Jamie Oliver’s 5-Ingredient “Loaded” Potatoes Are So Easy and Delicious

My mom often did the cooking, but about once a month she’d declare that she needed a break, and we’d go to TGI Friday’s. It was the ’90s, and Friday’s was a popular chain restaurant that served bar-style food that was, at least according to my parents, upgraded.

We’d almost never start with an appetizer, but if my brother and I begged our parents enough, they’d cave, and we’d order the stuffed potato skins. They were loaded with cheese and bacon, and we’d fill up on them, not listening to our parents’ warnings not to eat too fast.

While Jamie Oliver’s Loaded Twice-Baked Potatoes aren’t quite the same as my favorite TGIF version, they’re still a delicious dish worth a try, and best of all, you can make them at home.

The dish tastes like all of the great things about breakfast, stuffed into a potato. I love the crunch and salt from the bacon, and the creamy potato filling is a perfect pairing for the just-baked egg. As for the cheese, there’s enough to add flavor but not so much as to overpower the other ingredients. My potato was a joy to eat, and I was honestly sad when I looked down at my plate, and it was empty.

How To Make Jamie Oliver’s Loaded Twice-Baked Potatoes

Like Oliver, this dish is a little quirky. It starts by baking a few Russet potatoes in the oven until they’re tender. While those are baking, dice up a bit of bacon and cook it until crisp. Once the potatoes have cooled slightly, cut them in half and scoop the flesh into a bowl, reserving the skins.

Oliver recommends using half of the flesh and reserving the remainder for another use, though I seasoned it with salt and pepper and ate it then and there as I made the dish!

To the bowl of potatoes, Oliver adds the bacon, cheddar, and chives, then seasons it all with salt and pepper. After a quick toss, he piles the mixture into the reserved potato halves, then makes a dent in the filling of each one and cracks an egg into it. I found that I needed a pretty significant divot in the center of the filling so that the eggs fit without spilling over.

Cover the tops with cheddar, then bake the potatoes until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny. When I made the dish, this round of cooking took about 20 minutes, which is more than the 12 minutes Oliver suggests. Serve the potatoes garnished with chopped chives, and if you have any leftover bacon, use that too. 

Tips for Making Jamie Oliver’s Twice-Baked Potatoes

Start the potato in the microwave: Save time by microwaving your whole potatoes instead of baking them in the oven. Add them to a microwave-safe dish, and microwave on high for five minutes. Flip them, and cook them for an additional five minutes. Then you’re ready to halve, scoop, and stuff them before baking them for real.

Swap where needed: I couldn’t find chives at my grocery store, so I used green onions (just the green parts). I love thick-cut bacon, so I used that for these loaded potatoes. Choose your favorite style, and feel free to try turkey or even plant-based bacon.

Get the right potato: You’ll need large Russets for this dish. Medium-sized will also work, but make sure you make the well deep, or prepare yourself for some spillage over the sides. Honestly, I liked having a bit of crispy egg white. Just make sure you line your baking sheet with parchment so that removing the potato halves is easy.