Irish Potato Bites with Bacon and Cheddar (Printable)
Crispy potato shells filled with savory bacon and sharp cheddar, topped with butter and chives.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Potatoes
01 - 12 small Yukon Gold potatoes, washed
→ Filling
02 - 3.5 oz cooked bacon, finely chopped
03 - 3.5 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
04 - 2 tablespoons sour cream
05 - 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
06 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Topping
07 - 2 tablespoons melted butter
08 - Extra chives, for garnish
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Place the potatoes on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20–25 minutes or until just tender. Let cool slightly.
03 - Cut each potato in half and carefully scoop out most of the flesh, leaving a thin wall to create a shell. Reserve the scooped-out potato in a bowl.
04 - Mash the reserved potato flesh. Mix in bacon, cheddar cheese, sour cream, chives, salt, and pepper until well combined.
05 - Spoon the mixture back into the potato shells, mounding slightly.
06 - Brush the tops with melted butter.
07 - Return the filled potatoes to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until golden and cheese is melted.
08 - Sprinkle with extra chives before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- They look fancy but take less than an hour from start to finish
- The crispy skin and fluffy interior texture is impossible to resist
02 -
- Don't overbake the potatoes in the first round or the shells will collapse when you try to scoop them.
- Let the scooped potato cool slightly before mashing so the cheese doesn't melt too early and disappear into the mixture.
03 -
- Use a small melon baller or teaspoon to scoop the potatoes neatly and evenly
- Warm your sour cream slightly before mixing so it incorporates smoothly into the mashed potato