Make this Bloomin’ Baked Potato recipe as a unique side dish or party appetizer. The baked potato skins are crisp and salty, the insides are soft and cheesy. This baked potatoes recipe will make the whole family happy!
We had so much fun with the Bloomin’ Baked Apples I shared last month that my whole family decided that we needed to make some more bloomin‘ recipes. I’ve seen the fabulous bloomin‘ onion bread recipes online and one of these days I am going to try it but we wanted to go with something else.
We tossed around ideas for other things that could be cut in a similar way and we decided on potatoes! Baked potatoes are good anyway, but then when you cut them, cover them with oil and salt and top them with cheese and bacon, you know they have to be delicious!
How To Make Bloomin’ Baked Potatoes
Step One:
To make bloomin‘ baked potatoes, cut the top off of the potatoes.
Step Two:
Use a small, thin, flexible knife to cut rings around the inside of the potato.
Step Three:
Flip the potato over and make cuts all the way around the potato, leaving a small space at the top uncut.
These cuts go all the way through to the center of the potato.
Step Four:
Carefully flip the potato back over. If you need to make the cuts deeper, do that now.
Cutting the potatoes takes a little patience like making French macarons, dipping gummy bears in chocolate and wrapping bacon around chicken pieces, but the results are so worth it! If you still aren’t sure, try making these slow cooker baked potatoes instead.
Step Five:
Brush the whole potato with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
Step Six:
Place the potatoes on foil and bake at 425 degrees. After 30 minutes of baking, brush the tops with additional olive oil and sprinkle with more sea salt. Return to the oven for an additional 30 minutes.
(The picture above shows what the potatoes looked like after 30 minutes of baking.)
This is what my potatoes looked like after baking for 1 hour.
Step Seven:
Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on the potatoes.
Step Eight:
Return them to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes to melt and toast the cheese.
Step Nine:
Remove them from the oven, carefully transfer them to serving plates and sprinkle each bloomin’ baked potato with crispy bacon bits.
Go ahead and add sour cream, onions and whatever else you want and then dig in! These bloomin‘ baked potatoes were as delicious as they look.
My girls were both gone when I made them and they were so disappointed that they missed out. Even Zack, who doesn’t eat baked potatoes, love these ones!
The baked potato skins were crisp and salty, the inner layers were soft and cheesy. This Bloomin’ Baked Potato recipe would work as an outstanding side dish or as a party appetizer.
Bloomin’ Baked Potato Recipe FAQ
1. What kind of potatoes should I use? The best choices for making baked potatoes are russet, Yukon Gold and sweet potatoes.
2. My baked potatoes didn’t bloom like yours. What did I do wrong? Most likely both the circular cuts around the center, as well as the cuts around the outside didn’t go deep enough allowing the baked potato to open.
3. Can these be made on the grill? Yes! I have a separate recipe for a grilled version here.
4. Can these be made ahead of time? Making them ahead of time and reheating before serving will change the texture. But if you want to, bake the potatoes and stop before adding cheese. Unwrap and cool the potatoes immediately. Add the shredded cheese when reheating.
Bloomin’ Baked Potato Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 potatoes
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- 4 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons bacon bits
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425˚F.
- Cut the top off of the potatoes.
- Use a small, thin, flexible knife to cut rings around the inside of the potato.
- Flip the potato over and make cuts all the way around the potato, leaving a small space at the top uncut.
- Carefully flip the potato back over. If you need to make of the of the cuts deeper, do that now.
- Brush the whole potato with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
- Place the potatoes on foil and bake at 425˚F. After 30 minutes of baking, brush the tops with additional olive oil and sprinkle with more sea salt. Return to the oven for an additional 30 minutes.
- Top potatoes with shredded cheddar cheese.
- Return them to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes to melt and toast the cheese.
- Remove them from the oven, carefully transfer them to serving plates and sprinkle with crispy bacon bits.
Nutrition
Love Bloomin’ Recipes? Here are a few more to try:
Bloomin’ Baked Apples | Bloomin’ Garlic Cheese Biscuits
Bloomin’ Sweet Potatoes | Bloomin’ Cinnamon Rolls | Bloomin’ Grilled Apples
Singh S 08 says
You seems to be simply authentic, not clever.
Singh S 08 says
Being auhentic is better than being clever, is’nt it?
Singh S 08 says
Being authentic is higher than being clever!
Diane Davidson says
I am so going to try these tonight as a side to go with my jalapeno cream cheese stuffed bacon wrapped pork loin!
Trish says
I am already a sucker for potatoes but this looks extra yummy! Definitely want to give it a try.
Cj says
Congratulations on your selection as Foodista’s Food Blog of the Day!
I would to personally invite you to share your gorgeous food photos with us over at Food Foto Gallery . com – In September alone, we had 28,239 visitors to the site & there’s no complicated approval process like the big guys. Any photos related to food (that are not watermarked & of reasonable quality) are accepted & get posted automatically. Being a food blogger, myself, we also share our daily faves on social media, giving exposure to fellow foodies whenever we can.
Let me know if you have any questions and hope to see you at the site … Cj 🙂
Teresa says
I am going to fix these potatoes for my youngest son’s birthday dinner (he’s 36 today)…his favorite foods are baked potatoes, fries and burgers. These will be a great side with the burgers. Thank you…I’ll pin & comment after preparing.
Nicola - Pink Recipe Box says
I’ve never seen potatoes prepped like this before! Pinning and definitely plan on making as soon as I can 🙂
ggshirley says
I think I want to use the bacon and cheese from the potato on an apple!!! (Makes my mouth water just thinking about it!!)
margie says
Going to give the potatoes a try they look yummy! So does the apples but no buddy likes Carmel .
Barbara says
Thank you for allowing the printing of the recipe. I will be subscribing to the site!
Tonia says
You are very welcome and I’m delighted to have you as a follower!
Ginnie says
What an awesome idea! Must try soon:)
Rachel Rockwell says
Another great idea! Love them both. You are famous! 🙂
Jenna says
Wow Tonia, I don’t know which one I want to try first the apple or the potato!! What great ideas!
Lyuba@willcookforsmiles says
This is amazing, Tonia!! Such a fabulous idea!
Tonia says
Thanks so much Lyuba!
Mary says
Hi, When you put the potato back in oven, do you cover with aluminum foil again, or leave it open? These look delicious and going to try them… thanks
Tonia says
Hi Mary,
I did not cover them with foil. I set them on the foil in the oven rather than setting them on the oven rack, due to the olive oil on the potatoes. I wanted them to be uncovered so that they could get crispy! Enjoy!
~Tonia
Beth @ The First Year says
This recipe is amazing, enough said 🙂
Tonia says
Thank you Beth!
ami@naivecookcooks says
This looks so delicious! My hubby will go crazy for it!
Tonia says
Thank you Ami! My husband loved it too!
Rhonda says
All I am going to say is “yum”
Tonia says
Thanks Rhonda! I’ll bet your kids would love them!
Angelina says
Thanks for sharing this simple and delicious recipe. I am an enormous fan of sweet potatoes and am always looking for easy and tasty ways to eat them. Next time, I will make these beauties your way!
Tonia says
Thanks Angelina! Sweet potatoes are next on my list!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
Oh god these baked potatoes look delicious! Love that you cut the potato so that all the cheesey goodness fills the insides.. definitely something that I need to try next time I make baked potatoes!
Tonia says
The more cheesey goodness the better, right? Thanks Thalia!
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
LOVE THIS! Pinned 🙂
Tonia says
Thanks so much Averie!