Easy Loaded Air Fryer Potato Skins, full of tangy sour cream, melted cheddar cheese, and crisp, smoky bacon bits, are a retro appetizer that harkens back to the late 1970s. These make-ahead, homemade, air-fried potato skins, sometimes referred to as potato jackets, are hand-held, cheesy, crispy bites of deliciousness.
They are excellent whether you serve them as an appetizer, snack, or even as a light entree for lunch or dinner, and they make a hearty after-school snack for the kids.
While this easy recipe is made in an air fryer, I have also included simple-to-follow directions if you prefer to use an oven or don’t have an air fryer.
Back in the day, potato skins were usually deep-fried. But this easy recipe calls for air frying, which only uses a tiny fraction of the oil that deep frying does. So, you can see why they are much healthier than their fried counterparts!
Like my Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes and my Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes, the ingredient list for these air fryer homemade potato skins couldn’t be less complicated. Even though they are made from scratch, they are ridiculously quick and easy to make, and they will be even quicker to disappear! So, what are you waiting for? Why not make these “blast from the past” tasty treats today!
Ingredients – Here’s what you will need for this recipe:
- Potatoes – are the epitome of comfort foods and are the star of this party. I have included easy “how-to” instructions and tips for air frying, baking, or microwaving the potatoes.
- Olive oil – is used to coat the potatoes before baking to make the skin extra crispy.
- Butter – as the commercial says, “butter makes everything better,” and this couldn’t be truer in this case. Butter not only adds its rich, creamy taste, but it helps the potatoes develop a beautiful golden brown color and crisps the skins up.
- Parsley – adds a nice pop of color and a great herby freshness.
- Kosher salt and garlic powder – mixed with the butter, enhance all of the flavors and brings them together in one tasty bite.
- Bacon – with its smoky easily recognizable flavor is an absolute must in this loaded potato skins recipe
- Cheese – is another must. I use sharp cheddar cheese, but you can use pretty much any shredded cheese you have on hand, including Mexican or Italian blends.
- Sour cream – another essential component adds a cool, creamy tanginess to each bite.
- Chives – are used as a garnish in this recipe. Besides adding a pretty bright green contrast to a sea of brown and orange, they add a mild oniony flavor.
Directions – Here’s how to make this recipe:
- To bake the potatoes, scrub and rinse them well. Dry them completely with a paper or kitchen towel. Then, prick them several times with the tip of a knife or a fork and rub them all over with olive oil. Sprinkle one-half teaspoon of kosher salt evenly on all sides.
- If you are using an air fryer, place the potatoes in the basket and cook for 30 minutes at 400 degrees F. Flip them over and cook for another 15 minutes.
- If baking in the oven, preheat the oven to 350° F. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 90 minutes.
- If using a microwave, place the potatoes on a microwave-safe plate, then microwave for about 5 minutes, flip it over, and microwave it for about 5 more minutes.
- Test for doneness by piercing them with a thin knife. It should slide in easily with no resistance. You can also test for doneness by using an instant-read thermometer. A perfectly cooked baked potato will read somewhere around 210 degrees F.
- When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them in half lengthwise.
- Use a spoon to scoop out most of the flesh and save it to use in another recipe. Be sure to leave at least one-fourth inch of potato on the skin.
- Melt the butter in a small dish and add the parsley, salt, and garlic powder. Stir to combine.
- Use a pastry brush and brush the inside and outside of the potato skins with the butter mixture.
- If you are using an oven, increase the temperature to 425 degrees F. Place the skins cut side down on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Turn the skins over and bake an additional 5 minutes or until the skins are browned and crispy. Then, top each potato skin with a generous amount of shredded cheese and crumbled bacon. Cook for an additional five minutes.
- In the air fryer, place the skins in the basket, cut side up, and air fry for five minutes.
- Then, top each potato skin with a generous amount of shredded cheese and crumbled bacon. Cook for an additional five minutes.
