When it comes to potato skins, these are the ultimate crowd pleaser! This recipe combines crispy potato skins, loaded with gooey melted cheese, smoky bacon, and a sprinkle of fresh green onion for the ultimate game day, or party time food. With our recipe and tips you’ll end up with the perfect seasoned potato skins that are crunchy, and flavorful in every single bite! Trust me, you’ll want to make these right away!
Why make this Recipe
- Perfect Party Food: These crispy potato skins are the ultimate food for your next party. They’re a crowd please for every occasion, you’ll love them for New Year’s Eve, football games, or any time you want to impress a group!
- Crispy and Cheesy: The golden crispy potato shell is salted, and cooked to crispy perfection, and filled with melty cheese. What could be better?
- Customizable: Top with your favorite toppings, bacon, sour cream, ham, chives, jalapenos, ranch dressing, you name it! Add your own spin!
Ingredients Needed
This is a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this Potato Skin Recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- Russet Potatoes – These are the best potatoes for baking. Their thick skin makes gives them the best crunch
- Olive Oil – Brushed on the skins makes them get extra crispy
- Salt – To season the potatoes
- Unsalted Butter – Adds extra flavor to the skins
- Parsley – for flavor
- Garlic Powder + Onion Powder – Adds a little extra flavor
- Cheddar Cheese – Sharp Cheddar works best for the strongest, best flavor. But you can use any cheese you love.
- Bacon – Use Bacon bits, or pre-cook the bacon .This adds a nice smokiness, and extra salty crunch
- Sour Cream – Cool and creamy, to balance the rich flavor and crunch
- Green Onions or Chives – Adds a little extra freshness
How to make the Best Potato Skins
Step 1: Bake the Potatoes. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork a few times, then rub them all over with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt. Bake the potatoes on a pan until you can pierce them with a fork and they are tender. Remove from the oven and let them cool a bit. Cut the potatoes in half.
Step 2: Scoop out the Insides. Carefully scoop out the centers of the potatoes, leaving just a little of the meat, about 1/4 inch. You can use the insides of the potato for another recipe.
Step 3: Add Seasonings. Stir melted butter, salt, parsley, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl. Brush the mixture over the inside and outside of the potatoes. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake again for 10 minutes with the skin sound down, then flip and bake them another 10 minutes with the skin sides up.
Step 4: Fill with Toppings. Place potatoes skin side down and load each potato with cheese and bacon bits. Bake for a few minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from the oven and top with sour cream and green onion, or other additional toppings.
Tips and Tricks:
- Choose the Right Potatoes – Russets will give you the best results with their sturdy skins, and fluffy insides.
- Don’t over Scoop – Leave enough potato inside the skins to give a little flavor, and to let the potato skins hold their shape.
- Crispiness is Key – We brush our skins with olive oil for their first bake, then a little butter for their second bake to ensure they are crispy, and nicely flavored.
- Use Potato Insides – Use the scooped out potato to make mashed potatoes, potato soup, or even potato rolls.
Storage Instructions
Store any leftover potato skins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can reheat them in the oven at 375 F for about 10-15 minutes, or in the air fryer at 350 F for about 8-10 minutes. You don’t want to reheat them in the microwave as it will make them too soft and soggy.
These Potato Skins are going to be the true hero at your next game day, or party. They’re so easy to make, but the results are the ultimate snack food, that is guaranteed to hit the spot!
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Potato Skins
Ingredients
For Baking the Potatoes:
- 8 baking potatoes
- 2 TBS olive oil
- salt (to taste)
For Potato Skins:
- 3 TBS unsalted butter
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup bacon crumbles
- sour cream
- green onions or chives (chopped)
Instructions
For Baking the Potatoes:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Wash potatoes. Prick them 5 or 6 times with a fork. Rub olive oil over the potato skins, and sprinkle generously with salt. 8 baking potatoes, 2 TBS olive oil, salt
- Bake potatoes in oven on a baking pan for 50-60 minutes or until they are soft.
- Remove potatoes from the oven and let them cool until cool enough to handle.
- Allow to cool for a few minutes then cut them in half and carefully scoop out the centers of the potatoes, leaving just a little “meat” of the potato, about 1/4 inch, left. (Set aside potato insides for another time)
For Potato Skins:
- Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees.
- In a small bowl combine butter, salt, parsley, garlic powder, and onion powder. 3 TBS unsalted butter, 1/2 tsp dried parsley, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp onion powder
- Brush the butter mixture over the outside of the potato skins.
- Place potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
- Flip each potato over and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Put potatoes skin side down on baking sheet and load each potato skin with cheese and bacon bits. 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup bacon crumbles
- Bake for about 3-5 minutes, or until cheese is golden and bubbly.
- Serve topped with sour cream and green onions or chives. sour cream, green onions or chives
Nutrition
These Potato Skins were first posted on January 6, 2014. The photos and blog text were updated for clarity on December 30, 2024.
marissa | rae gun ramblings says
oh those look so yummy!