Gordon Ramsay’s twice baked potatoes are crisp-skinned jackets baked whole, then scooped, mashed with butter and Savoy cabbage, and baked again until golden on top. They take about an hour and twenty minutes.
This is his Twice-Baked Bubble and Squeak Jacket Potatoes from Ultimate Home Cooking. It reinvents bubble and squeak, the old British mix of mash and cabbage, as a stuffed jacket potato. Gordon bakes the potatoes rather than boiling, he says, for a “fluffier, more potato-y flavour.”
The twice baked part is the whole trick. You bake the potatoes once, scoop and mash the fluffy insides with butter and cabbage, then pile it back into the skins and bake again. Heap the filling above the edges, as Gordon does, so the tops catch and crisp.
Gordon Ramsay Twice Baked Potatoes
Course: Side DishCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy4
15
minutes1
minute280
kcal1 hr 30 min
Gordon Ramsay’s twice baked bubble and squeak jacket potatoes from Ultimate Home Cooking. Baked potatoes scooped and mashed with butter and Savoy cabbage, piled back into the skins and baked again until golden. A veggie main or a hearty side.
Ingredients
4 baking potatoes
¾ head of Savoy cabbage, finely shredded
3-4 knobs of butter
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Heat the oven: Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan) Gas 4.
- Bake the potatoes: Wash and dry the potatoes, then bake for 1 hour, until cooked through and crisp outside.
- Cook the cabbage: Meanwhile, sauté the shredded Savoy cabbage in a little butter and a dash of water until tender. Season, then drain off any excess moisture.
- Scoop and mash: Halve the baked potatoes and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Mash with a couple of knobs of butter, then mix in the cabbage. Season to taste.
- Fill and bake again: Spoon the mash back into the skins, heaping it above the edges. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the tops are golden and crisping. Serve straight away.
FAQs
What is bubble and squeak?
It’s a traditional British dish of leftover mashed potato and cabbage or greens, fried together until golden. The name comes from the bubbling and squeaking sounds it makes in the pan.
Gordon’s version reinvents it. Instead of frying the mash and cabbage in a pan, he packs the mix back into crisp potato skins and bakes it. You get the same flavours with a better texture.
Why bake the potatoes instead of boiling them?
Because baking gives a drier, fluffier mash. Gordon says he bakes rather than boils his potatoes for a “fluffier, more potato-y flavour.” Boiling waterlogs them, which makes a wetter, blander mash.
It also keeps the crisp skins to use as edible shells, the same crisp result you get from his baked potato recipe. As Gordon puts it, the joy of the recipe is that you don’t waste the skins.
Can you make twice baked potatoes ahead?
Yes, and they suit it well. Bake, scoop, mash and fill the skins, then keep them covered in the fridge for up to a day before the second bake. Bake from cold and add 5 to 10 minutes.
This is why they’re handy for a dinner. The messy prep is done early, and the final bake happens while your main rests.
What cheese or extras can you add?
Gordon suggests a little cheese grated over the top, which melts into the golden crust as they bake again. A sharp Cheddar or some Parmesan both work well.
Beyond cheese, crisp bacon, spring onions or a spoon of mustard all suit the cabbage. Keep it simple though, the bubble and squeak flavour is the point.
What do you serve twice baked potatoes with?
They work two ways. Gordon serves them as a side to a hearty stew, like his beef bourguignon, where the crisp potato soaks up the gravy. They also stand alone as a veggie main with a salad.
For a fuller plate, sit them next to a roast leg of lamb. They’re rich and filling, so a sharp green salad or some greens balances them out.
Can you freeze twice baked potatoes?
Yes. Freeze them after filling but before the second bake, on a tray until solid, then bag them. They keep for up to three months.
Bake from frozen at 180C for 25 to 30 minutes, until hot through and golden. The skins crisp up again in the oven, which is the advantage of this dish over a soft mash.
