These Cheesy Grilled Potatoes with Bacon are an EASY foil pack side dish or appetizer for summer, with slice potatoes, cheddar cheese and crispy bacon. Easy to prep ahead for a camping meal!
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FRIENDS.
As soon as I peeked inside the foil pack, I just knew. This was going to be a winner.
These Cheesy Grilled Potatoes are out of this world good. This delicious side dish is so, so unbelievably easy to make, you’ll find yourself having them all summer long! And I won’t blame you.
I started my potatoes in the microwave because it just adds a little extra insurance that the potatoes will all be cooked through, especially since I like to stack my potatoes up in my foil pack!
Plus it makes these a super easy, no-brainer kind of summer side dish because you know that half of them won’t be burnt by the time they’re cooked through the middle (or am I the only one with that problem??).
You can definitely parboil them instead if you prefer. Ideally, you want to cook them until they are close to cooked through (but not quite) so that you can finish them up on the grill without overthinking it! You can also slice and start on the grill from raw, but you may want to let them cook through, stirring occasionally, in the foil and then top with the cheese and bacon.
There are tons of ways you could make this effortless side dish into a full meal deal: add some cooked chicken, some broccoli, or some cooked corn on the cob, peppers, zucchini, you name it — it works! The one thing to keep in mind is the cooking time since the potatoes will be ready fairly quickly once they hit the grill!
However you make them your own, I’m just hoping you don’t skip the melted cheese 😉
These potato foil packets are also great for camping, just like my Breakfast Foil Packets, Honey Garlic Chicken Foil Packets, and these Chicken Fajita Foil Packets!
Ingredients Needed:
- Potatoes: creamer potatoes or baby potatoes work best here, but you can use any thinly sliced potatoes.
- Salt & Pepper: a simple combination of kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper will season these potatoes perfectly!
- Bacon: I usually use thick cut bacon but any kind will work.
- Cheese: we love cheddar cheese with bacon, but you can use mozzarella for a milder flavor, Parmesan cheese for a salty flavor, or a Mexican cheese mix for some added spice.
- Green Onions: they add a great sharp, savory flavor to this side dish that works so well with the bacon and cheese!
How to Make Cheesy Grilled Potatoes
This recipe is quick and easy to make. Full instructions are included in the recipe card below.
- Prepare potatoes. Poke holes in each potato, and partly cook them in the microwave. Once they have cooled slightly, slice them into thin slices.
- Make bottom layer of potato slices. Lay aluminum foil together, spray with cooking spray and place a single layer of potatoes on top of the foil. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add cheese and bacon layers. Top with ⅓ of the cheese and ⅓ of the bacon. Repeat the layers two more times.
- Seal foil, cover grill, and cook. Fold up the sides of the foil, pinch the top closed, and cook directly on the grill.
Cheesy Grilled Potatoes FAQs
No! You don’t need to boil potatoes before grilling them, but for best results, I would recommend partly cooking them in some way first.
I par-cook the potatoes in the microwave before letting them finish off on the grill. Partly cooking the potatoes will ensure they are thoroughly cooked through when you serve them, so there are no lumpy surprises!
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven covered with foil.
Tips and Notes
- Oil. You can put some melted butter onto the foil, or drizzle some olive oil rather than using a cooking spray if you prefer.
- No Foil Method. I know that some people don’t like to use foil for cooking, so you can feel free to use a grill-ready pan, cast iron skillet, or these grilling mats instead. We have some grill mats and we love them for tricky-to-grill foods!
- Cooking Time. The cooking time will vary greatly depending on how thickly your potatoes are sliced, how many layers you have stacked up, and the exact temperature of your grill, so it’s best to check them regularly.
- Keeping warm. You can keep the potatoes warm while everything else cooks by placing the foil packet on the side of the grill, where it will get indirect heat and stay warm without cooking it further.
Cheesy Grilled Potatoes Variations
- Bacon. The bacon will add protein, as well as a yummy smoky flavor but you can omit it if you want. You can also swap with store-bought bacon bits.
- Veggies. Add some extra veggies like broccoli, bell peppers, or zucchini.
- Garnish. Use fresh herbs like basil or chopped chives as a garnish instead of green onions if you prefer.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these Cheesy Grilled Potatoes on the side with a full BBQ spread.
Check out my Grilled Chicken Recipes for some chicken BBQ mains, or try my Grilled Pizza 4 Ways, or this recipe for Hawaiian Chicken Burgers with Grilled Pineapple for something a bit different!
Serve some classic BBQ sides with your main, like my Homemade Coleslaw Recipe, my Instant Pot Baked Beans, or this Easy Broccoli Salad. Check out my list of The Best BBQ Sides for Summer for more inspiration!
More Easy Side Dish Recipes to Try
Cheesy Grilled Potatoes with Bacon + VIDEO
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 450 grams creamer potatoes or baby potatoes, (about 14 potatoes) thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- fresh cracked pepper
- 2 slices bacon (cooked until crispy and crumbled)
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
- 2 green onions (sliced)
Instructions
- Poke a few holes in each potato with a knife or skewer.
