Dutch Oven Loaded Potatoes

🥔🧀 Dutch Oven Loaded Potatoes — The Campfire Comfort Dish You’ll Crave

Golden potatoes, sizzling bacon, melty cheese, and buttery garlic all baked together in a Dutch oven — these Loaded Potatoes are basically happiness in a pot!

There are recipes that feel like they were made for gathering. Dutch Oven Loaded Potatoes is one of those dishes. It’s hearty, it’s cheesy, it’s smoky, and it’s the kind of recipe that makes everyone hover around the pot waiting for their scoop. Whether you’re camping, cooking in the backyard, or just wanting to bring a little rustic charm to your dinner table, this dish delivers every single time.

This recipe is:

• Rustic and hearty — potatoes + bacon + cheese = comfort food perfection.
• Crowd‑pleasing — picky eaters and foodies alike will dig in.
• Versatile — works as a side dish or the star of the meal.
• Make‑ahead friendly — prep ingredients at home, cook later.
• Perfect for gatherings — feeds a crowd and looks impressive.

💬 Reader prompt: Are you team “extra cheese on top” or team “extra bacon, please”?

We love to Dutch Oven cook a few times every summer! It’s tradition but seriously the food tastes so much better cooked in a Dutch oven!  We let our family decide what we are going to eat every time we go and this is always at the top of the list! Yes! Its taste as good as it looks!

There is something about cooking in a Dutch Oven that gives your food a little more taste and goodness. Its not hard to cook in the Dutch Oven, it just takes patience. We you haven’t tried, trust me, it will become a new family tradition.

 

 

 

COOKING VARIATIONS

If you do or don’t have a camping Dutch oven, it’s fine. Here are a few different ways you can make this recipe.

cast iron dutch oven over charcoal

cast iron oven over a tripod

enamel dutch oven– bake it in your oven

slow cooker– tastes great with the slow cooking method.

 

 

We have added different veggies in this in the past and it tastes great! Green peppers, carrots, or green beans would make a great options. Want a little spice? Add a jalapeno to the mix or a pinch of red pepper flakes!

 

We use cheddar cheese but go crazy and mix up your cheeses! It will taste amazing!

 

Dutch Oven Loaded Potatoes

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Ingredients

• 5 pound bag yellow potatoes, cubed
• 1 pound bacon, chopped
• 1 whole yellow onion, chopped
• 1 stick of butter, sliced
• 3 to 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 cups of cheese- we use cheddar
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Light briquettes, so they can heat up and be ready.
• Set your Dutch Oven on 10 warm briquettes and put butter on the bottom of the oven to melt.
• Add the potatoes, bacon, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir ingredients.
• Put lid on Dutch oven and place 10 briquettes on top(make sure to spread them out).
• Let the potatoes cook for about an hour. Checking every once in a while.
• When potatoes are soft, add cheese and let cook until it is melted. About 10 minutes.

Note: Depending on the weather(wind, temperature) you might have to increase or decrease the amount of briquettes that you use.

Notes

OVEN COOKING INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover with the lid and 45 to 50 minutes. Until potatoes are soft.

SLOW COOKER INSTRUCTIONS: High 3 to 4 hours or low 5 to 6. Check every once inn a while because every slow cooker is so different. You want the potatoes soft but not mush!

🔢 Calorie Count (Per Serving, Serves 10)

• Calories: ~380
• Protein: 12g
• Carbs: 32g
• Fat: 22g
• Fiber: 3g
• Sugar: 2g

💡 Note: Basically potato math that says, “Yes, bacon counts as protein.”

🥕 Nutritional Facts & Fun

• Potatoes: Potassium + comfort carbs.
• Bacon: Protein + smoky crunch.
• Cheese: Calcium + melty happiness.
• Onion & Garlic: Flavor + antioxidants.
• Butter: Richness + golden edges.

💬 Reader prompt: Do you prefer your loaded potatoes with sour cream on top, or keep it classic?

👩‍🍳 Cooking Tips

• Even Cubes: Cut potatoes evenly so they cook at the same rate.
• Cheese Choice: Sharp cheddar = bold flavor, mild cheddar = creamy melt.
• Campfire Hack: Line Dutch oven with foil for easier cleanup.
• Make Ahead: Chop potatoes and onions at home, store in zip‑top bags.
• Serving Suggestion: Top with sour cream, chives, or jalapeños.

