Potato Skins
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Posted: 02/07/24
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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 crispy 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? Every bite is mouthwateringly good. I brushed my easy potato skins 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.
Why You’ll Love this Potato Skins Recipe
- These are a crowd-favorite appetizer that everyone will enjoy. And you can even make tons of different toppings and let everyone use whatever they want on their potato skins.
- Make these ahead of time since they’re freezer friendly. Then you can have an appetizer ready in no time.
- Double or triple the recipe and make tons of loaded potato skins. Great for a crowd!
Ingredients for Potato Skins
- Russet potatoes – You can use a different type of potatoes if you prefer, but russets tend to be my favorite for this recipe. The skin of russets crisp up really well, making them perfect for cheesy baked potato skins.
- Olive oil – Brushing the skin of the potatoes with olive oil will help make it perfectly crispy.
- Sea salt – Potatoes definitely need salt, and I prefer using sea salt to kosher salt on crispy loaded potato skins.
- Garlic powder – Garlic powder adds loads of flavor to these easy potato skins. So tasty!
- Pepper – A bit of ground black pepper will season the potatoes perfectly.
- Bacon strips – Cook some fresh bacon until it’s crispy, then crumble it up to be used on the loaded potato skins.
- Cheddar cheese – Cheddar cheese with potatoes is a match made in heaven.
- Sour cream – If you’re not a fan of sour cream, feel free to leave it off of your potato skins.
- Green onions – Slice up some green onion to use as an incredibly flavorful garnish.
Helpful Tools
How to Make Potato Skins
This first thing you’ll want to do is to wash the potatoes well and then brush them with olive oil, salt, garlic powder and pepper mixture.
Bake the seasoned potato skins at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes, or until a fork pieces them easily. Remember, 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 an additional 10 minutes or until crispy.
Remove the potato skins from the 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 them again and top with desired toppings like a dollop of sour cream and green onions. Place on a platter and serve immediately!
How to Store Leftover Potato Skins
Leftovers of this easy recipe can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Just transfer to an airtight container and place in the refrigerator.
How to reheat leftover potato skins
When you’re ready to reheat the leftover potato skins, reheat in the oven to crisp up the potato skin again.
Can I freeze potato skins?
Make potato skins ahead of time and freeze them halfway through the baking process! Prepare potatoes up until the step of topping them. Then leave them on the baking sheet after baking with the olive oil brushed on top.
Place the potatoes in the freezer and once frozen, remove and stack them in an airtight container. They will stay good for up to 3 months. When you are ready to bake, simply remove the potato skins from the freezer, place on baking sheet like recipe states and bake until crispy. Then top with favorite toppings!
Toppings for Potato Skins
If you want to level up your potato skins top them with things like pulled pork, taco meat, diced jalapenos, salsa etc. Some yummy things like guacamole, chili, spinach artichoke dip, and rotel dip would be great toppings too.
You can even make a potato skins bar and let everyone top their own!
Pro Tips for the Best Potato Skins Recipe
- Pick potatoes that are uniformly sized so they cook at the same rate. I recommend picking smaller potatoes so you can handle them in your hands easier when you eat them.
- Make sure the potatoes are nice and crispy before you top them with the bacon and cheese so they hold the toppings and don’t crumble.
- Don’t be afraid to change up the toppings and make each of these potato skins unique!
More Delicious Potato Recipes You’ll Love!
- These Air Fryer Potato Wedges are a great side dish for many different meals. Perfectly crispy and tasty!
- Funeral Potatoes are a cheesy and creamy potato casserole loaded with tons of flavor.
- Need a good mashed potato recipe? Then try this recipe for the Best Mashed Potatoes.
- Air Fryer Potatoes are super easy to make and a wonderful side dish.
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
Crispy potatoes filled with cheese, bacon, sour cream and green onions make the perfect appetizer!
Ingredients
- 6 medium russet potatoes washed, cleaned and pierced
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 8 bacon strips cooked and crumbled
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese shredded
- ½ cup sour cream
- 4 green onions sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 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
Leftovers of this easy recipe can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Just transfer to an airtight container and place in the refrigerator.
When you’re ready to reheat the leftover potato skins, reheat in the oven to crisp up the potato skin again.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 307kcal (15%), Carbohydrates: 15g (5%), Protein: 12g (24%), Fat: 23g (35%), Saturated Fat: 10g (63%), Cholesterol: 46mg (15%), Sodium: 397mg (17%), Potassium: 523mg (15%), Fiber: 3g (13%), Sugar: 1g (1%), Vitamin A: 403IU (8%), Vitamin C: 13mg (16%), Calcium: 259mg (26%), Iron: 4mg (22%)
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!