Potato Skins
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Need a quick and delicious appetizer that will be a hit? These Potato Skins are your answer! Crispy delicious potatoes that are loaded with bacon, cheddar, sour cream and green onions. They are perfect for any occasion like tailgating, holiday parties and more.
One of my favorite appetizers when we go out to a bar and grill is Potato Skins. Since I’m always ordering them I figured I was an expert on them by now and I needed to master them at home.
They are so easy to make! I mean what’s not to love with crispy potatoes topped with cheese and bacon? Nothing, there is nothing bad about that.
I brushed mine with olive oil just like my famous baked potatoes to get them nice and crispy. Plus, a little salt and pepper makes these the best ever!
If you are one of those people that order these when you are out now you can make them at home in a few easy steps. We love serving them for parties especially tailgating and watching the game.
Quick Steps to Making Potato Skins!
This first thing you want to do is to wash your potatoes and then brush them with your olive oil, salt, garlic powder and pepper mixture. Bake them at 425 degrees for 45 minutes or until a fork pieces them easily. Remember I said they start out like a baked potato!
After they are cooled enough to handle cut them in half lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp making sure to leave 1/4” in the shell.
Brush the inside of the potato with olive oil and place them back onto a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. Bake them an additional 10 minutes or until crisp.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with bacon and cheese. Place back into the oven and bake an additional 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Then remove from the oven and top with toppings like sour cream and green onions, place on a platter and serve immediately!
Tips and Tricks!
- Use a russet potato when making these.
- Pick potatoes that are uniformly sized so they cook at the same rate.
- We recommend picking smaller potatoes so you can handle them in your hands easier when you eat them.
- Make sure your potatoes are nice and crispy before you top them with the bacon and cheese so they hold the toppings and don’t crumble.
- If you want to level up your Potato Skins top them with things like pulled pork, taco meat, diced jalapenos, salsa etc. You can even make a Potato Skins bar and let everyone top their own!
Make Ahead Tips!
- Prepare potatoes up until the step of topping them.
- Leave the potatoes on the baking sheet after baking them with the olive oil brushed on top.
- Place them in the freezer and let the potatoes freeze.
- Once frozen remove from freezer and stack them in an airtight container. They will stay good for up to 3 months.
- When you are ready to use them simply remove them from the freezer, place on baking sheet like recipe states and bake them until they are crispy then top with favorite toppings.
These Potato Skins are such a delicious and easy appetizer recipe that anyone can make them! We hope you love them as much as we do!
For another amazing game-day snack, you need to try my homemade mozzarella sticks!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!

Potato Skins
Ingredients
- 6 medium russet potatoes washed, cleaned and pierced
- ¼ c. olive oil
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp pepper
- 8 bacon strips cooked and crumbled
- 1 ½ c. cheddar cheese shredded
- ½ c. sour cream
- 4 green onions sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- In a small bowl combine olive oil, sea salt, garlic powder and pepper. Brush on potatoes.Save remaining olive oil mixture for later.
- Place potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. Place in preheated oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until fork easily pierces potatoes.
- Remove potatoes from oven, remove them from the pan and let cool until you can handle them.
- Place a wire rack in rimmed baking sheet.
- Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out pulp, leaving a ¼’’ shell. Brush reserved olive oil mixture on potatoes. Place them on a wire rack in the rimmed baking sheet.
- Place potato shells in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until crisp. Remove from oven, sprinkle with bacon and cheddar cheese. Place back in the oven and bake until cheese is melted, about 2 minutes longer.
- Top with sour cream and onions, serve immediately.
Tips
- Use a russet potato when making these.
- Pick potatoes that are uniformly sized so they cook at the same rate.
- We recommend picking smaller potatoes so you can handle them in your hands easier when you eat them.
- Make sure your potatoes are nice and crispy before you top them with the bacon and cheese so they hold the toppings and don't crumble.
- If you want to level up your Potato Skins top them with things like pulled pork, taco meat, diced jalapenos, salsa etc. You can even make a Potato Skins bar and let everyone top their own!
- Prepare potatoes up until the step of topping them.
- Leave the potatoes on the baking sheet after baking them with the olive oil brushed on top.
- Place them in the freezer and let the potatoes freeze.
- Once frozen remove from freezer and stack them in an airtight container. They will stay good for up to 3 months.
- When you are ready to use them simply remove them from the freezer, place on baking sheet like recipe states and bake them until they are crispy then top with favorite toppings.
Nutrition Information
This post first appeared on The Salty Marshmallow
Peggy says
Tried these potato skins and the potato soup for supper,for our pastors family. Topped it off with a preacher’s cake. Pastor called said he ate 3 bowls. Thank you again
Julie says
That’s awesome! I’m glad it was a hit all around!