🔄 Recipe Variations

• Tex‑Mex Style: Add taco seasoning and pepper jack cheese.
• Breakfast Twist: Add scrambled eggs on top.
• Veggie Lovers: Stir in bell peppers, mushrooms, or spinach.
• BBQ Version: Add pulled pork and drizzle with BBQ sauce.
• Lighter Option: Swap half the butter for olive oil.

💬 Reader prompt: Which version would your family devour first — Tex‑Mex, breakfast, or BBQ?

🧒 Kid Tips

• Let kids sprinkle cheese on top (they’ll feel like chefs).
• Serve with ketchup or ranch for dipping.
• Make mini foil packets for kid‑sized portions.
• Call them “potato treasure pots” to make them sound magical.

🛒 Grocery Hacks

• Potatoes: Buy in bulk — they last weeks in a cool, dark place.
• Bacon: Cook extra and freeze crumbles for quick add‑ins.
• Cheese: Shred blocks yourself — cheaper and melts better.
• Butter: Stock up during sales and freeze sticks.
• Onions & Garlic: Pre‑chop and freeze for easy cooking.

💬 Reader prompt: Do you usually buy shredded cheese, or shred your own?

🎯 Reader Challenge

This week, I challenge you to make Dutch Oven Loaded Potatoes and serve them in a fun way. Maybe it’s at a campfire, maybe it’s in the backyard, maybe it’s the star of Sunday dinner. Post your creation with #LouLouGirlsLoadedMagic so we can all drool together.

🥪 Leftover Remix

• Loaded Potato Hash: Fry leftovers in a skillet with eggs.
• Loaded Potato Soup: Add broth and cream, simmer into soup.
• Loaded Potato Quesadillas: Sandwich between tortillas with extra cheese.
• Loaded Potato Breakfast Burritos: Wrap in tortillas with scrambled eggs.
• Loaded Potato Pizza Topping: Spread over pizza crust with extra cheese.

💬 Reader prompt: Would you rather turn leftovers into soup or breakfast burritos?

💭 Final Thoughts

These Dutch Oven Loaded Potatoes are proof that comfort food doesn’t have to be complicated. They’re hearty, cheesy, and versatile enough to be a weeknight staple, a camping favorite, or a holiday side dish. Plus, they’re the kind of recipe that makes everyone smile — and isn’t that the best kind of cooking?

Here’s the thing about potato dishes — they’re never just potatoes. They’re the sound of bacon sizzling, the joy of sprinkling cheese until it’s “just right,” the comfort of knowing dinner is going to be a hit.

And these Dutch Oven Loaded Potatoes? They’re a keeper. They’re hearty, they’re cheesy, they’re rustic, they’re fun. They’re the kind of recipe that makes you feel like you’ve turned simple ingredients into something magical.

But what I love most is how recipes like this bring us together. Food has that magic — it’s not just about eating, it’s about sharing. It’s about swapping tips, laughing over cheese pulls, and building little traditions that make life tastier.

So here’s my challenge to you: make this dish, share it with your people, and then tell me your twist. Did you add mushrooms? Did you sneak in jalapeños? Did you double the cheese just because you could? (No judgment — I’d be first in line for that version.)

💬 Reader prompt: Should we do a “Potato Series” next? I’m dreaming up cheesy scalloped potatoes, smashed garlic potatoes, and maybe even potato nachos.

Until then, may your potatoes be golden, your bacon crispy, your cheese melty, and your kitchen filled with laughter, love, and second helpings. Because at the end of the day, recipes like this aren’t just about cooking — they’re about celebrating the little joys that make life delicious.

Did you try our  Dutch Oven Loaded Potatoes recipe? What did you think? We would love to hear from you! Please leave us a comment below or tag us on Instagram! 

 

CHECK OUT THESE DUTCH OVEN RECIPES

 

Try this Easy Dutch Oven Teriyaki Chicken Recipe – is a one pan wonder and a perfect camping dinner or you can cook it at home. The whole family will approve!

 

 

 

Dutch Oven Italian Dinner! Every Summer, we love to go Dutch oven cooking as a family. We try to go somewhere close so we can get our whole family there for Sunday family dinner

 

 

 

Apple Pie Dump is delicious and easy. This is a dessert that both kids and adults will love, they will come back for seconds!