The Retro Potato Side So Good, It's Worth Turning Your Oven On Twice

Foodies have been exalting the humble spud for centuries. In 1853, Alsatian sculptor Andreas Friederich created a statue of the explorer Sir Francis Drake gripping a sword in his right hand and a potato plant in his left. Somewhere along the line, twice-baked potatoes entered the scene. Not to be confused with potato skins, twice-baked potatoes comprise a crispy baked potato with the insides scooped out, mashed with other flavorful ingredients, then added back into the skin "shells" and baked once more.

Nowadays, twice-baked potatoes are an elevated comfort food and a common fixture on steakhouse menus. But, the dish was especially popular in 1960s America, when it was also known by the name "potato boats," aptly coinciding with the era's culinary penchant towards hors d'oeuvre for at-home entertaining. Before that, the twice-baked spud has been around for even longer. The 1877 recipe collection "Buckeye Cookery and Practical Housekeeping" by Estelle Woods Wilcox, for instance, includes a listing for "Potatoes In Jackets" that is nearly identical to modern twice-baked potato preparations; Wilcox suggests adding breadcrumbs to the toasty interior filling.

During the 1970s, many American households also served a casserole version of twice-baked potatoes, with mashed baked potatoes, sour cream, cheese, green onions, and bacon spread into a casserole dish to serve a crowd and skip the spoon-wielding prep work. But, arguably the main appeal of the classic twice-baked potato is its textural interplay. Crispy outer potato skins and creamy filling combine for mouthfeel intrigue in every bite.

To make them, potatoes are baked in the oven as normal (the outer skins can be seasoned with oil, salt, and pepper, if desired). Then, after the first round of baking, the spuds get halved lengthwise, and the plush insides are scooped out using a spoon, creating a mostly-empty potato skin "shell." The scooped out potato gets transferred to a large mixing bowl, and mashed with other rich, flavorful ingredients like butter, shredded cheese, milk, sour cream, chopped green onions, thick-cut bacon, and sometimes seasonings like paprika. Finally, that mashed filling gets spooned back into the waiting potato skin "shells," and baked once more to a golden crisp.

These handheld yet substantial bites can serve as an appetizer, side dish, or entree when paired with complementary accouterment like creamed corn or garlicky sautéed asparagus. They're easy to make ahead of time for stress–free hosting, and leftovers reheat well, too. Here at Tasting Table, we suggest adding a dollop of mascarpone for luscious, cheesy moisture, while the potato is still oven-warm. This dish admittedly might not be the best fit for hot summer days. But, on blustery winter evenings when leaving the oven on for a while provides welcome warmth — and when hearty comfort foods seem to taste extra good — twice-baked potatoes hit the spot. In a pinch, or when a serious craving hits, they can even be made in an air fryer.