Bacon-wrapped Baked Potatoes
Take one good thing and wrap it with something even better!
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It’s almost a universal fact that you can improve anything by adding bacon to it. Even for something as perfect as a baked potato, if you wrap it in bacon, it can become even better. The folks who run concessions at Lambeau Field in Wisconsin figured that out a few years ago when they introduced a loaded baked potato wrapped in bacon they call the pigskin. If they can produce such an amazing dish in a football stadium, surely you can do the same at home.
Even without the bacon, there’s nothing wrong with this dish. The potatoes come out fluffy and are delicious topped with sour cream, onions, and cheddar cheese. But when you wrap that potato in bacon, things reach another level of flavor. It becomes something so good you want to have it again and again. In fact, when you wrap bacon around a baked potato, it becomes a full meal. After all, it becomes meat with potatoes, and that’s definitely a full meal.
That being said, you don’t have to wrap your baked potato with bacon every time. There are other ways to enjoy potatoes, including a classic baked potato or baked sweet potatoes. You can also try whipping up some parmesan potatoes or garlic roasted potatoes. At the same time, there is more than one way to cook bacon. For a healthier version, we’d recommend microwave bacon. Meanwhile, for a sweeter taste, you can cook brown-sugar bacon.
Are Bacon-wrapped Baked Potatoes Healthy?
There’s no denying that bacon-wrapped baked potatoes will be high in fat and calories. Frankly, there aren’t many recipes that include bacon that can be considered healthy. However, there are a few things you can do to cut down on calories a little. For starters, use turkey bacon or a bacon substitute to wrap around the potato. You can also find sour cream or cheese that are lower in calories. However, from a health standpoint, this meal should only be enjoyed every once in a while.
Make a good thing great
If you truly want to throw caution to the wind – at least from a health standpoint – there are some things to enhance this recipe even more. For instance, you can wrap four pieces of bacon around each potato instead of just two. Keep in mind that the bacon will shrink while cooking, so make sure the bacon slices overlap one another. Consider keeping them in place with a toothpick. You can also add some extra ingredients, including BBQ rub or brown sugar to add some extra flavors. If nothing else, tossing a little bit of salt and garlic will help to season the potatoes.
INGREDIENTS
- 4 russet potatoes
- 8 slices bacon (not thick-cut)
- 8 oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2-3 green onions, sliced
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep
Preheat the oven and get those potatoes scrubbed and ready for their bacon jackets.
Wrap
Dress the potatoes in bacon, securing with toothpicks to ensure they stay snug while baking.
Bake
Let the oven work its magic until the potatoes are perfectly tender and the bacon is irresistibly crispy.
Cool
Give the potatoes a brief rest out of the oven before removing the toothpicks.
Load
Split open those steamy potatoes and pack them with all the good stuff – butter, cheese, onions, and sour cream.
Serve
Present these hearty delights to the table and watch them disappear.
Devour!
FAQs & Tips
To prepare ahead of time, you can do everything up until it’s time to put the potatoes in the oven. With leftovers, you can wrap them up tightly and they will remain good for up to 4 days.
This is a matter of personal preference. Wrapping baked potatoes in foil can help them stay warmer longer and tends to result in a softer potato.
Don’t forget to allow baked potatoes to cool for up to 10 minutes after they come out of the oven. At that point, it’s okay to start adding toppings.
Serving Suggestions
Chili has long been a great meal to combine with a baked potato. If that’s your plan, we recommend you try crock pot vegetarian chili or cajun instant pot chili. As mentioned, once you add bacon to the potato, it can be a full meal. That means the bacon-wrapped baked potato is the main course that needs a side dish. If that’s the case, we would recommend some vegetables to help make the meal a little healthier. Specifically, air fryer vegetables would be a healthy side dish, although oven-roasted vegetables can work just as well.
Loaded Baked Potatoes Wrapped in Bacon
Ingredients
- 4 russet potatoes
- 8 slices bacon not thick-cut
- 8 oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2-3 green onions sliced
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Scrub the russet potatoes clean under running water, then pat them dry with a towel.
- Carefully wrap each potato with 1-2 slices of bacon, ensuring the slices slightly overlap. Secure the bacon with toothpicks to keep it in place during baking.
- Place the bacon-wrapped potatoes on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 55-60 minutes. The potatoes are done when they feel tender when pierced with a fork, and the bacon is crispy.
- Once baked, remove the potatoes from the oven and let them cool for about 10 minutes. Carefully remove the toothpicks.
- Create a slit on the top of each potato and gently press the ends to open up the potato. Stuff each potato with a tablespoon of butter, and then top with shredded cheddar cheese, sliced green onions, and a dollop of sour cream. Serve immediately and enjoy the deliciousness.
- DEVOUR!
Nutrition
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