Loaded Baked Potato Side Dish Casserole

This potato side dish originally started out as a must-go creation when I once made a ridiculous amount of Loaded Baked Potato Salad for a dinner party. I ended up with lots of leftovers and, after the second day, the thought of eating another plateful of cold potato salad made my eye twitch.

Since I abhor wasting food, I decided to warm the leftovers. Into a casserole dish it went, topped it with a little extra cheese, and warmed it in the oven. It was a new dining experience for sure, and so worth it.

My family loved it so much, it wasn’t long before I made a few tweaks in the preparation. I cooked the onions and bacon before adding the boiled potatoes and mixing in all other ingredients. After transferring it to a casserole dish and adding a little extra cheese, onions, and bacon before baking in the oven.

This loaded baked potato casserole is so quick and easy, and it takes comfort food to a whole new level. Serve it as a terrific side dish or even as a meal all by itself. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Seconds, please!

Worry-Free Cooking

• I use my favorite 8-quart Mixing Bowl to pull together and combine all the ingredients in this recipe. It’s my go-to bowl because of its perfect size and shape for mixing.
• A glass baking dish offers more convenience over nonstick metal for this dish. Most especially, the glass dish is way more presentable so you’re able to go straight from the oven to the table. And the glass will retain the heat longer, which means your side dish can sit out longer without getting too cold. This Pyrex 8-piece Bakeware Set is what I have and it’s a great deal if you’re in need.
• • Boiling potatoes is super easy when you use a Stock Pot with a Strainer Insert. Simply lift the strainer to drain all the water from the cooked potatoes. Easy. No fuss. Gotta like that!

Menu Planning

• This casserole is an ideal make-ahead side dish for the holidays or large gatherings. Once you prepare and put in the casserole dish, cover tightly and store in the fridge for up to two days. When you’re ready, just bake until it’s nice and bubbly.
• For the same yummy flavors in a cold version, try the Loaded Baked Potato Salad recipe. Hot or cold, you can’t go wrong here!
• The loaded baked potato flavors in this casserole pairs wonderfully with dishes like Dry Rubbed Country Style Barbecue Ribs.
• For the meat and potato purists, pair this casserole with savory steak. A fantastically good combination.

Helping Hand

• Red potatoes tend to hold their shape better in casseroles such as this; however, using Idaho or Russet potatoes will work just as well.
• I like to boil my potatoes and leave them in the fridge overnight to cool. It makes handling and peeling potatoes so much easier. A serrated vegetable peeler is an excellent choice for getting the job done.
• To skin or not to skin the potatoes? It’s a personal choice for sure. I will sometimes leave the skin on when using red potatoes, especially the smaller new potatoes. I find that the skin on other varieties have a little tougher consistency for this salad.
• For my vegetarian friends, omit the bacon altogether and you’ll still have a delicious side dish.

Grocery & Gourmet

• While any packet of ranch seasoning or dip mix will work, I recommend Hidden Valley Seasoning & Salad Mix for its bolder flavors. I use this stuff in a variety of recipes, which makes the larger size well worth it.

Baked Potato Side Dish Casserole

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Category

Side Dish

Cuisine

American

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Meat and potato fans are going to love this casserole. It's a loaded baked potato all nicely packed into a convenient, easy-to-make casserole.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, diced

• 1 pound bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces, divided

• 5 pounds potatoes, washed, peeled, and cut into 1-inch chunks

• 2 cups of cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup of mayonnaise
• 2 bunches green onion, chopped, divided
• 3 tablespoons ranch seasoning mix

• 1½ teaspoons of garlic powder

• Salt and pepper to taste

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Directions

1. Add potatoes to a stock pot and cover with water. Bring water to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and cook about 10-15 minutes until potatoes are soft and easily pierced with a fork. Remove from water and set aside to cool down.

2. Preheat oven to 350° F.

3. In a medium non-stick skillet, cook onions in oil on the stovetop over medium heat until tender and translucent.

4. Reserve ¼ cup of the bacon pieces on the side, and add the remaining pieces to the skillet. Continue to cook the bacon and onions until the bacon is brown and crispy. Drain excess grease and transfer onions and bacon mixture to large mixing bowl.

5. Peel cooled potatoes and cut into 1” chunks. Add the potatoes to the onions and bacon in the mixing bowl.

6. Set aside ¼ cup of the green onions and ¼ cup of the shredded cheese, and add the remaining cheese and onions to the mixing bowl.

7. Add sour cream, mayonnaise, Ranch Seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the bowl. Mix well to combine all ingredients.

8. Transfer mixture to a 9 x 13 baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray. Sprinkle the reserved cheese, onions, and bacon across the top of the casserole.

9. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until bubbly and light brown.
10. Garnish with green onions and sour cream drizzle, as desired.

Serve and enjoy!