- Top with a spoonful of sour cream; then garnish with chopped chives and serve hot or warm.
Frequently asked questions:
If I am serving this delicious appetizer at a party, I will often add a few more appetizers such as Roasted Pecans, Smoked Queso Dip, Fried Crab Claws, Shrimp Toast, Cranberry Pecan Mini Goat Cheese Balls, and Caprese Skewers. Of course, there is nothing wrong with asking each guest to bring an appetizer too. And, if you need a signature cocktail to round things out, try my retro Meyer Lemon French 75, or make a pitcher of my Ultimate Frozen Margaritas.
I like to use Russet potatoes, but any potato including sweet potatoes will work. Small baby or new potatoes also work well to make tiny bite-size potato skins. Of course, you will need to adjust your cooking times, with larger potatoes taking more time and smaller ones taking less time.
Yes, and here are some ideas: instead of cheddar cheese and bacon, how about buffalo chicken and blue cheese, taco meat and a Mexican blend of cheese, black beans, salsa and ranch dressing, cooked shrimp and feta cheese, fried onions and nacho cheese sauce, various pizza toppings, chili and shredded cheese, or cooked broccoli and cheese sauce.
To make ahead – after you remove the potato pulp, you can freeze the potato skins in a plastic freezer bag for up to two months or store them in the refrigerator covered for 24 hours. When you get ready to make the loaded potato skins, remove them from the freezer and allow them to thaw for a few minutes before coating them with the butter mixture.
Sharon’s tips:
- Repurposing potato skins is a great way to avoid wasting the skin or jacket, a delicious and nutritious part of the potato. We love air-fried loaded twice-baked potatoes at our house. When I make them, I always cut off the top third of the potato and only refill the bottom part to make sure it has plenty of filling. And, guess what? The top third of the potato also makes the absolute best air-fried potato skins imaginable! If you are using these tops, you can skip the first part of the directions that deal with baking the potatoes and go straight to coating them with the butter mixture.
- I have a compact Cosori 3.7 quart air fryer that I used for this recipe that is designed for smaller families. Two large whole potatoes or four potato skins fit in the basket perfectly. Food cooked in an air fryer cooks best if it’s not crowded so the air can circulate around it. If you have a larger appliance or want to feed more folks, this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.
- Easy Loaded Crispy Potato Skins are best eaten hot out of the oven. However, if you do have leftovers, set your air fryer at 400 degrees F. and reheat for five to six minutes.
- To cut preparation time, you can substitute purchased already cooked real bacon bits instead of cooking your own bacon. You can usually find this product close to the salad dressings in your grocery store.
- When cooking the potatoes in the air fryer, be sure to place them perpendicular to the handle, running from front to back in the basket. If you put them parallel to the handle (as shown in my pictures), because of the rounded bottoms, they tend to tip over when you push the basket in or remove it.
- Every air fryer works a little differently. Be sure to follow your manufacturer’s instructions if they differ from mine.
- If you want to ensure your potatoes or potato skins don’t stick to the air fryer basket, brush on or lightly spray the basket with cooking oil. Do not use Pam or another non-stick cooking spray. It may adversely affect your basket’s finish.
- If you are looking for ideas to use the potato flesh you scooped out of the baked potatoes to make the potato skins, check out my recipes for Potato Croquettes or Crispy Baked Potato Fritters.
More potato recipes:
If you are a potato lover as I am, you might also like these family favorites:
- Southern Potato Salad
- Creamed Potatoes
- Hasselback Potatoes
- Homemade Southern Fried Potatoes
- Easy Southern Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
If you need even more ideas or recipes, you can find all of my potato recipes as well as other side dishes at this link.
★★★★★ If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and give it a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones; I hope you come back soon!
