Now that's a mouthful! Literally, lol. These Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes are LOADED with bits of smoky bacon, caramelized onion, sharp cheddar cheese and more for a savory side dish that will have you thinking twice about your sweet potatoes. I'll warn you, these babies are addictive.
Because I love sweet potatoes, y'all...
Oh. My. Word. These are so yummy, I can't wait to eat another. Move over, boring spuds, because these loaded sweet potatoes are here to stay.
There is something special about the combination of savory-smoky bacon and sweet potato that makes this gal happy. Plus, when you fold in golden, caramelized onions, sharp cheddar cheese, cream cheese (YAS), and sour cream...you can't go wrong.
Here's what you'll need to make this deliciously different recipe at home.
Ingredients Needed to make Bacon + Cheddar Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes:
- Sweet potatoes (the orange ones)
- Olive oil
- Bacon
- Onion
- Cream cheese
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Salt + pepper
My advice on picking the sweet potatoes? Pick ones that are about the same thickness. This way, they will cook tender in the same amount of time. Look for ones that are firm and don't have a lot of dark spots.
TIP: Use thick slices of hickory smoked bacon for the best results. You want nice, flavorful bites that really stand out. Same goes with the cheddar...get the sharp or extra sharp.
So Yams vs Sweet Potatoes? What's the deal?
These days, in MOST grocery stores, there is no difference between yams and sweet potatoes. Back in the day, sweet potatoes that came from certain Southern states were labeled as "yams" for marketing purposes. According to this post from Bon Appetit, Louisiana growers wanted to set their produce apart from the competition.
For all intensive purposes and for this recipe, just grab the orange flesh potatoes that have the reddish outside.
However, for the food nerds, REAL yams are a different animal and typically are found in the Caribbean. They have a different texture and the skin is brown and tough. I've never eaten an actual real "yam" in my entire life. And I'm from the South and have been to the Caribbean.
How to make Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes:
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Wash the potatoes and dry them. Prick them all over with a fork, then rub them lightly all over with olive oil. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour. When done, carefully cut them in half LENGTHWISE and let them cool.
- While the potatoes are cooling, cook the diced bacon in a skillet over medium heat. When the bacon is browned well, stir in the onion and cook for another 5 minutes until the onions are tender. Set aside.
- Next, using a small spoon, carefully scoop out the insides of the sweet potatoes, leaving ¼ inch of flesh inside to create a "shell".
- Then, in a large bowl using a potato masher, mash together the sweet potato pulp with softened cream cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Fold in the bacon mixture and half of the cheddar cheese until combined.
- Evenly spoon the mashed mixture into the prepared shells. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar over the top.
- Finally, return the sweet potatoes to the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
When working with the sweet potatoes to make the "shells", wait until they have cooled enough for you to handle them. Also, don't be too aggressive when scooping out the insides. The skins are tender, so you want to leave ¼ inch or more of the flesh inside.
This recipe can be made ahead of time. Get to step 5, then cover and chill until time to reheat. You'll need to adjust the cooking time to compensate for the chilled temperature. (I suggest reheating chilled version at 350 degrees instead of the 400, and bring them to temperature slowly.)
Also, when I make Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes with dinner, I start the potatoes first. Just pop them in the oven while you are cooking your main dish and other sides. Then finish up before serving.
TIP: Since both the bacon and the cheddar cheese have a high salt content, be sure to taste the mixture before adding any more salt.
Ok, if the sight of these cheesy, bacon-y filled sweet potatoes doesn't make you hungry, I don't think we can be friends.
Another great thing about this recipe is it all bakes up on the same sheet pan. Woohoo!
I filled the shells using a spoon, because I wasn't too fussy with presentation since they were for weeknight dinner. But, if you want to impress your guests, you can pipe the sweet potato filling in using a piping bag and tip. Because fancy.
You'll Definitely Wanna Try These Recipes, Too:
Boom Boom Stuffed Mushrooms
Chili Potato Bowls
Hot Bacon Hoppin' John
Patatas Bravas with Garlic Tomato Sauce
Tips + Tricks for Best Results:
- Pick potatoes that are about the same thickness because this will ensure they cook through in the same amount of time. Don't worry about the length.
- A serving size is one half of a potato. This recipe makes 6 servings because we used 3 potatoes. You can easily double this recipe for a crowd.
- Prick the potatoes all over with a fork before baking to allow any steam to escape as they get hot.
- Be sure to wash and dry the potatoes before rubbing with oil. This will give the skins a nice, browned texture. (Also, the skins are totally edible!)
- Don't skip the bacon + onion part. This is where the depth of flavor comes from...the melding of smoked bacon and savory-sweet onions. Plus the onions absorb all the bacon drippings and that's straight up flavor.
- Let the cream cheese soften before using for the creamiest texture. If the mixture is too "stiff" to spoon easily, add more sour cream. (This also does wonders for the flavor!)
- Taste the mixture before adding more salt or pepper than the recipe calls for. Bacon and cheddar cheese have a high salt content, and you don't want to over do it.
- Pro tip: these make a GREAT leftover lunch.
We can't wait for you to try this recipe! It is one of my new faves, and I'll be making them again soon.
Bacon Cheddar Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 sweet potatoes
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 6 slices bacon diced
- ½ onion small diced
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup cheddar cheese sharp, shredded
- ½ teaspoon salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Wash the potatoes and dry them. Prick them all over with a fork, then rub them lightly all over with olive oil. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour. When done, carefully cut them in half LENGTHWISE and let them cool.
- While the potatoes are cooling, cook the diced bacon in a skillet over medium heat. When the bacon is browned well, stir in the onion and cook for another 5 minutes until the onions are tender. Set aside.
- Next, using a small spoon, carefully scoop out the insides of the sweet potatoes, leaving ¼ inch of flesh inside to create a “bowl”.
- Then, in a large bowl using a potato masher, mash together the sweet potato pulp with softened cream cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Fold in the bacon mixture and half of the cheddar cheese until combined.
- Evenly spoon the mashed sweet potato mixture into the prepared shells. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar over the top.
- Finally, return the sweet potatoes to the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
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