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    Home » Side Dish Recipes » Potato Recipes

    Published: Mar 7, 2021 · Modified: May 10, 2022 by Renée · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Loaded Skillet Potatoes

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    A vertical collage image of Loaded Skillet Potatoes in prep form with ham and cheese along with a title text overly graphic in the center.
    A vertical photo collage of prep photos of the making of Loaded Skillet Potatoes.

    Loaded Skillet Potatoes will work as a main course or side dish. You decide. No matter how you choose to serve them, you simply can't go wrong!

    A vertical photo collage of prep photos of the making of Loaded Skillet Potatoes.

    This delicious dish is a great way of cleaning out the fridge and then loading up whatever you have left onto your skillet potatoes.

    **Please Note - The printable recipe card with detailed instructions, complete ingredient measurements, and nutritional information for making loaded potatoes in a skillet is available at the end of this post. OR you can hit the "jump to recipe" button (found above) to be taken directly to the recipe. 

    Subscribe to my Kudos Kitchen channel on YouTube. See you there!!

    A vertical closeup image of a cast iron skillet filled with Loaded Skillet Potatoes with melted cheese, beans, ham, and scallions.

    The ingredient list:

    **Note – The following lists of ingredients plus kitchen tools and equipment contain affiliate links (highlighted in blue) for your consideration and shopping convenience. #CommissionsEarned

    • baked russet potatoes (leftovers work great)
    • olive oil
    • butter
    • salt and pepper
    • caramelized onions (shown)
    • ham (shown)
    • black beans (shown)
    • shredded cheddar cheese (shown)
    • shredded pepper jack cheese (shown)
    • cooked bacon (shown)
    • scallions (shown)

    Kitchen tools and equipment needed:

    • large skillet (cast-iron preferred)
    • chef's knife
    • cutting board
    • cheese grater/shredder
    • can opener
    • slotted spatula
    • paper towels, optional (for draining the bacon)
    • oven mitts
    • silicone handle for cast iron pan (optional)
    • kitchen timer

    How this recipe came to be:

    I had a lot of leftover russet potatoes on hand after I'd over-prepared my Baked Potato Party Board.

    This dish seemed like a natural progression for using a lot of the leftovers and turning them into something completely delicious yet different!

    Can this dish be made vegetarian?

    Sure thing.


    By omitting the bacon and ham, you'll have a completely vegetarian dish.

    Can other types of potatoes be used in this recipe?

    Yes!


    I used russets because I had them already in the fridge.


    I find that pre-cooked russet potatoes fry up the best with crispy brown edges in a cast-iron skillet.


    However, if you have another type of potato on hand, feel free to use it instead.


    Yukon gold or red potatoes (known as waxy potatoes) will also work in this dish, plus they won't need to be pre-cooked.


    Also, they'll hold their shape better while cooking due to their starch content.

    Additional loaded potato topping options:

    • lightly cooked vegetables (peas, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, corn…)
    • French fried onions
    • diced avocado
    • cooked spinach
    • ground cooked meat
    • cooked diced or shredded chicken
    • cooked spinach
    • blue cheese crumbles
    • Greek yogurt or sour cream
    • hot sauce
    • red pepper flakes
    • tortilla chips

    You get the idea…use your imagination!

    How will you top YOUR loaded skillet potatoes?

    How to caramelize onions?

    Slice 2 or 3 large onions. Add them to a skillet with a little olive oil, butter, salt, and pepper. Cook them over medium heat, stirring only occasionally for approximately 20-25 minutes.

    What is the best cheese for melting?

    Honestly, if you pre-shred your own cheese from the block, you'll have a far better cheese for melting than the pre-shredded cheeses you can buy at the grocery store.

    The reason is that the pre-shredded cheeses in the market are coated with an anti-caking agent to keep the shreds separate in the bag, so they don't all clump together into one single mass.

    Why is a cast-iron skillet best for making loaded skillet potatoes?

    There are so many reasons why a cast-iron skillet is superior for making this dish, and so many others.

    First, a cast-iron skillet heats up evenly with no "hot-spot" areas to deal with.

    Second, the browning capabilities of a cast-iron pan far outweigh any other skillets you can use.

    Third, they can go into the hottest oven you can throw it into, and you'll never have to blink an eye.

    All that said, an important thing to note is that the handle of a cast-iron skillet will get screaming hot!!

