Bacon Cheddar Potato Wedges are thick baking-potato wedges fried until browned, seasoned with salt and pepper, then baked under a blanket of shredded cheddar and finished with crumbled bacon. Three large potatoes make 18 wedges, enough for 8 as an appetizer or side, in about 55 minutes.
How to make them: Cut each potato in half, then each half into thirds. Fry the wedges in 2 inches of 350°F oil until browned, then move them to a baking sheet and season. Top with cheddar and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, until melted. Scatter the crumbled bacon over the top and bake 5 minutes more.
Why You’ll Love Them
- Loaded-potato flavor: melted cheddar and crispy bacon on every wedge.
- A crowd appetizer: 18 wedges for game day or a party table.
- Six ingredients: potatoes, oil, salt, pepper, cheddar and bacon.
- Fry or bake: use the fryer method here, or bake the wedges if you’d rather skip the oil.
Ingredient Notes
Baking potatoes: 3 large ones. Russet or Idaho potatoes both work.
Vegetable oil: enough to fill a large pot about 2 inches deep for frying.
Salt and pepper: 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper, sprinkled on right after frying.
Cheddar: 1 1/2 cups, shredded. Sharp cheddar works well.
Bacon: 8 slices, cooked crisp and crumbled before they go on. The bacon is fully cooked ahead; it only warms through on top.
Ingredients
- 3 large baking potatoes
- Vegetable oil, for frying (about 2 inches deep in a large pot)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- 8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
How to Make Bacon Cheddar Potato Wedges
1. Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Cut the wedges. Cut the potatoes in half, then cut each half into thirds, for 18 wedges in all. Slice the top half of the triangle off each wedge, leaving a flat-top wedge.
3. Fry the wedges. Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large pot to 350°F. Add the wedges to the hot oil and cook until browned.
4. Season. Move the fried wedges to a baking sheet and season with the salt and pepper.
5. Add the cheese. Top the wedges with the shredded cheddar.
6. Bake and add the bacon. Bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Top with the crumbled bacon and bake for 5 more minutes.
Fry or Bake the Wedges?
This recipe fries the raw wedges first, which gives them a browned outside before the cheese goes on. If you’d rather not deep-fry, bake them instead:
- Scrub the potatoes well and pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Cut them into steak-fry-style wedges and toss them with olive oil.
- Spread them in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet and season with salt and pepper.
- Bake at 400°F for about 40 minutes, until tender and starting to brown.
- Top with the cheese and bacon and return them to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until melted and bubbling.
Either way, the bacon goes on cooked, near the end, so it stays crisp.
Should You Boil Potato Wedges Before Frying?
Not for this recipe. The cut wedges go straight into the hot oil with no boiling step, and they cook through while they brown. The baked method doesn’t parboil them either; the long bake at 400°F does the job.
Tips for Cheesy Bacon Wedges
- Heat the oil first. Let it reach 350°F before the wedges go in.
- Season while hot. Salt and pepper stick best right after frying.
- Melt, then top. Bake until the cheese melts before adding the bacon, so the bacon stays crisp.
- Cook the bacon ahead. Fry or bake it until crisp, then crumble it before you start the potatoes.
- Serve right away. They’re best hot from the oven while the cheese is melty.
Variations
- Two cheeses: use sharp cheddar with a handful of shredded mozzarella.
- Green onions: sprinkle sliced green onions over the top at the end.
- Ranch cream sauce: stir together Greek yogurt or sour cream, a little ranch dressing and a splash of milk; spoon some on a baking sheet, set the baked wedges on it, spoon the rest over them, then add the cheese and bacon and bake until bubbling.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow covered containers. They keep 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Leftovers can be frozen for 3 to 4 months, though they may lose moisture and flavor. Thaw in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave.
Reheating: Reheat covered until they reach 165°F. Don’t reheat them in a slow cooker. The wedges are at their best the day they’re made.
What to Serve With Them
Put them on a party spread with chicken bacon ranch pinwheels, sausage hashbrown bites and cheesy mashed potato puffs.
For more potatoes with cheese and bacon, try Mississippi mud potatoes or the slow cooker loaded potato bake. For a lighter wedge, make baked garlic Parmesan potato wedges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should you boil potato wedges before frying?
Not for this recipe. The raw wedges go straight into 350°F oil and cook until browned.
How do you make cheesy bacon wedges?
Fry or bake the potato wedges, top them with shredded cheddar and bake until melted, then add crumbled cooked bacon for the last few minutes.
Can I bake the wedges instead of frying them?
Yes. Toss them with olive oil and bake at 400°F for about 40 minutes, then add the cheese and bacon and bake 5 to 10 minutes more.
Is the bacon cooked first?
Yes. Cook it crisp and crumble it before it goes on the wedges.
How many does this make?
Three large potatoes make 18 wedges, about 2 or 3 per person as an appetizer for 8.
Final Notes
Fry the wedges, melt the cheddar and finish with bacon, and you’ve got a party appetizer that disappears fast. If you try them with the ranch cream sauce, tell me in the comments how you liked it.
Bacon Cheddar Potato Wedges
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Ingredients
- 3 large baking potatoes cut in half, then each half into thirds, 18 wedges in all
- vegetable oil for frying, 2 inches deep in a large pot
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 8 slices bacon cooked crisp and crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cut the potatoes in half, then cut each half into thirds, for 18 wedges in all. Slice the top half of the triangle off each wedge, leaving a flat-top wedge.
- Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large pot to 350°F. Add the wedges to the hot oil and cook until browned.
- Move the fried wedges to a baking sheet and season with the salt and pepper.
- Top the wedges with the shredded cheddar.
- Bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Top with the crumbled bacon and bake for 5 more minutes.
