roasted garlic twice baked potatoes

these roasted garlic twice baked potatoes feature crisp potato skins holding clouds of sweet, buttery potato and topped with a crown of golden, bubbly cheese.

why you will love this garlic twice baked potato recipe

• easy, quick method – this roasted garlic twice baked potatoes recipe uses the microwave and air fryer, which takes a lot less time than the traditional oven method. make a crispy baked potato in half the time!

• simple recipe – this recipe is so easy to make, with not too many ingredients or seasonings, but still packs a lot of flavour because of the roasted garlic in the potato filling.

• customisable – this roasted garlic twice baked potatoes recipe is great as a base recipe that can be customised with different toppings and flavours. you can have this as a side or add some protein to make it a full meal!

learn how to make these roasted garlic twice baked potatoes

to make these roasted garlic twice baked potatoes, we’re going to start off by washing our potatoes and patting them dry. then, use a fork to pierce some holes all over the potatoes. coat the potatoes in olive oil, and sprinkle some salt all over them. we’re going to cook the potatoes in the microwave first, and then in the air fryer. we’re also going to add some oil and salt to a head of garlic, wrap it in foil and place this in the air fryer along with the potatoes.

once this is done, we’ll remove the potatoes and garlic from the air fryer. slice off the tops of each potato, remove the potato filling from them and add it to a separate bowl. to the potato filling, add butter, cream cheese heavy cream, the roasted garlic, some seasonings and the cheeses. mix everything in until you get a fluffy mashed potato filling, then add this back to the potatoes. top with some extra cheese, then air fry the potatoes again until the cheese is golden and bubbly.

add any toppings that you like, such as jalapeños, green onions and/or sour cream, and we’re done!

creamy garlic twice baked potatoes ingredients:

• potatoes – i used 2 large potatoes for this creamy garlic twice baked potatoes recipe – each one weighed around 350g. you can use any size of potato that you like, just bear in mind that smaller potatoes will take less time to cook.

• garlic – i like to make these twice baked potatoes with garlic – we’re going to roast a head of garlic in the air fryer while the potatoes are cooking.

• oil – i usually use olive oil to coat the potatoes before cooking them – the oil will help us get that crispy skin on our potatoes. we’ll also add some oil to the garlic before roasting it.

• seasonings – we’re going to coat the potato skins with salt and also sprinkle some salt on the garlic before roasting it. and for the actual mashed potato mixture, i only used a mix of salt, black pepper and red chilli flakes.

• butter – i make these garlic butter twice baked potatoes with salted butter. you can use salted or unsalted, but you might need to add more salt if using unsalted. mix the butter into the mashed potato mixture while it’s hot so that the butter melts into it.

• double cream or heavy cream – i like to add some cream to the potato mixture in these garlic twice baked potatoes to make the mashed potato mixture extra creamy and rich.

• cream cheese – adding a small amount of cream cheese to these garlic twice baked mashed potatoes adds flavour and richness.

• cheese – these twice baked cheesy garlic mashed potatoes use quite a lot of cheese – i add cheese to the potato mixture in this recipe, and also top the potatoes with extra cheese before baking/air frying them again. i used a mixture of mozzarella and goudA, BUT you can REALLY use any cheese that you like, OR A COMBINATION OF CHEESES.

• sour cream – OPTIONAL, BUT I LOVE TO TOP THESE ROASTED GARLIC TWICE BAKED POTATOES WITH SOUR CREAM BEFORE SERVING.

• green onions – optional, but aNOTHER great topping for these CHEESY GARLIC TWICE BAKED POTATOES.

tools:

• air fryer – i make the potatoes in the microwave and then in the air fryer. if you plan to bake the potatoes, you won’t need this.

• knife – to cut off the tops of the potatoes.

• BOWL – YOU’LL Need a small or medium-sized bowl for the potato filling.

• baking sheet – if you plan to bake the potatoes, you’ll need this.

step by step instructions

for full measurements, keep scrolling down to the recipe below.

step one: wash potatoes, then pat them dry. make sure they are completely dry before you move on to the next step.

step two: use a fork or knife to pierce holes or thin cuts all over the potatoes.

step three: rub each potato with a generous amount of olive oil until they are completely coated.

step four: sprinkle salt over each potato and rub it all over until the potatoes are coated.

step five: place the potatoes in the microwave for 10 minutes, and then in the air fryer for 12 minutes. cut off the top of a head of garlic, add some oil to it as well as a sprinkle of salt, then wrap in tinfoil and place this in the air fryer with the potatoes.

step six: once the baked potatoes look golden and crispy, remove them from the air fryer. remove the roasted garlic from the air fryer. use a knife to slice the tops off of each baked potato.

step seven: use a spoon to remove most of the potato flesh from each potato. place the potato filling in a bowl. 

step eight: add butter to the hot mashed potato filling. mix the butter inside the potato filling until melted and mixed in. 

step nine: then, add heavy cream and cream cheese to the bowl, and mix this into the mashed potato filling. 

step ten: squeeze out the roasted garlic cloves from the head of garlic and add them to the bowl. mix them into the mashed potato mixture. 

step eleven: add the seasonings (salt, black pepper and red chilli flakes) to the mashed potato filling, as well as the cheeses. mix all of this into the potato mixture until completely mixed in. the hot potato mixture should melt the cheese when you mix it in.

step twelve: add the creamy mashed potato filling back to the potato skins. 

step thirteen: top the twice baked potatoes with extra cheese and air fry the potatoes again for 5-7 minutes, or until the cheese looks bubbly and golden. 

step fourteen: remove from the air fryer. top the roasted garlic twice baked potatoes with sour cream and a sprinkle of green onions and let’s eat!

tips and notes

• the best potatoes to use would probably be russet potatoes for the best texture.

