Cajun Twice Baked Potatoes is a major league South Louisiana side dish. Sometimes called Stuffed Potatoes or Cajun Potatoes, or even Cajun Stuffed Potatoes, they are just what they sound like. A baked potato scooped out and blended with milk, sour cream, cheese, green onions, and lots of Cajun seasonings. Stuffed back into the hollowed-out potato shell, top it with more cheese, and bake it to a bubbly, cheesy brown. This can also be served as a casserole if you don't want to stuff the potato shells. Any way you serve it, Cajun Twice Baked Potatoes is a special partner for your favorite entrée!
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Here's What You Need
Ingredient Notes
- Potatoes: Use russet potatoes.
- Cheese: I use Sharp Cheddar cheese. You can substitute mild or extra sharp or blend in some grated American cheese. You can also substitue any melty cheese that you like. It's recommended that you grate the cheese just before using it. Pre-grated cheese is an option for this recipe.
- Milk and Sour Cream: Use whole milk and sour cream. The amount you use will impact the final consistency. You can substitute low-fat milk and sour cream if you prefer.
- Seasonings: I developed this recipe using ground white pepper because I think the subtle background peppery flavor is perfect in this recipe; I also use granulated garlic, but garlic powder can also be used.
- Salt: I developed this recipe using Le Bon Papa Creole Seasoning, a No-Salt, No-MSG all-purpose Creole and Cajun seasoning. If you use a seasoning that contains salt, you should adjust the amount of Kosher Salt you add. Another source of salt in this recipe is the butter.
- Cayenne Pepper: This ingredient is optional, but highly recommended. Use a little or a lot depending on how spicy you like your food.
Equipment
This recipe does not require any special equipment. To bake the stuffed potatoes, you'll need a baking dish or a baking sheet. If you forego stuffing the potatoes, use an oven-ready casserole dish.
Tips to Make This Recipe Succesful
This recipe is pretty simple and if you follow these steps the potato filling will come out creamy and flavorful. Keep these things in mind while you prepare the Cajun Potatoes:
- Thoroughly blend in each ingredient as you add it, to ensure that each ingredient is evenly distributed throughout.
- Add the milk, sour cream, green onions, and cheese a little at a time, mixing thoroughly as you go. These ingredients affect the final consistency of the filling, so add as little or as much as you want to reach the consistency you want.
- The exact quantity of milk, sour cream, green onions, and cheese needed depends on the amount of potato you end up with and your personal preference for the final consistency.
- Grate the cheese right before using it for the best results. While the pre-grated cheese works in this recipe, sometimes it can be a little dried out. Make sure to look for fresh-looking grated cheese if you go that route.
Optional Preparation: Casserole
If you don't want to mess with scooping out the potato flesh and restuffing the shells, this recipe can be made as a casserole or stuffed into those small aluminum tins about the size of potatoes. To do so, follow these simple steps:
- I still recommend baking the potatoes as this produces an evenly cooked, smooth potato flesh.
- Alternately, you can "bake" the potatoes in the microwave, or peel and cut them into pieces to boil until tender (probably 10 to 15 minutes depending on the size of the potato chunks).
- When the potatoes have cooled, peel and cut them into small chunks. Place the cut potatoes into a large bowl, as in Step 5 below.
- When the filling is ready, prepare an oven-safe casserole dish or the small aluminum tins by smearing softened butter all over the inside.
- Fill the casserole or tins with potato filling and top with grated cheese. Place small tabs of butter on top.
- Bake the casserole in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven until the top is golden brown and the sides are bubbly. The small tins may not take as long as the casserole to brown.
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Hints and Tips (FAQs)
Usually, one stuffed potato is a serving. Depending on the size of the potato and how large you want each stuffed potato to be, you can slice them lengthwise near the top, making a large potato, or in the middle to make two smaller potatoes. You can also use small aluminum tins, or make the recipe into a casserole.
