Loaded Potato Rounds with Bacon & Cheddar

Cut the potatoes thin. Real thin. Yukon Golds, 1/4 inch rounds, and they slip into a bowl with salt, pepper, garlic powder, melted butter. Toss it until every slice catches some of that golden fat. This is loaded potato rounds, but the remix part matters — you’re getting crispy edges without the mess of deep frying, and somehow the cheese gets creamy while the potato stays firm underneath. Takes 40 minutes total. Twelve to prep, twenty-eight in the oven and microwave combined.

Why You’ll Love This Bacon Cheese Potatoes Recipe

Comfort food that doesn’t feel like work. Crisps up in the oven without any babysitting — microwave does half the job, the heat does the rest. Bacon. Cheddar. Green onions stacked on top while it’s still hot and the cheese hasn’t set yet. Actually good cold the next day, which is weird for something this cheesy, but it happens. No special equipment. One bowl, one baking sheet, maybe a microwave if you want to speed through it.

Yukon Gold Potatoes With Crispy Bacon and Cheddar

Six Yukon Golds. Scrub them under cold water, dry them off — wet potatoes don’t crisp. Slice into 1/4 inch rounds. Not 1/8. Not 1/2. 1/4, because anything thinner shatters in the oven, anything thicker stays gummy in the middle no matter how long you wait.

Melt three tablespoons of butter. Pour it over the sliced potatoes in a bowl with salt, pepper, garlic powder — use the powder, not fresh minced. Fresh minced burns. Powder doesn’t. Stir until they’re all slicked and the coating sits even. This is the only chance you get to season the actual potato, so don’t skip it.

Five strips of thick-cut bacon, because thin bacon disappears. Fry them over medium heat until crispy. Drain on paper towels. Once they cool enough to touch, break them into pieces. One cup of sharp cheddar, not mild — mild tastes like nothing. Four green onions, chopped thin. Sour cream optional but not really.

How to Make Crispy Baked Potato Slices

Spread the buttered potatoes in a single layer on a microwave-safe dish. Not stacked. Stacked means steamed and you’ll hate it. Single layer, touching is fine but not piled. Microwave on high for three to four minutes. You’re watching for them to go from hard-crunch to slightly soft but still holding their shape. This pre-cook stops the oven from drying out the edges while the centers stay raw.

While that’s going, the bacon should be cooling. Break it up.

Getting Potato Rounds Crispy in the Oven

Once the microwave stops, arrange those rounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Brush with that reserved melted butter — or better, save the bacon fat drippings and use those instead. More flavor. Less guilt somehow.

Bake at 355°F for eighteen to twenty-two minutes. You want crispy, golden edges. The centers should give when you push them but not fall apart. That contrast is the whole point — crunchy rim, tender inside.

Pull it out. Brush the surface one more time with butter or bacon fat. This helps the cheese stick and makes everything look glossy.

Sprinkle the sharp cheddar on top. Add the bacon pieces. Scatter the green onions. Back in for six to eight minutes until the cheese melts and bubbles just slightly at the edges. Watch it. Overcook cheese and it goes slick and grainy and sad.

Loaded Potato Rounds Tips and Common Mistakes

Thickness matters more than you think. If your potatoes come out mushy, they were cut too thin or microwaved too long. If they’re tough in the oven, they were cut too thick or didn’t microwave long enough. Next time adjust. It’s not complicated.

The green onions go on after the cheese melts, or they turn into nothing. Actually — put half of them on before, half after. The ones underneath get soft, the ones on top stay bright.

Store leftovers covered. Reheat in the oven, not the microwave, or they turn soggy. Broil for the last minute or two if you want them extra crispy, but stand there and watch. Thirty seconds too long and the cheese blackens.

Use parchment paper. It prevents sticking and lets the bottoms crisp without burning. Not foil. Foil browns things too fast.

