Find how to make classic American 4-ingredient Potato Skins in the air fryer. They are packed full of fried bacon, cheddar cheese, and onions, and topped with sour cream. Or you can fill these up with your favorite toppings. Serve them as a party appetizer or as a quick snack.
I’m more than sure that you are going to love these loaded potato skins. They are very easy and quick to make and the best part is that you can use your leftovers to make the topping for those.
I love them especially in the air fryer because it takes less time to make them and I don’t need to heat up the entire kitchen.
First of all, you will need to wash well the potatoes and bake them. You can bake them even in the microwave if you’re looking for a quicker variant, however, I still recommend baking them in the air fryer for a better result.
Once the potatoes are baked, you need to cut them in halves and scoop out the insides. Now just add your favorite fillings and top on them the cheddar or parmesan cheese near chopped spring onion.
These versatile potato skins in the air fryer made from scratch can be easily used as a party appetizer or as a snack for your friends and family members.
🥔 What Potatoes to Use?
Pick whatever potatoes you like. All of them will work great for this recipe. Usually, I use russet potatoes, but you can use also Yukon gold or red potatoes.
A general recommendation: If you want to serve them as a main dish, then pick larger potatoes. If you need to serve them as snacks, then I would recommend going with smaller ones. They will look better on the table.
Quick Note: If you’re going with smaller potatoes, then you will need to reduce the cooking time because they will cook faster.
🥰 Why You Will Love This Recipe?
- It is a good way to use the potatoes leftovers. Whether they are baked or boiled.
- You can adjust the fillings to make them to your taste.
How to Make the Potato Skins in an Air Fryer?
- Bake the potatoes in the air fryer for 30 minutes at 400°F / 200°C.
- Cut the potatoes in halves and scoop out the core.
- Mix the ingredients for the filling and fill the potatoes with the mixture.
- Bake the potatoes potato skins for 5 minutes.
- Serve them with sour cream.
Quick Note: For a more detailed recipe, I highly recommend reading the entire recipe to find the best tips and recommendations.
🏆 Expert Tips
- If you want to use them as appetizers, use small potatoes to get a better appearance.
- Experiment with aromatic herbs.
- Use fried bacon or bacon crumbles instead of fresh bacon. Otherwise, you will have a lot of fat in the potatoes.
- Bake the potatoes in a single layer while using the air fryer.
🥘 Needed Ingredients
All the ingredients and measurements can be found at the end of the recipe at the bottom of this post.
- Potatoes. Pick whatever potatoes you can find or have already in your kitchen.
- Cheese. I used Cheddar cheese but you can use also other types of hard cheeses as well.
- Bacon. Use fried bacon or bacon crumbles. Another good option is to use leftover meat. Just finely chop it and use it in the filling.
- Green Onions.
- Optional, you can use sour cream for serving.
🍳 Variations
It is a basic recipe that you can use depending on the ingredients you find in the fridge. That means that you can make your topping from the ingredients that you love.
Here are a few variations you can try:
- Veggie Delight: For a vegetarian option, skip the bacon and add sautéed vegetables like mushrooms, bell peppers, and spinach to the cheese mixture. Season with your favorite herbs and spices for added flavor.
- Loaded Breakfast Skins: Turn these potato skins into a hearty breakfast by filling them with scrambled eggs, diced cooked ham or sausage, and a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese. Serve with a side of salsa or hot sauce for a morning kick.
- Tex-Mex Twist: Give your potato skins a Tex-Mex flair by filling them with seasoned ground beef or turkey, black beans, diced tomatoes, jalapeños, and a blend of Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses. Top with a dollop of guacamole and sour cream.
- Buffalo Chicken: Mix shredded cooked chicken with buffalo sauce and cream cheese for a spicy and creamy filling. Top with crumbled blue cheese and sliced green onions. Serve with ranch dressing for dipping.
- Seafood Sensation: Create a seafood-inspired version by filling the potato skins with a mixture of cooked crab or shrimp, cream cheese, and Old Bay seasoning. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley.
- Mediterranean Flavor: Fill the potato skins with a combination of hummus, chopped kalamata olives, diced tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and crumbled feta cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh oregano or parsley.
- BBQ Pulled Pork: Stuff the potato skins with tender pulled pork coated in your favorite barbecue sauce. Add a layer of coleslaw on top for a refreshing crunch.
- Spinach and Artichoke: Make a creamy spinach and artichoke dip filling by mixing cream cheese, cooked spinach, chopped artichoke hearts, grated Parmesan, and minced garlic. Bake until bubbly and golden.
- Taco Tuesday: Turn your potato skins into mini tacos by filling them with seasoned ground beef or ground turkey, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, and a dollop of sour cream. Serve with salsa on the side.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
- Party Appetizer: Serve these delicious potato skins as a party appetizer. Arrange them on a platter and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and some finely chopped green onions. They make for a perfect finger food option for your guests.
- Game Day Snack: If you’re hosting a game day get-together, these loaded potato skins are an excellent choice. They’re savory, satisfying, and perfect for enjoying while watching your favorite sports team play.