- Place potatoes on a large microwave-safe plate (choose potatoes that are roughly the same size) and cook on high for 3-4 minutes, until somewhat tender (but not totally soft).
- Preheat the grill to medium heat (about 350 degrees F).
- Let the potatoes cool enough so that you can touch them. Slice potatoes into consistently thin slices.
- Lay two large sheets of aluminum foil together (or use a cast iron skillet or grill pan) and spray with cooking spray.
- Place a single layer of potatoes on top of the foil. Combine the salt and pepper and sprinkle ⅓ of the seasoning mixture over the potatoes. Top with ⅓ of the cheese and ⅓ of the bacon.
- Repeat the layers two more times until all the potatoes, cheese, and bacon have been used. Fold up the sides of the foil (if using a skillet or pan, you may want to cover it with foil to keep the heat in) and pinch the top closed. Place directly onto your charcoal grill or gas grill. Cover the grill, and cook for 10-20 minutes, until potatoes are tender all the way through. Open up the foil and sprinkle with green onions. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven covered with foil.
Nutrition Information
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Alaina says
Hi there,
This recipe looks delish! We’ll be going camping soon and I want to prepare this meal ahead of time for our group. I just had one quick question:
If I were to prep this the day before we went camping, would I cut and microwave the potatoes, pack in all the other ingredients and wrap it in foil at home AND THEN bring it to the campsite the next day to finish off the cooking process over the grill/fire?
Sorry if the question seems redundant, I just wanted to be super clear before I make it wrong and feed it to a group of people.
Thanks for your help and the wonderful recipe!
Ashley Fehr says
Yes! We love it for camping because they only have to be reheated later on.
Louise says
OMG it is so good. With sour cream and you are in love with this dish.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Louise!
Trace says
Hey there, I’m a little confused and would appreciate clarification. This recipe was in your list of camping recipes, however the very first step is to microwave the potatoes. I don’t know about you, but my campsite has never come with a microwave, and sometimes not even power depending on the place. Many campers also do not have a microwave, especially smaller ones like the Micro Minnie or pop-ups.
I’m not sure how to proceed with such a recipe that is clearly intended for either a house or a very fancy camper!
Only thing I can think of is to cook them beforehand, which isn’t always possible due to hectic lives and other logistics, or to have separate foil set aside purely for cooking them over the fire.
I also noticed all the recipes are specifically for a nice gas grill – no one I know has a gas grill and I’d love to see recipes that can apply to a wider audience! I don’t have a camper (tent camper here) so we always cook over charcoal or the camp fire. Notes like preheating to certain temperatures just don’t work for that!
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Trace, thanks for your feedback! I don’t know about you, but when we go camping I prep as much as I can in advance, so yes, I would expect the potatoes to be microwaved in advance. Although, you could cook them over the fire and add the cheese and bacon closer to the end. I honestly don’t know a lot of people that camp without a grill these days, but even recipes that call for a grill can be cooked over a low fire with the grate over top.
Jackie says
If you make this in the oven, would you still want to wrap in foil & put in cookie sheet or no foil?
Ashley Fehr says
You can do either way!
Michelle says
Really Trace? Get a life! This recipe looks awesome Ashley and I cant wait to try it tonight! Sorry some people want to be difficult!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Michelle!
Lynn says
Made this tonite it was amazing and easy to make. I added some diced onions and green peppers to them and a bit more bacon (can’t have to much bacon). Will definitely make again. Thanks for the recipe.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Lynn! I love those additions!
L. C. Lassman says
In addition to pre-cooking the potatoes, also helps to a) put the shiny side of the foil on the inside (if it’s facing out, it will reflect a lot of the heat) and b) to spray the foil with cooking spray (unless you want to have half of the potatoes sticking to the foil at the end; don’t ask how I know this 😉 ).
Ashley Fehr says
Great tips!
Melinda says
Hi, I was jw about portions?
I love the fact that u list nutritional values etc, but my question is- how do i know what the serving sizes r?
Normally this would NOT b something that’d even cross my mind but unfortunately now i have to know these things due to health problems.
I need alot of protein, potassium, fiber n calories.
Ty n advance
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Melinda! I definitely understand. To get a more accurate idea of portion size, I would make 4 separate packs, slice 3-4 potatoes into each adn divide the toppings by 4. Unfortunately I don’t know serving size in grams.
Josh Green says
Going camping this weekend and am going to take stuff to make this. Super excited! Thank you!
Ashley Fehr says
I hope you enjoy it!
Lou Chamblee says
Why wont it let me print
Ashley Fehr says
When you click “print” it will open a print friendly page. If you have pop ups blocked, it is likely blocking the print page from opening
Connie says
Fixed this but added (softened) peppers and onions. SO GOOD!!!!
Ashley Fehr says
Yum! That sounds great!