How To Reheat Twice Baked Potatoes – I Test 4 Methods [Pics]

Twice-baked potatoes are a delicious treat that always goes down well with a crowd. But can you reheat them later? I experimented to find out the best way to revive a twice-baked potato and ensure it has a fluffy filling and crispy skin.

The best way to reheat twice-baked potatoes is in the oven or air fryer. Set the oven to 375°F (190°C) and heat your potatoes for 15-20 minutes, sprinkling over extra cheese towards the end. If you use an air fryer, set it to 350°F (180°C).

How I Tested Reheating Twice-Baked Potatoes

Last weekend I made some twice-baked potatoes, following my favorite recipe. After scoffing one down, I put the rest in the fridge until the next evening. Then I tested reheating them in four different ways:

• In the oven: Best method – crispy skins and fluffy insides.
• In the microwave: Easy and convenient.
• In a skillet: Good for extra crispy skins.
• In an air fryer: Also good for crispy skins.

Reheating twice-baked potatoes in the oven

Time: 15-20 minutes
Rating: 9/10

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C), or 350°F (180°C) if you’re using a toaster oven.
2. While the oven warms up, bring your potatoes to room temperature (you can skip this if you don’t have time, but colder potatoes will take longer to heat).
3. Remove any salsa or sour cream.
4. Optional: Add extra cheese on top of your potatoes.
5. Heat your potatoes for 15-20 minutes.
6. For added crispiness, switch on your broiler for 2 minutes at the end of this process.
7. Add fresh salsa or sour cream before serving.

Bigger potatoes may take a little longer than 20 minutes. If you’re in a hurry, you can microwave the potato for 30 seconds before popping it in the oven. This will give it a head start on reheating and make sure the middle isn’t cold.

If you’re worried about the outside of the potato burning, you can cover it loosely with foil for the first 10 minutes of heating.

Results: Reheating a dish the same way you initially cooked it usually delivers the best results. And my oven-reheated twice-baked potatoes were crispy and tasted (pretty much) the same as the day before. And you can reheat multiple potatoes at once. The only downside is it’s a bit slow.

Reheating twice-baked potatoes in the microwave

Time: 1-2 minutes
Rating: 5/10

1. Place your leftover twice-baked potato on a microwave-safe plate.
2. Scrape off any salsa or sour cream.
3. Cover the potato with a piece of damp paper towel. This will prevent the potato from drying out.
4. Warm for 1 minute.
5. Check how warm your potato’s filling is, and then warm it in further 15-second intervals until hot.
6. Optional: Pop your warmed-up potato under your broiler for a minute or two for extra crispiness.

How long this takes will depend on the size of the potatoes you’re heating. Check the progress regularly to avoid drying out the filling, and if the potato is really big, consider cutting it in half.

Using a damp paper towel will prevent the filling in your potato from drying out. Without it, the skin can also become very tough.

It’s best to heat one potato at a time to prevent cold spots caused by overcrowding.

Results: The microwave is convenient and quick if you’re heating a portion just for yourself. The filling stays moist and fluffy, but there isn’t much you can do to re-crisp the potato’s skin. In fact, mine came out a little chewy.

The added step of using the broiler at the end does help the texture but it also takes away from the convenience.

Reheating twice-baked potatoes in a skillet

Time: 4-5 minutes
Rating: 8/10

1. Remove any salsa or sour cream from your potatoes.
2. Heat a little bit of oil or butter in a pan over medium heat.
3. Once hot, add your potatoes, pressing them down as flat as possible (but don’t let all the filling spill out).
4. Optional: Add extra cheese or toppings.
5. Cover the pan with a lid.
6. Warm your potatoes for 4-5 minutes, or until heated through.

The fat in your pan will crisp up the potatoes’ skin, making it delicious and crunchy and covering your potatoes with a lid traps in steam and warms the top (plus melts the cheese).

If you’re not adding extra cheese, you can carefully flip over your potatoes halfway through the warming process to crisp up their tops.

Results: My potato skins turned nice and crispy in the oil, adding a lovely texture and the cheese I added was super melty. But this method worse best with smaller potatoes, if you have big ones I recommend microwaving them for 20 seconds first.

Reheating twice-baked potatoes in an air fryer

Time: 5-10 minutes
Rating: 8/10

1. Allow your potatoes to reach room temperature.
2. Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (180°C).
3. Remove any salsa or sour cream.
4. Optional: Add extra cheese.
5. Warm your potatoes for 5-10 minutes or until heated through.

If you’re heating more than one potato at a time, make sure to leave enough space between them so the air can circulate properly.

And if you’re reheating a large potato, consider cutting it in half first so it warms up in the middle before the outside starts to burn. Air fryers are very harsh and heat from the outside in.

