Baked Potato Bar

How to make the ultimate baked potato bar for a quick and delicious family meal.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 10

Servings servings

Calories 443kcal

Author Amee

6 russet potatoes rinsed and patted dry
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil divided
coarse salt
1 lb lean ground beef 90% or less, I use 93%
4 oz ground mild sausage
2 cloves garlic pressed
4 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded from the block
4 green onions chopped
6 slices center cut bacon
*optional- butter, sour cream and fresh chives *see post for more delicious topping ideas
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
Rub potatoes with 1/2 tbsp oil and poke several holes on the top with a fork, then sprinkle with coarse salt.
Bake potatoes for 40-60 minutes, depending on the size of your spuds.
About 10 minutes before potatoes are done, pop the bacon in the oven along with the taters.
Arrange bacon on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes until desired crispiness.
Allow bacon to cool before crumbling.
Wrap potatoes in foil and put in the oven on the warm setting while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat and cook the ground beef and sausage until no longer pink
Drain any grease and add the garlic and cook until soft
Season beef mixture with salt and pepper, to taste.
Arrange beef mixture, chopped green onions, shredded cheese, butter, sour cream, and crumbled bacon in bowls and serve ingredients with potatoes, buffet-style.

For a fail-proof, perfectly baked potato, use a probe thermometer and bake until the internal temperature reaches between 205°F and 212°F.
After baking, wrap the potatoes in foil and keep them warm in the oven. Some ovens have a “warm” setting that keeps food heated without cooking it any further. If your oven doesn’t have a keep warm setting, set the oven temperature between 170 and 200°F.
To save time, prep the toppings that you can refrigerate or freeze without sacrificing texture or flavor.