Twice-Baked Potatoes with Artichoke Hearts
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
Basic baked potatoes can’t compare to the array of flavors — cheesy, citrusy, herbaceous — packed into crispy potato skins in this dish.
Ingredients
- 3 large baking potatoes (about 12 oz each)
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) finely chopped purple onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) half and half
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable or chicken broth
- The juice of one lemon
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) chopped fresh basil
- 1 (14 1/2-oz) can artichoke hearts, packed in water, drained and chopped
- 1 cup (115 g) (4 oz) grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) pine nuts, toasted
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Addition chopped basil (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- Pierce potatoes with a fork, and bake at 400° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until tender (do not wrap in foil- this will steam your potatoes, and you’ll miss out on the crunchy shell.)
- While the potatoes cook, prepare the sauce.
- Heat oil in a medium non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add in the onion and saute for about 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Whisk in the half and half and vegetable broth.
- Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes- sauce will reduce by half. Remove from heat and season the sauce with salt and pepper. Add the fresh lemon juice and stir in the basil. Set the sauce aside.
- Cut each potato in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick shell.
- In a large bowl, mash pulp with a potato masher. Stir in the lemon-basil sauce, 2/3 cup Parmesan and the pine nuts.
- Spoon potato mixture into shells; sprinkle each half with 1 tbsp remaining Parmesan cheese.
- Place stuffed potatoes on a baking sheet; bake at 400° for 10-15 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Garnish with additional basil, if desired.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 mins
- Category: Side
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 potato half
- Calories: 260
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the recipe specifically say not to wrap the potatoes in foil?
The instructions explicitly warn against foil because it traps steam, softening the skin. For twice-baked potatoes you need a crunchy shell that holds its shape after scooping and refilling — foil wrapping would prevent that.
Why does the lemon-basil sauce need to reduce by half before going into the filling?
The sauce is made from ½ cup half-and-half and ½ cup vegetable broth simmered for about 10 minutes until it reduces by half. Reducing concentrates the flavor and thickens the liquid so it enriches the mashed potato filling without making it watery.
How thick should the potato shell wall be when I scoop out the flesh?
The recipe specifies leaving a ¼-inch-thick shell after scooping. Too thin and the skin tears under the weight of the artichoke-Parmesan filling; too thick and you lose mash for the stuffing. 
So about those Artichokes…
When do you put them in? Do you chop them up? Do you need to cook them?
Thanks!