This creamy potato and bacon bake is comfort food at its very best... tender potatoes layered with crispy bacon and gooey cheese, baked in a creamy sauce!
A delicious side dish that takes just 15 minutes to prepare and pairs perfectly with roast meat, chicken or fish.
This potato bacon bake is soft, creamy, cheesy, and the ultimate comfort food!
Like my French onion chicken bake, tuna pasta bake, quinoa bake and creamy chicken and bacon pasta bake, this easy family dinner takes just minutes to prepare, then simply place it in the oven until bubbling and golden!
If your family is like mine, and they love the combination of cheese and bacon, be sure to have a look at my cheese and bacon rolls, cheese and bacon cob loaf, cheese and bacon chicken sausage rolls, and cheese and bacon muffins for guaranteed crowd pleasers!
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
- Easy recipe - just fry, slice, whisk and layer!
- Family friendly - this recipe is LOVED by all the family - young and old alike!
- Comfort food - potato and bacon bake is so creamy and delicious, and curling up in front of the fire with bowlful of this is sure to warm you up, even on the coldest winter days!
- Freezer-friendly - make a double batch or this potato bake with bacon or freeze any leftovers for up to a month, for a quick and easy dinner!
- Conventional and Thermomix - both methods are included in the recipe card at the end of the post.
What You Need
You only need a handful of budget-friendly ingredients to make this delicious creamy bacon and potato bake!
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
- Bacon pieces - or use short-cut bacon (back bacon in the US) chopped into pieces.
- Cream - use a full-fat thickened cream (or heavy cream) for a rich and creamy flavour, however you could also use a 'light' version if you prefer.
- Butter - melted.
- Garlic - use either store-bought crushed garlic or crush your own fresh garlic cloves.
- Potatoes - approx 6 large potatoes, peeled and sliced. Choose a potato variety that's best for baking - I would choose varieties such as Sebago, Desiree, Dutch Cream or Pontiac here in Australia.
- Grated cheddar and mozzarella cheeses - using a combination of cheddar and mozzarella creates the cheesiest taste and a delicious oozy texture.
- Salt and pepper - to taste.
Equipment Required
You don't need any fancy equipment to make this cheese and bacon potato bake!
- 2 litre (8 cup) capacity baking dish.
- Frying pan - to fry the bacon in.
- Small bowl or jug, or Thermomix - for whisking the cream, butter and seasonings in.
- Oven - I use a fan-forced oven. If you use a conventional oven, increase the temperature by 10-20 degrees Celsius.
Step By Step Instructions
This recipe for potato bake with bacon takes just 15 minutes to prepare! Then place in the oven and leave until cooked, top with cheese and bake until bubbling and golden!
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
Step 1 - Fry The Bacon
Preheat the oven. Grease a baking dish and set aside.
Cook the bacon pieces in a frying pan until crispy. Set aside on a plate lined with a paper towel to drain any excess oil.
Step 2 - Whisk The Cream, Butter And Seasonings Together
Place the cream, melted butter, minced garlic, salt and black pepper into a small bowl or jug. Whisk until combined.
Step 3 - Layer The Bake
Peel your potatoes and slice into very thin slices.
Spread ⅓ of the sliced potatoes into the base of the baking dish.
Pour over ⅓ of the cream mixture.
Sprinkle over ⅓ of the crispy bacon.
Then sprinkle over ⅓ of the grated cheese.
Repeat with another layer of the potatoes, cream, bacon and grated cheese.
For the final layer, add the potatoes, cream and bacon, but not the remaining grated cheese. Place the remaining cheese aside to add towards the end of cooking.
Step 4 - Bake
Cover the potato and bacon bake tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven until the potatoes are soft through.
Remove the foil and sprinkle over the remaining grated cheeses then return the potato bake to the oven and bake until the top is golden.
Allow to stand for a few minutes before serving.
Expert Tips
- Choose a potato variety that's best for baking - it will soften in the creamy base, without becoming floury. However it's such a forgiving recipe as potatoes, cream, bacon and cheese are always going to be a winning combo!
- Make sure the potato slices are an even thickness - this makes sure they cook evenly.
- Cover the potato and bacon bake with foil - to keep the potatoes moist and prevent the top layer from browning too much in the oven.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
- To reheat - place in the oven at a medium temperature until heated through. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave.
FAQ's
Absolutely! Freeze potato bake in an airtight container for up to 1 month and allow to defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating. To reheat, place in the oven at a medium temperature until heated through. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave.
Yes! This potato bake recipe is gluten free.
Yes, you can, in fact, reheating the potato bake in the microwave creates more moisture and therefore is less likely to dry the potato bake out than reheating in the oven.
Related Recipes
For more comforting, cosy family dinners, here are some of my most popular recipes:
WANT EVEN MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? Subscribe to my newsletter or follow along on Facebook or Instagram. And if you love baking, then please come and join my Facebook cooking club group or subscribe to my YouTube channel.
Potato And Bacon Bake
Ingredients
- 300 g bacon pieces
- 360 ml (1½ cups) thickened cream heavy cream
- 30 g (2 tbs) butter melted
- 2 teaspoon minced garlic
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 kg potatoes approx 6 large
- 2½ cups grated cheddar and mozzarella cheeses
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Grease a 2 litre / 8 cup capacity baking dish and set aside.
- Place the bacon pieces into a frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook until crispy. Set aside on a plate lined with a paper towel to drain any excess oil.
- Place the cream, melted butter, minced garlic and salt and pepper into a small bowl or jug. Whisk until combined. If using a Thermomix: Mix for 10 seconds, Speed 8.
- Peel the potatoes and then slice into very thin slices (approx 3mm thick).
- Spread ⅓ of the sliced potatoes into the base of the baking dish. Pour over ⅓ of the cream mixture and sprinkle with ⅓ of the crispy bacon and ⅓ of the grated cheese.
- Repeat with another layer of the potatoes, cream, bacon and grated cheese.
- For the last layer, add the potatoes, cream and bacon (but not the remaining grated cheese).
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Check that the potatoes are soft (if not, cover with foil and continue cooking until soft).
- Remove the foil and sprinkle over the remaining grated cheeses.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.
- Allow the potato bake to stand for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- Cream - use a full-fat thickened cream (or heavy cream) for a rich and creamy flavour, however you could also use a 'light' version if you prefer.
- Choose a potato variety that's best for baking - it will soften in the creamy base, without becoming floury. I would choose varieties such as Sebago, Desiree, Dutch Cream or Pontiac here in Australia, however it's such a forgiving recipe as potatoes, cream, bacon and cheese are always going to be a winning combo!
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
- Freeze in an airtight container for up to 1 month (allow to defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating). To reheat, place in the oven at a medium temperature until heated through. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave.
Leave a Reply