Potato Skins
on Oct 12, 2023, Updated Apr 24, 2024
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These tender, crispy Potato Skins are sure to be a winning dish! Cooked to perfection and topped with an array of delicious ingredients, these potato skins are inexpensive and come together in no time.
Our easy-to-make potato skins feature large russet potatoes that are cooked to perfection and then hollowed out. The cooked potato acts as a shell that can be piled high with toppings like cheese, sour cream, green onions, and crumbled bacon.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Potato skins are often seasoned and baked or fried to perfection, resulting in a crispy and flavorful outer layer. The combination of seasonings, oils, and the natural taste of the potato itself creates a delicious and satisfying flavor.
- Potato skins are easy to make at home, which can be appealing to those who enjoy cooking or want a quick and satisfying snack.
- Potato skins are often served as appetizers or snacks in restaurants and bars, making them a popular choice for social gatherings. Their bite-sized nature makes them easy to share and enjoy with friends.
Recipe Ingredients
- Potatoes—Preferably large russet potatoes.
- Butter—To help give the potatoes a nice crispy, buttery exterior.
- Spices—A blend of garlic salt and black pepper.
- Cheddar Cheese—Mild, medium or sharp cheddar.
- Green Onion—Or chives.
- Bacon—Cooked and crumbled.
- Sour Cream—Adds an acidic tang that balances some of the savory flavors.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Popular Substitutions and Variations
- Sweet Potato Skins: Substitute regular potatoes with sweet potatoes for a sweeter and slightly healthier twist.
- Zucchini Skins: Create a lower-carb option by using zucchini instead of potatoes.
- Vegetarian Potato Skins: Skip the bacon and add sautéed vegetables like bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms for a vegetarian version.
- Chicken or Chili Potato Skins: Add cooked shredded chicken or chili for a heartier filling.
How to Make Potato Skins
Step #1. Preheat the oven and wash your potatoes. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and cook until tender.
Step #2. Cut each potato in half and scoop out the insides to form a sturdy shell. Place the potatoes in a baking dish and set aside.
Step #3. Melt the butter and spices in a small bowl in the microwave. Once the mixture is homogeneous, coat the potatoes in butter and cook until the tops are crispy.
Step #4. Top your potato skins with cheese and cook until the cheese is bubbly. Garnish with sour cream, green onion, and crumbled bacon.
Recipe FAQs
We love how easy these potato skins are to customize! If you want something a little more savory, try serving your potato skins with chili. For a spicier dish, add a few drops of tabasco sauce or a sprinkle of chili powder to your melted butter. You can also top your potato skins with red pepper flakes. Other toppings that go great include pepper jack cheese, cottage cheese, olives, and diced white onions.
We recommend using large russet potatoes. Their large shape will give you a sturdy shell with plenty of room to load on the toppings. You can also use small or medium russet potatoes. If you are looking to switch things up a little bit, you can use Yukon gold potatoes. These sweet potatoes will be extremely soft and tender and will give your potatoes a slightly sweet taste.
Easy! Poking holes in your potatoes will help the potatoes tenderize. After cooking your potatoes, poke them a few more times with a fork. The fork should be able to pierce the potato with little to no resistance. If you can easily poke a new hole in the middle of your potatoes then they are ready to use.
Expert Tips
- I use microwaved bacon to cut down on prep time, but freshly cooked bacon works great as well. As long as it is crispy enough to crumble it will work. You can also use bacon bits if you would like.
- Poking your potatoes with a fork helps the moisture inside escape, allowing the potatoes to cook and become tender.
- The last seven minutes of cooking time is really to just melt the cheese. If you’d like you can also do this using the broiler on high heat. It will save you a few minutes.
- You can prep these potatoes up until the point when they are brushed with butter and store all of the prepared ingredients in the fridge for up to 2 days.
What Should I Serve With My Potato Skins?
These potatoes are great served as a side, or they can be loaded up with toppings and served as an entree. Whether you are serving these potato skins as a side or a main dish, there are a few complimentary dishes that go great with them. We love serving these delicious potatoes with macaroni and cheese, cornbread salad, chicken legs, or sloppy joes.
How to Store Your Leftover Potato Skins
We recommend serving these potato skins fresh. When served fresh, your potato skins will have a nice crispy exterior while the inside remains soft and tender. However, you can store any leftover potato skins in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. When storing your leftovers, be sure to store them without any toppings, except for cheese, so you can reheat them. Reheat your leftovers in the microwave for about 45 seconds, or until the middle is warm. Your potato skins will dry out a little bit after being microwaved.
More Appetizers To Consider
Appetizer Recipes
Fresh Cranberry Salsa Recipe | Sweet & Spicy Holiday Dish
Vegetable Sides
Zucchini Fritters
Salads
Caprese Salad
Sandwich Recipes
Hawaiian Roll Sliders
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Potato Skins
Ingredients
- 4 large russet potatoes, washed
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup diced green onion
- 1/2 cup crumbled bacon
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degree F.
- Place all four potatoes on a baking sheet and poke a fork a few times. Cook the potatoes for 45 minutes.
- Allow the potatoes to cool for about 15 minutes out of the oven.
- Cut each potato in half and use a spoon to scoop out the inside, creating a sturdy shell (leave about a 1/4 inch of potato next to the skin. Place these potato shells in a baking dish.
- Melt the butter and combine it with the pepper and garlic powder. Use a pastry brush to coat the potato skins with the melted butter mixture and cook for another 20 minutes.
- Top the skins with cheese and cook for 7-10 more minutes.
- Top your potato skins with sour cream, green onion, and crumbled bacon.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- These potato skins are best served fresh. However, you can prep the potatoes until they are brushed with butter and store all of the ingredients in the fridge for up to 2 days in airtight containers.
- Other toppings that go great on these potato skins include chili powder, red pepper flakes, cottage cheese, and chives.
- I use microwaved bacon to cut down on prep time, but freshly cooked bacon works great as well. As long as it is crispy enough to crumble it will work. You can also use bacon bits if you would like.
- Poking your potatoes with a fork helps the moisture inside escape, allowing the potatoes to cook and become tender.
- The last seven minutes of cooking time is really just to melt the cheese. If you’d like you can also do this using the broiler on high heat.