• after washing the potatoes, make sure your potatoes are completely dry before you add the oil and salt.

• before microwaving potatoes, you need to make sure that you use a fork or knife to poke holes or thin cuts all over the potatoes – this will allow any steam to escape and prevent them from exploding in the microwave.

• when scooping out the mashed potato from the skin, make sure to leave a thin layer of it still on the skin. you don’t want to remove too much from the sides as a thin layer will help the baked potato keep its structure. you want there to be somewhat of a shell so that the baked potatoes can keep their shape and hold the potato filling propely.

• adjust any seasonings to your taste – i decided to keep this twice baked garlic mashed potatoes recipe relatively simple so i only used salt, black pepper and red chilli flakes in the potato filling. it’s completely up to you if you’d like to add any other seasoning or spice.

• when roasting the garlic, slice the top off of the head of garlic so that the garlic cloves are exposed. then drizzle the garlic with olive oil and sprinkle some salt on before wrapping the garlic in foil and placing it in the air fryer with the potatoes. the garlic should be soft and easy to squeeze out when done.

• cooking times for these twice baked potatoes will vary depending on your air fryer as well as the size of your potatoes. remember that a bigger potato will take longer to cook and a smaller one will take less time, so just keep an eye on your twice baked potatoes. it took a total of 22 minutes for me to cook these potatoes – 10 minutes in the microwave and 12 minutes in the air fryer. these were large potatoes, weighing around 350g or around 12oz each.

• i used a mixture of mozzarella and gouda in the mashed potato filling, but feel free to use any cheese that you like.

• season the mashed potato filling with salt and pepper to your taste. i used salted butter, so i didn’t need much extra salt, but if you’re using unsalted butter you might want to use a bit more.

• if you have any leftovers, i would recommend reheating these twice baked potatoes in the air fryer for a few minutes until the filling heats through and the potato skin crisps up again.

frequently asked questions

1. can i make this twice baked potatoes in the oven instead of the microwave and air fryer ?

   – absolutely! i prefer using the microwave and air fryer as it takes less time, but if you’d prefer to use an oven, you can use that. to make these twice baked potatoes in the oven, preheat oven to 200c or 400f, coat the washed and dried potatoes with olive oil and salt, place on a baking sheet or tray and bake for about 45 minutes to an hour, until the potatoes are tender. the garlic can roast alongside the potatoes – wrap the oiled garlic head in foil and place in the oven for about 40 minutes until soft and caramelized.

   – bear in mind that baking times in the oven will vary depending on the size of your potatoes.

2. how long do i have to microwave the potatoes, and how do i know when they’re done ?

   – cooking times will vary depending on the size of your potatoes. i placed these potatoes in the microwave together for 10 minutes at the highest setting. you’ll know they’re done when you prick them with a fork and the inside feels tender.

3. how long do you cook twice baked potatoes the second time ?

   – in the air fryer, they’ll need about 5-7 minutes at 200°c (400°F) for the second bake. Look for golden tops and melty cheese. cooking times will vary depending on your air fryer, so be sure to keep an eye on them.

4. why use a microwave and air fryer instead of an oven ?

   – i personally love to make baked potatoes in a microwave and air fryer because it takes less time overall and the combination of these two gives you potatoes with a soft, tender inside and crispy potato skin on the outside.

5. how do I know when the potatoes are done in the microwave ?

   – you’ll know that the potatoes are done in the microwave when a fork or knife slides in easily with no resistance.

6. what to put on twice baked potatoes ?

   – some classic topping options for these twice baked potatoes include sour cream, chives or green onions, crispy onions or even some extra cheese like parmesan.

7. can i make these twice baked potatoes ahead of time ?

   – yes, you can! follow the recipe as stated up to the filling the potatoes with the mashed potato filling. from there, you can refrigerate the prepared potatoes for up to 2 days, then do the second bake when ready to serve.

8. how do i reheat any leftover baked potato ?

   – for me, the potatoes are best reheated in the air fryer, as this helps crisp them up too. you can also use an oven if you don’t mind it taking a bit more time.

9. can i add protein to these roasted garlic twice baked potatoes to make it a complete meal ?

   – absolutely! make these creamy garlic twice baked potatoes with shrimp, shredded chicken or something like ground beef if you want to make this a complete meal with protein.

recipe