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
karen says
Just made these for the first time and they turned out delicious! Didn’t think it was hard at all to do the ‘carving’, though I’m sure my next attempt will be visually better. Will definitely continue to make these.
BarcaBakes says
These look amazing! I don’t really like onion on it’s own, so liked the concept of the bloomin’ onion, but not the taste. Now I can have best of both worlds. I also like to stuff mine with eggs and have a breakfast potato like this one – https://www.recipestroupe.com/recipe-baked-potato-egg-bowls-51023.html. Do you have any other fancy potato ideas?
Jean Israel says
These look wonderful and I’m making them on the grill this afternoon 🙂
Pete Mack says
This way to slice the potatoes is a pain. Recommend making Hasselback potatoes with the condiments used in the recipe above. Much quicker to cut, and the same effect of extra crispness.
Pooja Rawal says
Tonia, any recommendation for a knife? I tried using a serrated knife and it was so hard to cut! What knife are you using? Thank you
Tonia says
Hello Pooja,
I used a thin, flexible paring knife like these: http://amzn.to/2oCL4MF
Happy Cooking!
Tonia
Dennis Kerr says
You neglected to inform your readers to remove the “eyes” of the potato.
They are poison.
That is, if you don’t cut out the eye points… where sprouts are about to begin…
You are poisoning the person you are preparing a potato for.
Please include a step to remove the eyes.
Tonia says
Hi Dennis,
I wanted to let you know that I found this Rachael Ray Show saying that potato eyes are NOT poisonous. http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/tips/12459_Are_a_Potato_Eyes_Poisonous/
Please feel free to prepare your potatoes in whatever manner is best for you and your family.
Enjoy! ~Tonia
Carl says
Absolutely right. But why eat them and the black spots? Cut them out.
Kodi says
Thank you for sharing. I really want to make the potatoes but my dilema is…i only i have 1 oven and im making prime rib…would the potatos hold up if i baked them prior to the prime rib, then placed them back in the oven with toppings while carving the prime rib? Or what would you suggest?
Tonia says
Yes, that is how I would do it. Or you can put them on a lower rack in the oven.
Fishdva says
I don’t know how to comment on here but I made your blooming potato tonight. What a disappointment! It never “separated”, just sat there like a slug and didn’t really cook right…
ella ruth says
Thank you so much for sharing your recipes with us. These potatoes look amazing. Gonna have to try them. : )
Cat says
Awesome idea, thanks!!!@ 😊
Kristina says
These were so delicious! My kids all loved them, and requested to have them more often! I wouldn’t change a thing about them, thanks so much for the great recipe!
Patty says
These are gonna be on the table for Christmas along with the roast beast!! Genius!! THANK YOU. HAPPY HOLIDAYS 😊😊
Eleanor says
First time reading/finding you! LOVE those potatoes! There are times when I want just a nuked potato and either over cook it or need to hit it again . . . resulting in the over cooked version. Can you help? I’m never too embarrassed to ask for help – and sometimes need it after spending over 75 years in the kitchen. haha
Tonia says
Hi Eleanor! Do you always buy the same kind of potatoes? My mom always makes “baked’ potatoes in the microwave. She scrubs the potatoes, pokes holes, puts them in a microwave-safe casserole dish, adds enough water to cover the bottom of the dish and cooks on high until soft. Every microwave is different, so you will have to check them but it usually takes me about 9 minutes. Best of luck! ~Tonia
Lindsay says
Are you wrapping it in tin foil when your done? If not do so if it is a little undercooked it will continue to cook a bit in the tinfoil.
Reba says
We made these tonight. They were really good but didn’t “bloom”. Do you have any suggestions?
Tonia says
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed them! I’m not really sure but it might have been the kind of potatoes or possibly they were cut deep enough or close enough to the center of the potatoes. ~Tonia
Kim says
Great idea!! I’m going to try this with sweet potatoes; mix some maple syrup in sour cream, add a bit of butter and brown sugar, and candy some bacon. Totally (disgustingly, really!) unhealthy for the body, but oh, so soothing for the soul! Thanks for sharing!
Shannah says
Tried these with Cream Delight (Aussie, dunno if you have them) and they are super delicious! Perfectly soft and chewy. Thanks so much for sharing!
Ailish says
I just tried making potatoes like this and they were awesome! Definitely doing it this way from now on instead of the traditional baked potato. Can’t say no to crispy + soft + salty 😉
Marissa | Pinch and Swirl says
This is pure genius! Thank you for sharing…
Food lover says
Made the bloomin’ baked potatoes and they were awesome! Thanks for sharing a great idea!
SHIRLEY HERR says
Going to try them all wiil let you know later how mine turned out.
cathy says
I am a old cook never seen potatoes cooked like this, looks delish, so does your apple dish,nice job