loaded potato skins

This cheesy nostalgic spud dish is on your table in less than an hour.

Loaded Potato Skins

russet potatoes (1 3/4 to 2 pounds total)

olive oil

salt

sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 3/4 cup)

scallions

bacon (3 to 4 slices)

black pepper, plus more as needed

sour cream

Heat the oven. Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds. Place a baking sheet on the lower rack to catch any drippings and heat the oven to 425ºF. 

Prep the potatoes. Scrub and dry 4 small russet potatoes. Rub 2 teaspoons olive oil on the potatoes and sprinkle all over with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. 

Bake the potatoes. Place the potatoes directly on the upper rack. Bake until tender, about 50 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the toppings.

Prepare the toppings. Grate 3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese on the large holes of a box grater (about 3/4 packed cup). Thinly slice the greens from 2 medium scallions. Cut 4 ounces bacon into 1/2-inch pieces. 

Cook the bacon and reserve the fat. Place the bacon in a medium skillet and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. Keep the bacon fat in the skillet.

Scoop out the potatoes. When the potatoes are ready, remove the baking sheet from the oven and set aside to cool. Transfer the potatoes to a wire rack and let sit until cool enough to handle but still warm, about 15 minutes. Cut each potato in half lengthwise. Scoop out the insides, leaving about 1/4-inch of potato as the shell, and transfer the insides to a bowl. Reserve the scooped-out flesh for another use.

Heat the oven to broil. Wash and dry the baking sheet, then line it with parchment paper if desired. Place the potato shells on the baking sheet and brush the reserved bacon fat all over the flesh and skin sides. Arrange in a single layer skin-side down. Season with 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Divide the cheese between the skins.

Bake and assemble the potato skins. Bake on the upper rack until the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the oven. Divide 1/3 cup sour cream, the bacon, and scallions between the potato skins and serve immediately.

Air fryer potato skins are the best appetizer and a great way to use up leftover baked potatoes. They are simple to make and ready in under 15 minutes.

Air Fryer Potato Skins

potatoes

cheese (shredded)

bacon

Sour cream (for topping)

Chives (for topping)

Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees.

Scoop out the meaty part of your cooked potato into a bowl. leaving about 1/4 inch above the skins. Save the scooped out potatoes for mashed potatoes later.

Add your cheese to each hollowed out potato skin.

Sprinkle on your cooked bacon.

Place the potato skins in the air fryer basket and cook for 4 minutes. Your timer may beep to flip the potato skins over, but leave them skin side down the entire time.

Remove, allow to cool and add the sour cream and chives.

Crispy potato skins loaded with cheesy potato, vegan taco filling, and topped with fresh veggies. The ultimate game day appetizer.

Loaded Vegan Stuffed Potato Skins

taco filling (SEE NOTE)

yeast

½ tsp chili powder

cumin

½ tsp smoked paprika

cayenne pepper (optional)

Salt and pepper

TOPPINGS

pepita seeds (chopped)

onions

jalapenos

tomato (finely diced)

Cilantro

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C)

Scrub the potatoes under cool water and pierce with a fork or a sharp knife a few times. Bake them for approximately 40 to 45 minutes, or until they’re just fork tender (You don’t want them to be too soft or the skins will fall apart). For ultra crispy skins, lightly oil the potatoes.

While the potatoes are baking, make the taco filling. SEE NOTE

Let the potatoes cool until you can handle them without burning your hands.

Cut them in half vertically and scoop out the potato, leaving about a quarter of an inch of potato attached to the skin.

Mix the scooped-out potato with nutritional yeast and salt and pepper until creamy and totally combined.

Fill the potato skins with the potato mixture and taco filling and bake for 10 minutes to heat through. Brush a light layer of olive oil on the skin if you want it to be extra crispy.

Top with the chopped pepitas, green onion, pickled jalapeno, tomato, and cilantro.

You are going to love these extra crispy better than restaurant quality potato skins topped with cheddar, Monterey Jack, bacon and green onions.

Baked Potato Skins

Russet Potatoes

canola oil or olive oil

sea salt

butter

garlic powder

onion powder

cheddar

Monterey Jack

onion

sour cream (optional)

 Scrub, dry and poke the potatoes 8-10 times using the tines of a fork.  Using your hands rub the potatoes with a little canola oil or olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt. Place them on a baking sheet. Bake potatoes for 50-60 minutes or until they are cooked through.  Let them sit until cool enough to handle.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise.  Using a spoon scoop out the flesh out leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch around the inside of the skin.

Melt butter in microwave. Whisk in garlic powder and onion powder.  Brush over the tops and bottoms of the potato skins.  Using the same baking sheet that you cooked the potatoes on place in oven for 10 minutes.  Flip and bake for another 10 minutes.

Top evenly with both cheeses and bacon.  Return to oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with green onions and sour cream (optional). Serve promptly.

We loved these so much. I was surprised how crispy they ere!

My kids really loved this!! They'd love to make it again!

Perfect for snacking! We loved these easy potato skins, great recipe!

My family absolutely loved these! Loved the easy prep.

Crispy potato skins are one of my favourite appetizers, they are just so versatile! These look and sound so delicious!

I Love how they turned out crispy. They were so good and my family loved them

Ohhh! Crispy potato skins are such a great appetizer! Putting these on my new year's eve menu!

Potato skins are so delicious, plus you can be very creative with them, We like to load ours with cheese and beans.

These potato skins are so good, we always make them with chives instead of green onions! They're a hit with everyone in the family!

Potato skins are so delicious and these make a great appetizer too!

This is such an amazing appetizer! Everyone at my house loved it!

The perfect appetizer! My kids gobbled these up. Thank you for the delicious recipe!!

