Twice Baked Potatoes with Leeks

5 from 2 votes

Twice Baked Potatoes with Leeks

Seven simple ingredients are needed to create this decadent twice baked, stuffed potato. It's simple and delicious, just like food should be.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Entree, Lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 98kcal

Author: Kitrusy

Ingredients

4 med potatoes (Idaho, Russet or Yukon Gold)
1 tbsp extra light olive oil
1½ tsp Himalayan salt (divided)
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 large leek
1 clove garlic finely minced
2 tbsp salted butter (divided)

Instructions

Prep and cook your potatoes: You can do this one of two ways, oven or microwave and oven.
Oven only method: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Wash, scrub and dry your potatoes, prick them all over using a fork and rub them with oil. Place them onto a baking tray and sprinkle them with salt. Bake at 350°F for 50-60 minutes until the insides are soft (see notes) and the skin is crispy.
Microwave and oven method: Wash and scrub your potatoes, prick them all over using a fork and place them onto a microwave safe place (ensure they're not touching each other) and microwave for 3 minutes before turning them over and microwaving for another 2-3 minutes until they are done.* (see note). Once cooked, remove them from the microwave, brush them with oil, sprinkle them with salt, and place them onto a baking tray. Set them under your oven's broiler for a few minutes to crisp up the skins.
Saute your leeks: Chop off 1-2cm off the end of the root end of your leek and discard it. Then, cut the rest of your leek (stem and leaves) into thin rings and strips (see image). Place your leeks into a colander and rinse them under running water to wash away any dirt.
Add 1 tbsp of butter to a skillet, once melted add in your leeks and saute them until they have softened and most of the liquid in the skillet is gone. Set your leeks aside.
Divide and hollow out your potatoes: Cut your potatoes into half lengthwise, and, using a spoon carefully scoop out the insides leaving just enough potato around the edges and bottom to maintain the structural integrity of your potato skins. Try to avoid tearing or ripping your skins. Add the scooped out interior to the pan/bowl containing your sauteed leeks.
Make your filling: Mash together your leeks, potato innards and the remaining 1 tbsp of butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Fill and Bake: Evenly divide your potato and leek mixture between the potato skins and after filling each skin, pat your mixture into a dome. Drag the tines of a fork across the dome's top to create ridges and place each filled potato skin back onto the baking tray. Set your filled and ridged potato skins under your oven's broiler for a few minutes until the ridges turn a golden brown color.
To make cheesy potatoes: Fill your potato skins with your potato and leek mixture and top with any freshly shredded cheese of your choice. Bake or broil your potatoes until the cheese has melted and begins to bubble.
Serve and Enjoy.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Notes

The method you choose to cook your potatoes using will affect how long this recipe will take to make.
The length of time needed to microwave your potatoes depends on the size of your potatoes, the wattage of your oven and even the closeness of your potatoes to each other on the plate. Test your potatoes after the first three minutes and keep an eye on them for each minute after turning.
An easy way to test if your potato is cooked is to skewer it all the way through the middle with a sharp knife or even a bamboo skewer. If there is no resistance and the knife slides in easily and the potato slides off the knife unaided by anything but gravity, then your potato is done.
Feel free to experiment with any add ins you enjoy from cheese to bacon to diced carrots!

Nutrition