Potatoes are such a versatile vegetable and take on so many flavors well. Surely we're all aware of the classic twice baked potato recipe that features grated Cheddar cheese, pan-seared bacon, and chives, but if you want to shake things up without losing any points in the flavor department, you might want to try these Twice-Baked Dill Potatoes with Havarti Cheese!
Havarti is a super creamy and mild cheese, and it melts down to total perfection. Dill is a classic pairing for Havarti cheese, and just so happens to be a perfect pairing for potatoes as well. Combine the three and you've got a twice-baked potato trifecta that can't be beaten.
HOW TO MAKE TWICE-BAKED DILL POTATOES
1. SCRUB AND DRESS THE POTATOES
Twice-baked potatoes begin just like an oven-baked potato. To start things off, you'll scrub the potatoes clean of any dirt or debris, then pat them dry. Place them on a sheet pan, drizzle them with canola oil and give 'em a hefty sprinkle of Kosher salt. This helps the skin to crisp up nicely and adds a great deal of flavor to the outside of the potatoes.
2. BAKE ONCE
After you've shown the outside a little love, it's off to bake in a 425° oven until they are perfectly tender on the inside.
3. CUT IN HALF AND SCOOP
Once the potatoes have cooked through, they'll come out of the oven and will need a little time to cool down. You don't want to slice into a piping hot potato...nor do you want to hold one in your hand. Speaking from experience. Patience has never been my strong suit.
After about 10-15 minutes, you should be to handle the potatoes without setting your hands on fire. With the potatoes on a cutting board, carefully cut them in half lengthwise, using a sharp serrated knife and a slow-going, gentle sawing motion. Then, you'll use a spoon to scoop out the filling, leaving about an ⅛" border of potato flesh lining the skin. The flesh of the potato goes into a mixing bowl, and it's time for the fun part.
4. MAKE THE FILLING
Add the butter, dill, salt, pepper, sour cream, and about half of the Havarti cheese to the potatoes. Mash and mix well using a wooden spoon, or you could use a handheld mixer on low speed.
5. STUFF THE POTATOES
Add your mix-ins (e.g. cheese, bacon, herbs, etc...), stir it up, and add filling back into the potato skins to stuff to the brim.
6. TOP AND BAKE TWICE
Then, to make your twice baked potatoes even better, you top them off with more cheese, and maybe an extra sprinkle of herbs if you're feeling generous.
Once the potatoes have been stuffed, they're returned to the oven on a lower heat setting for about 20 minutes or so. Just long enough for the cheesy filling to melt down and blend in with the other added ingredients.
HOW TO MAKE THEM AHEAD!
For entertaining purposes, it's always nice to have as much done in advance as possible and for the food to be hot when your guests actually eat it. Again, emphasizing why these Twice-Baked Dill Potatoes with Havarti Cheese are perfect for cookouts!
After the potatoes are stuffed and before they go back into the oven for the second go-round, you would simply cover your baking sheet with foil or plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator until about 30 minutes or so prior to serving time.
5 MORE POTATO RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE
- Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
- The Best Mashed Potatoes Recipe
- Twice-Baked Potatoes with Cheddar and Bacon
- Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
- Cheesy Bacon Ranch Potatoes
Twice-Baked Dill Potatoes with Havarti Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 medium-sized russet potatoes rinsed, scrubbed and patted dry
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 3 teaspoons Kosher salt, separated
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature or melted
- 1 ½ teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 ½ cups Havarti cheese, separated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425° and have ready a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.
- Place the potatoes on the baking sheet, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with 2 teaspoons Kosher salt, and rub all over to spread the oil and seasoning evenly. Bake for 1 hour.
- Pull out the potatoes and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes, or until no longer piping hot, before handling. Place the potatoes on a work surface, and using a large, sharp knife, cut them in half lengthwise.
- Scoop out the flesh of the potato, leaving about a ¼" - ⅛" border along the edges, and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the butter, dill, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, black pepper, sour cream, and 1 cup of the Havarti cheese. Mash and mix well using a wooden spoon, or you could use a handheld mixer on low speed. Do not over mix.
- Spoon the filling back into each potato, and top with a generous pinch of the remaining Havarti cheese.
- At this point, for make ahead twice baked potatoes, cover the potatoes with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake. Remove the plastic wrap before baking.
- To bake the potatoes, preheat the oven to 400°. Bake the potatoes for 20-24 minutes, just until the cheese is slightly bubbly around the edges. Garnish with a sprinkle of dill if desired. Serve warm and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
Donny says
Yum! This will be verrrrry popular at my family get-togethers. Thanks for the recipe!
Carrie Robinson says
Oooooo.... I just love Havarti! These look delicious. 🙂
Krissy Allori says
Holy smokes! Havarti cheese is one of my favorites! I am making these little gems right away.
Amy Chung says
I love Havarti! Never thought to actually use it in cooking. It's just always on the cheese board. Greta little side dish to have for dinner.
Anita says
Such a great potato dish, and this is really great to serve when you have guests over. Just prep ahead, and simply bake right before serving. 🙂