Bacon Cheddar Potato Packets
Whether you’re grilling burgers, chicken, or beef these Bacon Cheddar Potato Packets go on the grill alongside your entree. They are the ideal side dish for many entrees and are fun to serve at parties.
Pin Bacon Cheddar Potato Packets to make later.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- These potato packs are the perfect camping side dish.
- You can do a lot of advanced prep work and then assemble just before grilling.
- If you don’t have a grill or it’s raining or cold, these can easily be made in the oven.
Ingredients
Whether you choose to make these bacon Cheddar potato packets on the grill or in the oven, just six ingredients are needed for this side dish that’s sure to become a favorite.
- Russet Potatoes – Idahos are my first choice though you can use red potatoes too.
- Cheddar Cheese – Shred it yourself, don’t buy pre-shredded.
- Bacon – You need to cook it first.
- Butter – I prefer unsalted.
- Salt and Pepper – Or other favorite seasonings. See the tips below.
- Green Onions – Also known as spring onions.
Advance Prep
Tasks you can do in advance when making these bacon Cheddar potato packets include shredding the cheese, cooking the bacon, and slicing the green onions.
You can also cut up the potatoes but be sure to keep them in a bowl of water so they don’t brown.
Why should you soak cut potatoes in water?
The reason is to prevent the potatoes from exposure to air, which causes dehydration, oxidation, and discoloration. Immersing cut potatoes also helps rinse off the excess starch. You can soak the potatoes anywhere from 30 minutes to overnight.
How do you serve bacon cheddar potato packets?
Making individual sides is fun and easy. Once these packets are done, I put the whole foil pack on the plate with the entree. You certainly could choose to turn the potatoes out of the packet onto the plate if you prefer.
Tips and Additions
- Mix up the seasonings. Add some heat with cayenne pepper. Spice them up with garlic powder in addition to the salt and pepper.
- Rather than sprinkle green onions on at the end, slice a sweet onion into wedges and include it in the packet.
- Use a blend of cheeses rather than just one type.
- If you prefer you could bake packets rather than putting them on the grill.
- Use sweet potatoes or red potatoes in place of the Idaho potatoes.
More kid-friendly potato recipes
Home-baked potato chips are perfect with sandwiches as are restaurant-style potato wedges. Herbed hasselback potatoes are perfect with chicken or steak.
More Delicious Cookout Side Dishes:
In my house, it’s not a cookout unless Gigi’s Baked Beans are served. This recipe has been in my family for 50 years. Creamy Coleslaw is another classic side that is always popular.
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Bacon Cheddar Potato Packets
Ingredients
- 4 medium Idaho potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 1 cup cooked and crumbled bacon
- 2 green onions, sliced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Non-stick cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat grill to medium heat. You’ll need 4 large squares of aluminum foil. Spray each piece of aluminum foil with non-stick cooking spray.
- Place cubed potatoes on each of the 4 squares of foil.
- Add 1 tablespoon of butter to each portion and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Cover potatoes with about 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and 1/4 cup of bacon pieces. Wrap foil securely around potatoes. Pierce foil with a knife several times to vent steam while cooking.
- Place on preheated grill. Cover grill and cook over medium heat for 45 – 55 minutes until potatoes are tender.
Recipe Notes
This post was originally published on June 6, 2016 and updated on May 10, 2020.
Wow!! So easy yet so delicious! I could skip the burger and just have a packet of these potatoes.
I love that you put the onions in the packet, and the suggestion to add jalapenos! This sounds so delicious- I can’t wait to try it for our next BBQ!
I love making potatoes in foil packets when we are camping. These potatoes look delicious!
I love how versatile this is…you can tweak it every which way, depending on what type of potatoes, aromatics and cheese you have around!
My family loves foil packs and potatoes! Winner!
These sound delicious! Perfect for summer grilling.
What a great idea – so much better than heating up the kitchen!
These foil packet potatoes look off the charts DELISH! I”m digging the bacon in there, too. I see so many uses for this recipe, too.
Love foil packs like this! These look like a great idea to save for camp fire cooking too!
Absolutely perfect for campfire cooking! A great idea!
This is perfect for summer!!
Foil packs are great for snacks, picnics, lunch at the pool…
These look so delicious and so amazingly simple!
What a great easy summer recipe! I’ll be making these soon!
This will be perfect for our camping trips! We always want something hearty like this after a long hiking day
You had me at “bacon and cheddar” like seriously, YUM! Great idea for a summer side dish, thanks for sharing!
What a fun party idea! Foil packs are great for camping, too.
Great easy grilling idea! Throw them on while your chicken cooks and dinner done!
Great idea. Cheesy potatoes are always a win.
Great idea for a summer barbecue.