    It's always best practice to put an oven mitt, kitchen towel, or silicone handle (meant for cast iron skillets) over the handle while cooking to prevent burning yourself!

    A horizontal photo of a cast iron skillet filled with Loaded Skillet Potatoes and a hand holding a serving spoon digging into the potatoes.

    How to properly season a cast-iron skillet:

    Busting some myths about cast-iron cooking from America's Test Kitchen.

    The step-by-step photo instructions of how to make loaded skillet potatoes:

    • Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
    • Dice cooked russet potatoes into cubes.
    • Heat butter and olive oil in a skillet and add the diced pre-cooked russet potatoes in an even layer.
    • Cook the potatoes on medium/high (stirring only occasionally) to form a crispy crust.
    • Layer the topping ingredients evenly over the browned potatoes in the skillet, ending with the shredded cheese.
    • Place the skillet into a preheated 350-degree oven for approximately 15 minutes for the cheese to melt.
    • Top with chopped scallions, if desired, and serve hot.

    Additional potato recipes you'll enjoy:

    *Pimento Cheese Mashed Potatoes (shown below)

    Why not give traditional mashed potatoes a little update? Pimento Cheese Mashed Potatoes are easy to make and taste amazing!!

    A white oval bowl filled with pimento cheese mashed potatoes with butter on top and Idaho potatoes and an orange napkin in the background.

    *Roasted Baby Potatoes with Garlic and Herbs (not shown)

    These roasted baby potatoes are creamy in the center and golden brown and crispy on the outside. Pair all that deliciousness with a dipping sauce made of mustard, horseradish, and mayonnaise, and you have the perfect side dish or even a fun and unusual party appetizer!! YUM!!

    *Chicken Pot Potatoes (shown below and in the featured video)

    What do you get when you combine a baked potato with all the comfort and goodness of a chicken pot pie, but without all the work? Chicken Pot Pie Potatoes, that's what!

    A chicken pot potato in a small skillet with parsley and a slat and pepper shaker in the background.

    *Creamy Dijon Potato Salad (not shown)

    Crowd-Pleasing Dijon Potato Salad will be the first thing to disappear from the picnic table this summer.

    *Loaded Skillet Potatoes (shown below) THIS IS THE PLACE!!

    A vertical closeup along with a title text overlay graphic for Loaded Skillet Potatoes on a white plate along with a cast iron skillet in the background.

    Below is the printable recipe card, along with the exact ingredient measurements and nutritional information for making today's loaded skillet potatoes.

    If you've made this recipe or are excited to make this recipe, I'd appreciate it if you'd take a moment to leave it a star rating in the recipe card, along with a comment if you're so inclined. Thank you. 🙂

    Printable Recipe Card

    LOADED SKILLET POTATOES

    Renee Goerger
    Loaded Skillet Potatoes will work as a main course or side dish. You decide. No matter how you choose to serve them, you simply can't go wrong!
    No ratings yet
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save recipe Saved Recipe!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Main Course or Side Dish, Potatoes
    Servings 10 servings
    Calories 312 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 5 large russet potatoes pre-cooked
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • 1 teaspoon coarse salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 cup caramelized onions
    • 1 cup diced ham
    • ½ cup bacon diced and cooked
    • 1 cup black beans drained
    • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
    • 1 cup Pepper Jack cheese
    • ½ cup chopped scallions

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
    • Heat a large skillet over medium/high heat.
    • Melt the butter and olive oil in the skillet, and add the pre-cooked diced potatoes in an even layer, along with the salt and pepper.
    • Cook, stirring only occasionally so the potatoes form a crispy brown crust (approximately 10-12 minutes)
    • Layer the caramelized onions, ham, black beans, bacon, and cheeses over the cooked potatoes.
    • Carefully place the skillet into the preheated oven and heat until the cheese is thoroughly melted (approximately 10 minutes).
    • Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and top with chopped scallions (if desired).
    • Serve hot.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1servingCalories: 312kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 13gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 618mgPotassium: 599mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 327IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 195mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    I sincerely hope you've enjoyed today's delicious potato recipe as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you!

    A horizontal photo of a black cast iron skillet filled with cheesy Loaded Skillet Potatoes topped with scallions along with some russet potatoes in the background.
    A baking sheet and napkin loaded with Butterscotch Ritz Cookies with a glass of milk in the background.

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