked potatoes were exactly the comfort food we needed in the middle of yet another snow storm a few weeks ago.

Nothing says “warm up” like hot, cheesy baked potatoes topped with salsa.

I actually baked my potatoes the day before we ate them. The night I wanted to stuff them and bake them the second time, I scooped out the potato flesh and put it in a big bowl with the butter, microwaved it till warm, mashed in the rest of the ingredients and proceeded with the recipe as directed.

It was great, because I didn’t have to wait an entire hour for the potatoes to bake that day – just a little smashing and 15 minutes in the oven. Super simple!

Also, don’t be shy with the salt and pepper. I used reduced fat sour cream and cheese and it still tasted luxurious 🙂

Mexican Inspired Twice Baked Potatoes
Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen – Ashley Covelli

4 Russet potatoes, scrubbed clean
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup sour cream, plus extra for garnish
1/2 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese, divided
3 green onions, thinly sliced, divided
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salsa, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400°F. Pierce each potato several times with a fork. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

Slice the top off of each potato to make a canoe-like shape. Scoop the flesh out of each potato, leaving a thin wall (around 1/4-inch) around the perimeter so the potatoes hold their shape. Place potato flesh (along with any that’s left in the top piece of the skin that was sliced off) into a large bowl. Add butter, sour cream, 1/4 cup of the cheese and 2 of the green onions. Season well with salt and pepper and smash it all together with a potato masher until well combined.

Stuff the filling back into the potato skins. Pile a tablespoon of cheese on top of each potato and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika. Place back into the oven and bake until the cheese melts and starts to brown (about 15 minutes).

Garnish with additional sour cream, green onion and salsa. Enjoy!

Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars