With a fluffy potato filling and a crispy, flaky shell, these Loaded Baked Potato Bites are a fantastically savory handheld snack or appetizer that are guaranteed to please any crowd!
Looking for a unique take on potato appetizers with customizable fillings and a delicious pastry crust? Look no further!
These loaded baked potato bites are a delicious hand held appetizer.
These super tasty potato bites take the flavors of classic loaded baked potatoes and turns them into a tasty appetizer wrapped in flaky pastry!
Great for parties, picnics, or even as a side dish, fans of potatoes (which is just about everybody!) won’t be able to get enough of these savory snacks.
Enjoy this brand new take on baked potatoes and impress any crowd!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS BAKED POTATO BITES RECIPE
When it comes to hearty appetizers, potatoes are a classic ingredient choice. French fries, chips and dip, and more, potatoes are known for their tasty and versatile qualities.
They make an ideal filling base for these bite-size potato appetizers, because they pair well with a wide variety of other fix-ins.
Your guests will love these delicious hand held potato bite appetizers.
Take the familiar flavors of a savory loaded baked potato and twist them into a yummy appetizer with a pastry crust, gooey cheese, and your choice of toppings!
Served alongside a round of Strawberry Vodka Seltzers or with a bowl of Cheddar Cheese Crisps, these baked potato bites are sure to be a massive hit with guests, friends, and family.
INGREDIENTS
With simple ingredients that are easy to swap and customize, this is a versatile and personal appetizer or snack!
- salt
- potatoes – Russet potatoes are ideal for baked potatoes thanks to their low moisture and high starch content!
- garlic cloves
- butter
- bacon – pictured is this plant-based bacon, but any kind will work!
- shredded cheese – feel free to use your favorite kind of shredded cheese, just about anything tastes great with these appetizers.
- sliced green onions
- sour cream
- puff pastry – an easy way to make that flaky crust without having to worry about preparing your own dough! They often in two packs–why not use the other puff pastry to make this Smoked Salmon Puff Pastry appetizer or a fun twist on Margherita Pizza?
- egg
HELPFUL TOOLS AND SUPPLIES
- cutting board
- mixing bowl
- baking sheet
- pastry brush
- knife or pastry cutter
- small cookie scoop
HOW TO MAKE LOADED POTATO BITES
- Peel the potatoes and cut into cubes. Add to a medium size saucepan with enough water to cover. Peel the garlic cloves and add to the pan, along with the salt.
- Boil the potatoes, garlic and salt for about 10 minutes until tender. While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the bacon until it is crispy. Set aside and let cool.
Start by boiling and mashing your potatoes to make a tasty base for your potato appetizers.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Once the potatoes are done, drain the water and mash in the butter until creamy.
- Crumble in the bacon, add the shredded cheese, sour cream and green onions and stir. You may need to add salt and pepper to taste before filling the pastry.
To make the filling, just combine all of your ingredients with the mashed potatoes.
Assemble the Pastries
- On a lightly floured, flat surface, spread the puff pastry sheet and gently roll until it’s about 14”x12”. Cut it into 12 squares as equally as possible. Place a scoop of the potato mixture into the center of each square.
Use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to correctly measure the amount of filling per pastry square.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon of water. You may need to dip your finger into the egg wash to get the corners to stick to each other.
Don’t overfill the pastry, you’ll need to fold the corners over.
- Starting at opposite corners, fold up each corner to meet in the middle. Lightly brush with the egg wash when joining the corners if needed.
- Now fold the other corners in, and brush lightly with the egg wash.
Use a brush to cover the pastry with egg wash for a golden finish.
- Place on a baking tray and place in the oven for 18 minutes, pull out the tray and sprinkle a small amount of cheese in the center of each puff and continue to bake for another 2-5 minutes, until golden brown and the cheese is melted!
Once they’re assembled, all you have to do is pop them in the oven and you’ll have baked potato appetizers in no time!
- Top with fresh chopped chives and serve. Pair with a tasty cocktail like this Poor Man’s Margarita for a happy hour delight!
SUBSTITUTIONS AND VARIATIONS
- Top potato bites with additional cheese and broil for a minute or two to get a nice golden brown top.
- For an even more substantial version of this recipe, add some cooked ground beef, ground pork, ground chicken, or ground turkey to the potato mixture.
- When it comes to the cheese, mozzarella, cheddar, pepper jack, provolone, or a Mexican blend are all fantastic choices. You’ll want something that melts fairly easily for that gooey texture.
- Feel free to add more seasonings to the potato mixture for extra flavor! It will already be plenty salty thanks to the bacon, but spices like paprika, cayenne, black pepper, or herbs like oregano, parsley, rosemary, or thyme are all potential additions.
- Make this recipe slightly lighter by substituting Greek yogurt for the sour cream.
- Some other toppings that can add a nice elegant touch to your potato bites include caramelized onions, broccoli, fried mushrooms, avocado and salsa, and olives.
- Use biscuit dough or crescent roll dough instead of puff pastry dough.
These cheesy potato bites are the perfect snack for game day!
EXPERT TIPS
- Serve your potato bites alongside some kind of dipping sauce, or just mix some sour cream with additional chives to serve for dipping.
- Marinara is another great choice for dipping.
- You can top the finished potato appetizers each with a little dollop of sour cream, some chives, and bacon bits to channel the look of loaded baked potatoes.
- Even though the filling is super tasty, try not to overfill each square of puff pastry so you still have room to fold the corners over.
Great on their own or perfect to pair with a dipping sauce, these baked potato appetizers are your new favorite appetizer!
FAQS
What are loaded baked potatoes?
This simply refers to a baked potato that’s been cut down the middle and loaded up with tasty toppings!
They usually include things like butter, sour cream, cheese, and bacon, but because potatoes are so versatile you can really add anything to them!
How do you store leftover loaded baked potato bites?
Once they’re fully cooled, transfer your baked potato appetizers to an airtight container. They’ll last in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, or in the freezer for a couple of months.
How do you reheat baked potato appetizers?
I recommend reheating your potato bites in either the oven or air fryer.
If you microwave them, the pastry will more than likely become soggy or chewy, and you want to maintain that light and flaky consistency.
Loaded Baked Potato Bites Recipe
Loaded Baked Potato Bites
These savory and comforting baked potato appetizers include a delicious filling and a flaky pastry shell for the ultimate snack!
Ingredients
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 c potatoes-peeled and cubed
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 2 slices of bacon (pictured is plant-based bacon, but any kind will work!)
- ½ c shredded cheese, of choice, plus more for sprinkling
- 2 Tbsp sliced green onions
- 3 Tbsp sour cream
- 1 sheet puff pastry
- 1 egg, beaten
Instructions
- In a medium size pan, boil potatoes, garlic and salt for about 10 minutes until tender.
- While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the bacon until it is crispy. Set aside and let cool.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Once the potatoes are done, drain the water and mash in the butter until creamy.
- Crumble in the bacon, add the shredded cheese, sour cream and green onions and stir.
- You may need to add salt/pepper to taste before filling the pastry.
- On a lightly floured, flat surface, spread the puff pastry sheet and gently roll until it’s about 14”x12”.
- Cut it into 12 squares as equally as possible.
- Place a scoop of the potato mixture into the center of each square.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon of water.
- Starting at opposite corners, fold up each corner to meet in the middle.
- Lightly brush egg wash on top of the pastry.
- Place on a baking tray and place in the oven for 18 minutes.
- Pull out the tray and sprinkle a small amount of cheese in the center of each puff.
- Continue to bake for another 2-5 minutes, until golden brown and the cheese is melted.
Notes
- Use a shredded cheese like cheddar, mozzarella, or Grueyere.
- If you can't find puff pastry, you could use crescent roll dough or biscuit dough as a substitute.
- Add cooked ground meat for some added protein and additional heartiness.