For The Easiest Twice-Baked Potato Side, Grab This Store-Bought Frozen Shortcut

Twice-baked potatoes are the ultimate cozy side, but they're not exactly something you can quickly slap together. Preparing them can take close to two hours, and while the results are well worth it, not everyone has the time to wait. Thankfully, that doesn't mean you need to abandon it completely. Instead, use shredded hash browns as a time-saving shortcut.

Though they were created as an alternative to making the breakfast dish from scratch, there are an abundance of creative ways to use frozen hash browns in the kitchen. With a muffin tin and the right ingredients, you can easily make twice-baked potatoes in half the time. To mirror the crunchy exterior of the dish, make sure to thaw the hash browns ahead of time and pat them down to ensure they're completely dry.

Mix them with sour cream or mayo, along with shredded cheese, garlic powder, salt, paprika, and onion powder. Grease the muffin tin with oil or melted butter, then spoon the hash brown mix into each space. Bake the hash browns at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown. In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add some more shredded cheese on top, and some strips of bacon on top.

With less time on weeknights to put together a hearty dinner, hash brown-derived baked potatoes are the answer to putting food on the table within the hour. To elevate the side further, spruce it up with ingredients that match the main course. When paired with chimichurri steak bites, the side gives steak and potatoes a revamped taste. Load the baked hash brown cups up with sour cream, cheddar, black beans, and red peppers for an easy Tex-Mex meal.

For marry me chicken soup, give the twice-baked hash browns an herbaceous touch. Along with the sour cream, mix the thawed potatoes with compound butter filled with dill, thyme, rosemary, minced garlic, and lemon zest. Add a helping of parmesan for a salty spin, and sprinkle some breadcrumbs into the mix to give the potatoes a crunchy mouthfeel to complement the creamy soup.

Three-ingredient smothered pork chops have a rich taste thanks to cream of mushroom soup, so keep the potatoes simple with mild white cheddar. The slightly tangy ingredient helps to balance out the pork chops, but the buttery notes of the cheese keep things in check. When they're fresh from the oven, top off the potatoes with a dollop of garlic butter and green onions.