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Potato Skins used to be my favorite appetizer or snack way back when! And now they’re back on the menu in our house thanks to some leftover potatoes, the air fryer, and this easy family favorite recipe for Air Fryer Potato Skins! And they’re STILL A FAVORITE!
This is one of those great recipes you won’t want to lose so be sure to bookmark it.
Delicious crispy potato skins are made by scooping out the inside of baked potatoes and leaving the skin and some of the potatoes behind. The potatoes are crisped up in the air fryer with a little oil. Then they’re topped with cheese and air fried until the cheese and potatoes are both crispy.
They’re topped with the best toppings to finish them off. More cheese, sour cream, bacon, and chives for the perfect appetizer and game day snacks. Or you can just make them for dinner too, they make a great side dish.
What Ingredients do I need to make Air Fryer Potato Skins (full instructions below in the recipe card)
- Precooked baked potatoes
- Shredded Cheddar cheese or cheddar jack mix
- Crispy bacon
- Sour cream
- Chives or use green onions!
- Light olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Tools to make potato skins in the air fryer
- Air fryer, I use and love the Cosori Max XL Air fryer (see a picture in the recipe card!)
- Tongs
- Pastry brush
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Serving platter
What are the Best Potatoes for this recipe?
You’ll need 4 medium-sized potatoes that weigh about 1 pound total after baking. If you use bigger potatoes, just add a little extra cheese. And stretch the toppings a little bit farther OR use more of whatever you love the most.
You can use russet potatoes, red potatoes, or Yukon gold potatoes for this recipe. Really ANY potatoes you happen to have on hand would work. You’re going to use a little oil to make crispy skin on them so almost any potatoes will work.
Except for fresh potatoes, fresh potatoes right out of the garden are typically a little bit too soft to make these crispy air-fried potato skins. And sweet potatoes get too soft to work here as well.
It doesn’t really matter whether you bake them ahead of time or make baked potatoes JUST to make potato skins, you just need baked potatoes. Next time you’re making something in the oven toss in a few potatoes for this family favorite snack! Or use the air fryer to make air fryer baked potatoes!
Can I choose a different cheese??
You can use any kind of grated cheese you have on hand or whatever kind you prefer. I used a Costco grated cheese blend of cheddar and Colby jack. But any shredded cheese works here.
And while we’re talking about the cheese you should use any amount you like. I call for 1 1/2 cups but you can go lighter or heavier depending on what you like.
Can I use Yogurt Instead of Sour Cream on these potato skins?
Absolutely! Especially greek yogurt it’s so smooth and creamy it’s almost like sour cream! Use light or fat-free sour cream as well if you like.
What kind of bacon do I need?
You can use ANY bacon you prefer, thick or thin cut. Turkey bacon or vegetarian bacon crumbles will work here. Or you can use bacon bits, real or vegetarian! Use whatever kind of bacon your family prefers. It all works!
Other favorite toppings for potato skins
- smoked brisket
- leftover prime rib
- bbq beef or pork
- pepperoni
- sausage
You can see the recipe is pretty flexible, in that you can sub in other ingredients or more or less cheese and so on. The toppings are all personal preferences
As long as you have an air fryer and a little oil you’ll get the crispy skins on the potatoes that you’re looking for.
What to do with the inside of the potato?
You can save the potato flesh or the insides of the potatoes and use them in many different ways! Make a pot of potato soup, maybe use it in Rafferty’s Potato Soup Recipe?! Or use them in a quiche, an omelet, or make them into hashbrowns.
Another great way to deal with them is to freeze them until you have a recipe to use them in!
Our Other Favorite Recipes for appetizers in the Air Fryer
Whether you’re headed to a party or watching the big game I’ve got some fantastic air fryer appetizers recipes you don’t want to miss!
- Air fryer Zucchini Fries
- Crispy Air-Fried Pickles
- Bacon Wrapped Dates
- Stuffed Mushrooms
- Bacon Wrapped Crackers
- Sweet Potato French Fries
To store leftovers
If you happen to have any leftover potato skins simply store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. And use the air fryer to reheat them!
Air Fryer Potato Skins
These crispy air fryer potato skins are a delicious appetizer everyone loves!!
Ingredients
- 1 pound baked potatoes, about 4
- 1 TBSP oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 1/2 cup shredded cheese
- 1/4 cup crispy bacon pieces
Instructions
- preheat the air fryer on 400° for 5 minutes
- while it's preheating cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the insides of the potatoes, leaving about 1/3 of an inch of potato inside the skins
- brush them with oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper
- when the air fryer is hot place the halves in the air fryer basket skin side up
- air fry on 390° for 5 minutes
- turn the skins over with tongs and fill each skin with cheese
- air fry again for 5 minutes at 390° until the skins and cheese are browned and crispy
- remove the potato skins and place them on a platter
- top with a scoop of sour cream, the remaining cheese, bacon bits, and chives
- serve while they're still hot
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