Easy Loaded Air Fryer Potato Skins
Equipment
- Air Fryer instructions also included for baking in an oven
Ingredients
- 2 russet potatoes large, about 9 ounces each
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
Instructions
- Scrub the potatoes and rinse them well. Dry them completely with a paper or kitchen towel. Then, prick them several times with the tip of a knife or a fork and rub them all over with olive oil. Sprinkle one-half teaspoon of kosher salt evenly on all sides.
Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
- Place the potatoes in the basket and air fry for 30 minutes at 400 degrees F. Flip them over and air fry for another 15 minutes.
Oven Baked Potatoes
- If baking in the oven, preheat the oven to 350° F. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 90 minutes.
Microwaved Baked Potatoes
- If using a microwave, place the potatoes on a microwave-safe plate, then microwave for about 5 minutes, flip it over, and microwave it for about 5 more minutes.
Preparation
- Test the potatoes to see if they are done by piercing them with a thin knife. It should slide in easily with no resistance. You can also test for doneness by using an instant-read thermometer. A perfectly cooked baked potato will read somewhere around 210 degrees F.
- When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them in half lengthwise, and use a spoon to scoop out most of the flesh and save it to use in another recipe. Be sure to leave at least one-fourth of an inch of potato flesh on the skin. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in a small dish and add the parsley, salt, and garlic powder. Stir to combine. Use a pastry brush and brush the inside and outside of the potato skins with the butter mixture.
Air Fried Potato Skins
- In the air fryer, place the skins in the basket, cut side up, and air fry for five minutes. Then, top each potato skin with a generous amount of shredded cheese and crumbled bacon. Cook for an additional five minutes.
Oven Baked Potato Skins
- If you are using an oven, increase the temperature to 425 degrees F. Place the skins cut side down on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Turn the skins over and bake an additional 5 minutes or until the skins are browned and crispy. Then, top each potato skin with a generous amount of shredded cheese and crumbled bacon. Cook for an additional five minutes.
How to serve
- Top with a spoonful of sour cream; then garnish with chopped chives. Serve immediately while still warm.
Notes
- Repurposing potato skins is a great way to avoid wasting the skin or jacket, a delicious and nutritious part of the potato. We love air-fried loaded twice-baked potatoes at our house. When I make them, I always cut off the top third of the potato and only refill the bottom part to make sure it has plenty of filling. And, guess what? The top third of the potato also makes the absolute best air-fried potato skins imaginable! If you are using these tops, you can skip the first part of the directions that deal with baking the potatoes and go straight to coating them with the butter mixture.
- I have a compact Cosori 3.7 quart air fryer that I used for this recipe. It is designed for smaller families, and two large whole potatoes or four potato skins fit in the basket perfectly. Food cooked in an air fryer cooks best if it’s not crowded so the air can circulate around it. If you have a larger appliance or want to feed more folks, this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.
- Easy Loaded Crispy Potato Skins are best eaten when they are made. However, if you do have leftovers, set your air fryer at 400 degrees F. and reheat for five to six minutes.
- To cut preparation time, you can substitute purchased already cooked real bacon bits instead of cooking your own bacon. You can usually find this product close to the salad dressings in your grocery store.
- When cooking the potatoes in the air fryer, be sure to place them perpendicular to the handle, running from front to back in the basket. If you put them parallel to the handle (as shown in my pictures), because of the rounded bottoms, they tend to tip over when you push the basket in or remove it.
- Every air fryer works a little differently. Be sure to follow your manufacturer’s instructions if they differ from mine.
- If you want to ensure your potatoes or potato skins don’t stick to the air fryer basket, brush on or lightly spray the basket with cooking oil. Do not use Pam or another non-stick cooking spray. It may adversely affect your basket’s finish.
- If you are looking for ideas to use the potato flesh you scooped out of the baked potatoes to make the potato skins, check out my recipes for Potato Croquettes or Crispy Baked Potato Fritters.
There’s nothing better than crispy potato skins loaded with all the fixin’s that you show here. Such comfort food. The dark crispy edges of the skins in your photos look so inviting. Thanks for the reminder of delicious retro appetizers.