I have leftover russet potatoes and I’ve never made them from homemade before. Such a delicious and easy way to use up those leftover potatoes!

These sound so tasty and so easy to prepare! I love potato skins, one of my favourites!

These came out so good! Super easy to make and the flavor is perfect!

Bacon, cheese and potatoes? This sounds like my kind of appetizer! I can't wait to make these soon!

I love getting potato skins from one of our area restaurants, I love this recipe so that I can now make them right at home!

Yum! We love potatoes here and I can’t wait to make this! My kids are going to love this recipe! So excited!

Potato skins are one of our favourite snacks to have on the weekends! Will definitely give this recipe a try!

Potato skins are one of my all-time favorite appetizers to order at restaurants. Now that we are home more, I'm so glad I found you recipe!

These would be so perfect to make for game day! Looks delicious. :)

Potato skins are one of my all time favorite appetizers.  Thanks for sharing your recipe!

Love the jalapeno popper option. These were so good but looking forward to trying that for next time to give it a bit of zing.

These are one of my all time favorite appetizers! Great directions, they turn out beautifully!

So good! I'm a sucker for anything potato related. Super Bowl is coming up too so I definitely need to whip this appetizers out again.

This recipe was excellent taste better than the whole lot of them that I've tried even at restaurants thank you so much I am already sent it out to all of my friends and I appreciate you are step by step instructions came out perfect

Potato skins are a family favourite around here - pure comfort food!

These potato skins are the best appetizer my guests loved them! Super easy to make and yummy.

Sometimes we make these for the kids for dinner and they love them! So easy for me and so tasty for them!

I am SOLD! I am a sucker for appetizers, and potato skins are right at the top of my list. Thanks for this fantastic recipe!

Made this with dinner last night and they have easily become my new favorite way to enjoy potatoes! So easy, flavorful and perfect as an appetizer or main course!

I love how crispy and cheesy they look! Will be making them very soon, thank you for the recipe.

One of our local restaurants used to make these and top them with Chili. Absolutely delicious!!

You are right..I love them better than the restaurants!! I could eat these with every meal!! Cheesy, crisp, &amp; delicious!

I served with pork chops and they are the best side, I love that everyone can fill them with their favorite toppings!! Easy and so delicious.

I need these to make a comeback at restaurants! They used to be a trendy food but now it's rare to find these on the appetizer list at restaurants. One of my all time favorite apps; I love this recipe. I make this way too many times. So easy and delicious!

I have everything I need for this dish, can’t wait to make it this weekend!

There is nothing better than digging into crispy potato skins loaded with lots of toppings. These are so good!

These potato skins look amazing and so minimal prep too! Love all that cheese and bacon.

Potatoes are just one of the best foods ever made, and nothing is better than a crispy potato slathered in cheese and bacon to me. This recipe is one of my favorites!

I  made these for my son, his brother in law, my grandson and his friend while girls had a night out. Doubled recipe, made as written and there was 2 left. They were crispy, full of favor and better than any restaurant ones I've EVER had! Thanks for sharing this.

We always make potato skins for game days! They are so fun to make and eat!

One of my favorite appetizers/snacks.  So crispy!

I needed a recipe for these to make for my husband's birthday (because he loves ordering them when out) and he loved them! Thank you!

These are perfect!  Thank you for a delicious recipe.

These are one of our favorite side dishes to make! Love how you can put just about anything on them!

These are my game day go-to appetizers! So delicious! Who doesn't like bacon?! Everyone loved them.

OMG so good!  I love making these for game days!

Add a big dollop of sour cream on top and I am happy. These look amazing.

These are delicious! Potatoes are one of my favorite foods. My husband asked me to make these again when he has his fantasy football draft :)

My mouth starts watering even just thinking about these Potato Skins. So crispy and delicious!

Just gorgeous! My family love these and so crispy!

These are so good, but cheese, bacon and potatoes. How could you go wrong?

So delicious very flavorful and crispy will make again thank you!

We’ve been craving potato skins since we saw them on a happy hour menu a few weeks ago, so with today being our anniversary, I thought I’d surprise my husband for lunch! WHAT.A.HIT! They were perfectly crispy and had so much flavor. My hubby said, “Add this one to this list,” referring to our go-to’s that never fail. Thanks for such an easy to follow recipe.

Baked Potato Skins have a crispy outer shell that is loaded with a cheddar cheese, bacon and green onion combination. These potatoes are everyones favorite appetizer or side dish! 

Crispy Potato Skins

small Russet Potatoes

salt and pepper

cheddar cheese (shredded)

bacon (chopped and cooked)

green onions (sliced)

Ranch or sour cream

Wash and scrub the potatoes.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Prick with a fork and bake for an hour or until tender.  Or cook in the microwave for 5 minutes each potato.  Let the potatoes cool to the touch.

Cut the potatoes in half.  Scoop out the potatoes leaving about 1/4 inch along the sides.  Place the potatoes on a baking sheet skin side up and brush with olive oil.  Salt and pepper.  Bake for about 10 minutes.  Flip to the other side and bake an additional 10 minutes or until they start looking golden brown.

Remove from the oven and add the cheese.  Add back to the oven for 2-3 minutes until the cheese has melted.  Top with bacon, green onions and favorite toppings.

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Loaded Potato Skins

Air Fryer Potato Skins

Loaded Vegan Stuffed Potato Skins

Baked Potato Skins

Crispy Potato Skins

Top 5 loaded potato skins recipes from across the web

The most viewed loaded potato skins recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Loaded Potato Skins

Air Fryer Potato Skins

Loaded Vegan Stuffed Potato Skins

Baked Potato Skins

Crispy Potato Skins

The most viewed loaded potato skins recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine