Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes Recipe The Best Cheesy Potato
These loaded smashed red potatoes have all the flavors of loaded baked potatoes, in an easy, cheesy and delicious dish. Weeknight dinner will never be the same!
These are a serious crowd pleaser and are the second most popular potato side dish in our family. The first being the roasted red potatoes made in the Instant Pot.
These loaded smashed red potatoes are super easy. Really, the longest part is waiting on the cheese to melt on the potatoes.
What you need:
- 12 medium red potatoes, cut in half
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 4-5 strips bacon, cooked and chopped
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
While we are waiting on the oven to preheat let’s cook the potatoes.
Place potatoes in a pot of boiling water and cook until the potatoes are tender enough to cut with a for. This is usually around 10 minutes on medium heat.
Whenever I’m cooking potatoes, I find myself placing a wooden spoon over the top of the pot. Does anyone else do this? My grandmother always said it helped keep the potatoes from boiling over.
Anyways, back to the recipe…
When the potatoes are done, drain and place on a greased baking sheet skin-side down. Use a potato smasher to carefully smash each potato until they are flat.
My son loves helping me smash the potatoes. He likes to say “Hult Smash!” as he is doing it. Don’t go all hulk mode on these, just a normal smash will do the trick!
If you don’t have a potato masher, a coffee cup or even a spatula with oomph behind it will do the trick.
Brush the melted butter over the potatoes and season them with salt and pepper. Pop them in the oven for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are golden brown.
Remove the potatoes from the oven and then sprinkle the chopped bacon around the entire pan of potatoes.
Add the shredded cheese on top.
Return to the oven and cook for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted.
Looks delicious right?!?!
If you’re like me and want to add a few extra goodies on top. Add a few dollops of sour cream on the top of the potatoes.
Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes
These loaded smashed red potatoes have all the flavors of loaded baked potatoes, in an easy, cheesy and delicious dish. Weeknight dinner will never be the same!
- 12 medium red potatoes, cut in half
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 4-5 strips of bacon, cooked and chopped
- 1 c shredded cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place potatoes in a pot of boiling water and cook until the potatoes are tender enough to cut with a for. This is usually around 10 minutes on medium heat.
When the potatoes are done, drain and place on a greased baking sheet skin-side down. Use a potato smasher to carefully smash each potato until they are flat.
Brush the melted butter over the potatoes and season them with salt and pepper.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown
Remove the potatoes from the oven and then sprinkle the chopped bacon around the entire pan of potatoes.
Add the shredded cheese on top of the potatoes.
Return to the oven and cook for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted.
