A loaded baked potato is one of the simplest dinners there is, and also one of the most satisfying — crispy skin, fluffy interior, and toppings that turn it into a full meal.
The only real trick is patience: give the potato the full hour in a hot oven rather than rushing it.
Bake directly on the oven rack, not on a baking sheet — the hot air circulating on all sides is what crisps the skin, while a pan traps steam underneath and softens it.
Save this recipe for later — pin it to your dinner board.
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Scrub potatoes, pat dry, poke several times with a fork, and rub with olive oil and salt. Bake directly on the oven rack for 50-60 minutes until fork-tender.
While potatoes bake, cook bacon until crisp and crumble. Shred the cheese and slice the green onions.
Slice each potato open lengthwise, fluff the inside with a fork, and add a pat of butter to melt in.
Top each potato with cheese, bacon, sour cream and green onions. Season with salt and pepper.
Potatoes release steam as they cook — without an escape route, pressure can build up inside and cause the potato to burst in the oven.
You can microwave for about 10-12 minutes to speed things up, then finish in a hot oven for 15-20 minutes to crisp the skin — oven-only gives the best skin texture, but the combo works if short on time.
Direct contact with the oven's hot air on all sides crisps the skin better than sitting on a flat pan, which traps steam on the bottom.