- Creamy Dipping Sauces: Consider offering a variety of creamy dipping sauces such as sour cream, tzatziki, or dill sauce on the side. These sauces can complement the flavors of the potato skins and enhance the overall experience.
👩🍳 Step-by-step Directions
Wondering how to prepare these delicious potato skins in the air fryer? The steps are actually very simple. Just follow them one by one.
First of all, wash the potatoes well. You can use a new kitchen sponge for that.
After that, we need to bake the potatoes. Put them in the air fryer basket and cook them for about 30 minutes at 400°F / 200°C.
Quick Note: The timing may differ based on the potato’s size and your air fryer model.
When the potatoes are baked, remove them from the air fryer basket and cut them in halves.
Next, using a spoon, remove the core from the potatoes.
Quick Note: Don’t make the potato walls too thin. Keep about ¼” on the edges. Otherwise, the walls of the potato may break when you will fill them.
Filling for the Potato Skins.
Take a large bowl and put in it the cheese, bacon, and green onions, and season everything with black pepper. But of course, you can use any other spices that you prefer.
Mix all ingredients well and fill the potatoes with the mixture obtained.
Quick Note: Don’t be afraid to put the filling in excess because the cheese will melt during baking and the topping will decrease in volume.
Put the potato halves back in the air fryer basket and cook them for about 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
Our easy and delicious potato skins in the air fryer are done and they are ready to be enjoyed! You can serve them both hot and cold.
Consider serving them with a creamy sauce such as sour cream, tzatziki, or dill sauce.
Optionally, you can decorate the potato skins with some finely chopped green onions for a more attractive result.
🤔 Answering Your Questions:
Can I Use Different Types of Potatoes for This Recipe?
Yes, you can use various types of potatoes for this recipe. While russet potatoes are commonly used, you can also opt for Yukon gold or red potatoes. Choose larger potatoes if you plan to serve them as a main dish and smaller ones for snacks. Remember that smaller potatoes will cook faster, so adjust the cooking time accordingly.
How to Prevent Potato Skins From Becoming Too Thin When Scooping?
When scooping out the core of the potatoes, try to leave about ¼ inch of potato on the edges to prevent them from becoming too thin and fragile. This will help the potato skins maintain their structure during baking.
When Are Potato Skins Fully Cooked and Ready to Serve?
You can tell that the potato skins are fully cooked when they are heated through, the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the edges are slightly crispy and golden brown. Keep an eye on them during the cooking process, as the exact cooking time may vary depending on your appliance and the size of the potato skins.
Storage:
Refrigeration: If you have leftover potato skins, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Be sure to separate them with parchment paper to prevent sticking. They can be refrigerated for 1-2 days if already filled with toppings, or up to 2-4 days if you’ve only baked the potatoes without filling.
Freezing: To freeze potato skins, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then transfer them to an airtight container or a freezer-safe bag, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Frozen potato skins can be stored for up to three months.
Reheating:
- Air Fryer: The best way to reheat potato skins is in the air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 350°F (175°C) and cook the frozen or refrigerated potato skins for 5-10 minutes or until they are heated through and the cheese is melted and bubbly. No need to thaw frozen potato skins; cook them directly from the freezer.
- Air Fryer from Frozen: If reheating frozen potato skins in the air fryer, preheat it to 350°F (175°C) and cook for 10-15 minutes or until they are heated through and the cheese is melted.
- Oven: If you don’t have an air fryer, you can reheat potato skins in a preheated oven. Place them on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 10-15 minutes for refrigerated potato skins or 15-20 minutes for frozen potato skins, or until they are heated through and the cheese is melted.
- Microwave: For a quicker but slightly less crispy option, you can reheat potato skins in the microwave. Place them on a microwave-safe plate and heat on high for 1-2 minutes for refrigerated potato skins or 3-4 minutes for frozen potato skins, or until heated through.
📋 Recipe Card:
4-ingredient Air Fryer Potato Skins
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Pieces Potato
- 3 oz Cheddar Cheese
- 1.5 oz Bacon Crumbles
- 0.5 oz Spring Onions
- 2 tablespoons Sour Cream Optional
- ⅛ teaspoon Black Pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Wash well the potatoes and bake them in the air fryer for 30 minutes at 400°F / 200°C.2 Pieces Potato
- Cut the potatoes in halves and scoop out the core using a spoon.
- Take a bowl and mix in all the ingredients for the filling.3 oz Cheddar Cheese, 1.5 oz Bacon Crumbles, 0.5 oz Spring Onions, ⅛ teaspoon Black Pepper
- Put the filling in the potatoes boats.
- Bake again the potato skins for 5 minutes or until cheese will melt.
- At the end you can serve them with near a creamy sauce and some chopped green onions.2 tablespoons Sour Cream
Quick Note
I highly recommend reading the entire recipe to find more tips and notes about this recipe. Read Full Recipe ⇑
Notes
- Use smaller potatoes for a better look if you plan to use them as appetizers.
- When you will scoop the core of the potatoes, don’t make the potato walls too thin because they can break.
- The timing of this recipe is for the Cosori Air Fryer 5.8 QT. If you use another model, the timing may differ. Because of that, in the last minutes when you will bake the potatoes, be with an eye on them to not to overcook the potatoes.
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