According to the USDA, leftover stuffed potatoes can be kept in the fridge, airtight, for 3 to 4 days or frozen for up to three months. To prepare leftover stuffed potatoes for the fridge or freezer, cool them completely, and cover them in plastic wrap before wrapping them in aluminum foil. Store the wrapped stuffed potatoes in an airtight freezer bag until needed. This can be cooked from frozen, or thawed in the fridge before baking uncovered, at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. If you cook it from frozen, it will likely take about 10 minutes longer.
Yes, you can prepare the stuffed potatoes or the casserole a day in advance and store them in the fridge, wrapped airtight. Allow the stuffed potatoes to cool completely then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap covered in aluminum foil.
If you have leftover filling after stuffing all your potatoes, place the remaining filling in a prepared casserole dish and freeze it. You top it with cheese before or after freezing. Sealed in the casserole airtight, it will last a couple of months. This can be cooked from frozen, or thawed in the fridge before baking uncovered, at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. If you cook it from frozen, it will likely take about 10 minutes longer.
Yes, you can eat everything including the skin. That's where the nutrients and fiber are!
Here's What You Do
First...you have a beer. This is such a fun and delicious thing to eat, so start the fun right away. Grab a beer, then sit down and read the recipe all the way through. Learn what ingredients and equipment you need and what you will do with each. Then gather everything together and perform your mise en place.
Mise en place
- Scrub each potato with a soft brush or towel under cold water. Set aside.
- Grate the cheese.
- Chop the green onions.
- Combine the kosher salt, white pepper, and garlic powder in a small prep bowl.
- Measure the remaining ingredients: Butter, Whole Milk, Sour Cream, and Creole Seasoning into separate bowls or measuring cups.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit to bake the potatoes. To (twice) bake the stuffed potatoes, the oven will be set to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Baking the Potatoes
What happens in this step? By properly baking the potatoes, the flesh will be cooked evenly. This will blend smoothly with the remaining ingredients.
Lagniappe Tips for Baking Potatoes:
- If you have a tried and true way to bake potatoes, use your method.
- Baking the potatoes in the oven is best if you plan to stuff them because the potato is cooked more consistently which makes it easier to scoop out and mix with the other ingredients.
- Poke about 6 holes in each potato, then wrap each in aluminum foil before baking. This helps to steam them slightly which will make them creamier.
- The aluminum foil will also prevent the skin from getting crispy. These potatoes will bake again unwrapped when they are stuffed, so we do not want the skins to get too crispy at first.
- After scrubbing each potato, poke about 6 holes in each potato with a fork.
- Wrap each potato in aluminum foil, place them in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes. Once they are ready (see Lagniappe Tip below), remove the potatoes from the oven and carefully remove the aluminum foil. Let the potatoes cool before you handle them (probably 30 minutes).
Lagniappe Tip: After 45 minutes, test the potatoes by applying a soft squeeze with your hand using a kitchen towel as a pot holder. If the potatoes are not ready, continue to bake and check every 10 to 15 minutes.
- When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice off the top of each potato lengthwise. See the Hints and Tips (FAQs) Section for more on slicing the potatoes.
- Using a spoon, scoop the potato flesh and place it in a large bowl. Leave no more than a quarter-inch of potato in the shell.
Lagniappe Tip: We want to create a hollowed-out potato shell so that we can re-stuff it. If you poke a hole or rip the skin, it's not the end of the world,. Unless the potato skin is torn in half, you should be able to stuff it.
Prepare the Stuffing
What happens in this step? For the best taste, all of the ingredients need to be equally distributed throughout the potato filling.
- Start by mashing the potatoes with a potato masher or a hand mixer.
- Add the softened butter to the mashed potatoes.
- Add the milk and mix everything completely. At this point, we are looking for a consistency of stiff, lumpy mashed potatoes (we still have the sour cream to add).
- Next, add the Creole Seasoning. Mix thoroughly to distribute the seasoning evenly throughout the filling.
- Next, add about half the sour cream. Mix well, then add more sour cream until you get the desired consistency.
- Add the kosher salt, white pepper, and garlic powder, mix well.
Lagniappe Tip: The amount of sour cream you add will dictate the final consistency. The more sour cream you add, the looser the mixture will be, less sour cream will make a stiffer consistency.
- Add the green onions and mix thoroughly.
- Next, add about ⅔ of the cheddar cheese and mix thoroughly. Reserve the remaining cheese to top the potatoes.
Mix this with a stiff spatula until thoroughly blended into creamy, thick mashed potatoes.
Stuff the potato shells
What happens in this step? The filling needs to be lightly pressed into the shell so that there are no air voids. The top should be covered with cheese and the butter will help the potatoes brown.
- Use the rubber spatula or spoon, place the potato filling into the shells until slightly overfilled. Press down on the stuffing to make sure all the air voids are filled with deliciousness.
- Top each potato with a heaping layer of grated cheddar cheese and two small tabs of butter, then place them on a prepared ovenproof baking dish or sheet.
Bake the Stuffed Potatoes
What happens in this step? Baking in a moderate oven will evenly heat the inside while browning the outside.
- Place the stuffed potatoes in a prepared baking dish or sheet into a preheated 350-degree oven until the top is bubbly and slightly browned. This should take about 30 minutes. Remove the baking pan from the oven and let the stuffed potatoes cool slightly.
Lagniappe Tip: If the cheese isn’t browning after about 30 minutes in the oven, turn the broiler on for a few minutes until the cheese begins to brown. Don’t walk away, though, because the broiler can work quickly.
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Serving Suggestions
My favorite way to serve these is with more butter on top and several drops of Tabasco.
Twice Baked Potatoes are the perfect side dish for these recipes:
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Publisher's Note: This recipe and article was originally published in March 2019. This revision includes improved navigation, step-by-step photos with instructions, and Hints and Tips.
Yeah You Right!
Recipe
Cajun Twice Baked Potatoes
Here's What You Need
- 6 baking potatoes
- ¼ cup Butter plus some for the top
- 1 cup whole milk see Notes
- 1 ½ cups sour cream see Notes
- 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning
- 3 bunches green onions chopped fine; see Notes
- 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese grated; plus some for the tops; see Notes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon White Pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cayanne pepper optional
Here's What You Do
- Bake potatoes in an oven at 400 for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until softened. (See Notes)
- Remove from the oven and allow the potatoes to cool.
- Slice the tops off the potatoes lengthwise and scoop out the potato, leaving a bowl or boat. See Notes.
- Place all the scooped-out potato in a bowl. Using a potato masher, smash the potatoes.
- Add the butter and mix into the potatoes.
- Warm the milk in the microwave and add it to the potatoes a little at a time (may not use the whole cup), blending and stirring until you have slightly thick, lumpy “mashed potatoes”. (see Notes)
- Add creole seasoning and sour cream and mix well. (see Notes)
- Add cayenne pepper (if using), kosher salt, white pepper, and garlic powder; mix well.
- Mix in the green onions, then add the grated cheese and mix well until thoroughly blended.
- Spoon the mixture back into hollowed out potato shells and cover with cheese. Place a couple of small tabs of butter on top of each potato.
- Place in an oven proof baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Estimate
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It's Me!
Louisiana is a wonderful place where the rich cultural heritage enriches and entertains. I'm Dave Howson, aka Sweet Daddy D. I'm glad you found my website and I look forward to exploring the cultural mosaic of Louisiana with you…
read the "It's Me" page to find out more about me and this website…
David Churchill
Turned pretty good but I should have listened better on adding milk a little at a time. I made mine too soupy but still came out good. Yet another winner
Sweet Daddy D
The @mightychurchill has returned! I appreciate so much you trying my recipes. There are so many variables involved it's hard to know the exact amount of things like milk or cream to add. The size of the potatoes and personal preferences, just to name two. Thanks! Enjoy and keep cooking!