Just like with the oven, if you’re worried the skins will burn you can cover the potatoes loosely in foil for the first half of heating.

Results: The air fryer was great for crisping my potatoes skin back up, and it was quick and fuss-free. Overall a great option if you have an air fryer at home.

Reheating twice-baked potatoes on the grill

To reheat twice-baked potatoes on the grill, first remove any salsa or sour cream. Add extra toppings if you want (I suggest extra cheese) before wrapping your potatoes tightly in foil. Place them on the grill for 10-15 minutes

While this won’t necessarily make your potato skins crispy, it will leave you with fluffy fillings, and you can cook other things on the grill at the same time.

How to store twice-baked potatoes

Before storing your twice-baked potatoes, remove any salsa or sour cream because this will turn your potatoes soggy. Allow the potatoes to cool to room temperature, and then place them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also wrap them in foil or plastic wrap.

Even though the potatoes will stay good for 5 days, they’ll dry out a little more with each day. And if you have yogurt-based or meat toppings, these may spoil faster.

Can you freeze twice-baked potatoes?

You can freeze twice-baked potatoes in two different ways. You can prep them ahead of time and freeze them “once-baked,” but pre-stuffed with their fillings to finish baking later. Or you can freeze them completely prepared as you would with normal leftovers. 

Twice-baked potatoes will last 3 months in the freezer.

In both cases, make sure there are no toppings like sour cream or salsa on your potatoes. These won’t freeze well. When reheating, you can add extra toppings and cheese as you go.

How to freeze twice-baked potatoes:

1. Allow your potatoes to cool to room temperature.
2. If you’re freezing leftovers, remove any sour cream or salsa.
3. Wrap each individual potato tightly in foil.
4. Place them in an airtight freezer bag with the excess air removed.
5. Mark and date your bags clearly, use within 3 months.

If you’re meal prepping and freezing your potatoes before their second bake, you can choose whether or not to add your cheese topping at this stage or whether you’ll add it when reheating.

Allowing the potatoes to cool completely before wrapping them will prevent condensation buildup in the foil that can turn your potatoes soggy and limp.

To remove air from your freezer bag, use a vacuum sealer or submerge the bag partially in water as you’re zipping it up.

How to thaw and reheat frozen twice-baked potatoes

You can reheat frozen twice-baked potatoes either straight from frozen or after thawing them first. Let’s look at how each method works.

Reheating from frozen

The best way to reheat frozen twice-baked potatoes is in the oven. Unwrap your frozen potatoes from their foil and place them in an oven-safe dish. Cover this dish with foil and pop your potatoes into a preheated 425°F (220°C) for about an hour.

Uncover the dish for 10 minutes at the end of heating to crisp the skin up.

Thawing and reheating

For quicker reheating, thaw your potatoes first.

Thaw your twice-baked potatoes overnight in the fridge. If you’re in a pinch, you can use your microwave defrost setting for 2-3 minutes until your potatoes are soft. Once they are defrosted, you can warm them up using any of the reheating methods detailed above. 

How to reheat twice-baked potato casserole

You can reheat twice-baked potato casserole in the oven or microwave.

For the oven method, place your desired portion in an oven-safe dish. Set your oven to 350°F (180°C). Cover the dish with foil and warm your potato casserole for 20-25 minutes. 

Timing will vary with portion size, so test the casserole with a knife at the halfway mark.

You can remove the foil and turn on your broiler for the last few minutes of this process to crisp up the top layer of the dish.

To use the microwave, put the casserole in a microwave-safe dish and heat it for 1 minute. Check the temperature and heat in 30-second intervals until heated through.

How To Reheat Twice Baked Potatoes [Tested Methods]

In this short recipe, I show you the best way to revive and reheat your leftover twice baked potatoes.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 0 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Servings 1 person

Calories 155 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 portion twice baked potatoes
• 1 portion cheese optional

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C), or 350°F (180°C) if you’re using a toaster oven*.
• While the oven warms up, bring your potatoes to room temperature (you can skip this if you don’t have time, but colder potatoes will take longer to heat).
• Remove any salsa or sour cream.
• Optional: Add extra cheese on top of your potatoes.
• Heat your potatoes for 15-20 minutes.
• For added crispiness, switch on your broiler for 2 minutes at the end of this process.
• Add fresh salsa or sour cream before serving.

Notes

*Toaster ovens are small so heat more efficiently, hence the lower temperature.

To test if your potatoes are warm all the way through, insert a knife or fork into the thickest part and feel the metal when you pull it out.

If it’s warm, the potatoes are ready.

Bigger potatoes may take a little longer than 20 minutes. If you’re in a hurry, you can microwave the potato for 30 seconds before popping it in the oven.

This will give it a head start on reheating.

Keyword reheat twice baked potatoes, twice baked potatoes