Loaded Potato Rounds with Bacon & Cheddar

By Emma

Prep:

12 min

Cook:

28 min

Total:

40 min

Servings:

5 servings

Ingredients

• 6 Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted plus extra for brushing
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder replacing fresh minced garlic
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 5 strips of thick-cut bacon
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese substituting mild cheddar
• 4 green onions, washed and thinly chopped
• Sour cream for topping, optional
• Smoked paprika garnish, optional

Method

1. Prep potatoes and aromatics
2. 1 Slice washed potatoes into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Thinner cooks faster but fragile, thicker takes longer but holds shape better. Toss in a bowl with salt, pepper, garlic powder and 3 tablespoons melted butter. Stir to coat evenly. Avoid soggy - butter helps crisp edges.
3. Microwave stage
4. 2 Spread potato rounds in a single layer inside a microwave-safe dish. Microwave on high for 3 to 4 minutes until you notice they start softening but still hold shape. The texture should shift from raw crunch to slightly pliable. This pre-cooks potatoes, speeding oven time and prevents dry edges.
5. Bacon prep
6. 3 Fry bacon strips over medium heat until crispy. Drain on paper towels. Once cool, break into bite-size pieces. If no bacon, use smoked sausage bits or store-bought smoked almonds for crunch. Keep bacon fat drippings; save for brushing later - great flavor booster.
7. Oven baking phase
8. 4 Arrange microwaved potato rounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Sprinkle the garlic powder evenly and bake at 355°F (slightly higher for better browning) for 18-22 minutes. Look for crispy, golden edges and soft centers. You want that satisfying contrast between crunchy rim and tender inside. If baking longer, check to prevent over-drying.
9. 5 Once baked, brush surface with extra melted butter or reserved bacon fat to boost gloss and flavor. This also helps cheese adhere better.
10. Cheese & toppings
11. 6 Top potatoes with shredded sharp cheddar, bacon pieces and chopped green onions. Return to oven for another 6-8 minutes until cheese melts thoroughly and bubbles lightly. Avoid overcooking or cheese turns greasy and grainy.
12. Serving
13. 7 Serve hot. Add a dollop of sour cream and a pinch of smoked paprika on top for warmth and color pop. Great for snacking or as a side with grilled meats.
14. Troubleshooting & tips
15. 8 If using larger potatoes, adjust slice thickness accordingly; too thin and they break apart, too thick and they won’t soften properly. Monitor microwave times - too long leads to mush, too short means tough in oven. Use parchment paper to prevent sticking and allow crisp.
16. 9 For crispier results, broil for last 1-2 minutes but watch carefully to avoid burning. Store leftovers covered in fridge; reheat in oven to regain crisp.

Nutritional information

Calories

340

Protein

13g

Carbs

12g

Fat

32g

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Frequently Asked Questions About Crispy Baked Potato Slices With Bacon and Cheddar

Can I prep these ahead of time? Cut the potatoes and toss them with butter and seasonings up to a few hours before. Keep them in the fridge. When you’re ready, microwave them straight from cold and add a minute to the time. Works fine.

What if I don’t have sharp cheddar? Don’t use mild. Use gruyere or aged provolone instead. Something with an actual taste. Mild cheddar is basically plastic.

Can I skip the microwave step? Yes. It’ll just take longer in the oven — maybe thirty-five to forty minutes instead of twenty-two. Edges might dry out more. Not worth saving time.

Are these actually good as a side dish? Yeah. Grilled steak, roasted chicken, burgers. Better than regular fries because the potato is actually cooked through and crispy at the same time.

How do I make them crispier? Broil for one to two minutes at the very end after the cheese melts. Stand right there and watch. Also make sure your baking sheet is dry and hot when the potatoes go on — cold sheet means soft bottoms.

Can I use russets instead? Not really. Russets break apart. Yukon Golds have something in them that holds together. Red potatoes work too but they’re softer and less crispy.

What about sour cream? It’s optional but just dollop a bit on top while they’re still hot. Cold sour cream on hot potato is actually good — the contrast matters. Smoked paprika on top if you want color, which you probably do.