Cheese. Bacon. Potatoes.
Is this a groundbreaking discovery? No. This recipe is the result of a mom having a little extra creativity left on a Monday night. The meal plan for the night called for baked potatoes, which my daughter is not fond of at the moment. She loves everything about a baked potato, but something about a “giant” potato on her plate turns her off. Solution: Just chop them up.
Jump to RecipeEveryone Loves Easy & Cheesy
We ate this as a main dish for the night, and found it very filling. This would be perfect to serve at a holiday meal. Or, keep this in your arsenal for a kid-friendly side dish. My parents happened to stop by when this came out of the oven. Perfect timing, right? They loved their samples of cheesy goodness. Even my coworkers were coming in to see what I made because the leftovers smelled so good!
Shopping List
- 5 – 6 Russet Potatoes
- Green Onions
- Bacon (or Real Bacon Bits)
- 8 oz. Block Cheddar Cheese
- Sour Cream
- Olive Oil (Or any neutral cooking oil)
- Kosher Salt
- Garlic Powder
- Pepper
- Blackstone Parmesan Ranch Seasoning (or Ranch Dressing Mix)
Tips
- Wash and pat the potatoes dry before chopping them up. This will give you that perfect almost-crunchy bit of a roasted potato.
- Coat the potatoes with oil, don’t drown them!
- Blocks of cheddar are usually cheaper than the bagged shredded cheese. It gives the best flavor! I suggest buying the thicker cut shredded cheese if you go that route.
- You’ll know the potatoes are done when they are fork tender.
- Just microwave the bacon. I won’t tell.
- I used my food processor to grate the cheese and chop up the bacon bits.
Baked Potato Bites
Course: SidesDifficulty: Easy6
servings15
minutes40
minutes55
minutesIngredients
6 – 7 Russet potatoes
2 T Olive oil, or other neutral cooking oil
2 T Kosher salt, more or less depending on your taste
2 t garlic powder
1 T Blackstone Parmesan Ranch seasoning, or Ranch Dressing Mix
8 oz. block Sharp Cheddar Cheese
I bunch Green Onions, for garnish
6 – 8 T Sour Cream, for garnish
6 – 8 Strips of bacon, for garnish
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Wash each potato. Pat dry. Chop the potatoes into bite-sized pieces, about 1 inch pieces. Add to large mixing bowl.
- Toss potatoes in oil, salt, garlic powder, and ranch seasoning. I added a little bit of pepper (optional). Spread potatoes on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until fork tender.
- While potatoes bake, grate the cheddar, chop green onions, and prepare bacon. I microwaved the bacon according to package directions.
- When potatoes are finished, transfer a layer into a smaller baking dish. Add a layer of cheese. Repeat the potato and cheese layers until all potatoes have been transferred. Top with remaining cheese. Bake another 4 – 5 minutes to melt the cheese.
- Spoon sour cream over the potatoes. I used a cookie scoop. Garnish with bacon and green onions. I only used the green parts, but use as much as you like!