At first, I thought potato skin chips were similar to this air fryer potato skins recipe. However, their difference is like night and day. The latter turned out to be a fantastic and fancy appetizer.
As I’ve discovered, loaded potato skins are a common item on the menu of many casual, bar-style restaurants.
These intensely satisfying munchies feature skin-on potato halves that are slightly hollowed out and filled with delightful fillings, such as bacon, cheese, sour cream, and scallions!
Making these crispy potato skins may be challenging, but the entire process is fun and rewarding.
However, the great thing is that using an air fryer not only reduces the cooking time but also enhances the delicious crunch of these potato treats!
In this guide, we will walk you through the best way to prepare flavorful homemade potato skins in your air fryer with minimal effort required.
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Air Fryer Potato Skins
✦ You can find the exact measurements of the recipe ingredients and customize the serving size in the recipe card after the detailed step-by-step instructions section.
There are so many different ways to make potato skins, but our favorite way is with some of the most classic ingredients for this recipe:
- Russet potatoes
- Bacon strips, cooked and chopped
- Scallions, chopped
- Mozzarella cheese
- Cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Salt and pepper
The combination of the sharp cheddar cheese with the melty, savory mozzarella cheese and salty bacon really make for an addicting plate of loaded potato skins.
We use russet potatoes because the skin is the best for this recipe. Other potato types, like Yukon gold, have softer skin and wouldn’t work as well.
Recipe Video
How to Make Potato Skins in the Air Fryer?
Making homemade potato skins in the air fryer is easier than you’d think! Most of the time is spent letting the potatoes cook in the air fryer, for a total time of about 1 hour. Trust us, the time is worth the delicious result!
Step 1: Preheat the air fryer to 380°F (193°C).
If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheating option, you can set the temperature to 380°F (193°C) and then let it cook without food for 4-5 minutes without food.
🚨 Important: Reduce the cooking temperature to 360°F (182°C) if you’re using a 4-quart air fryer or smaller. They are hotter due to the heating element being closer to the food.
Step 2: Wash and poke each potato with a fork.
Scrub each potato well and prick the skins with a fork to prevent steam from building up and causing a mess inside your air fryer. While it’s a rare occurrence, potato explosions can happen.
Step 3: Season the whole potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper.
The main highlight of potato skins is savoring their delectable outer layer. To enhance the taste, generously season the skins with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Step 4: Bake the seasoned whole potatoes for 40-50 minutes or until tender.
When the air fryer is fully preheated, add the potatoes and cook until tender, or when a fork can be poked in without too much resistance, about 40-50 minutes.
Don’t forget to flip them halfway through the cooking process. Since the heat in most air fryers is primarily generated from the top, flipping the potato skins ensures even cooking.
The cooking time for baking potatoes in the air fryer will vary depending on the size of your potatoes and the specific type of air fryer you are using. For optimal results, it is recommended to test your potatoes with a fork before proceeding to the next step.
Step 5: Prepare your toppings.
While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the fillings. Chop the green onion, shred the cheeses (if not already shredded) and chop the cooked bacon into small bits.
Step 6: Slice the potato in half and scoop out the flesh.
When the potatoes are tender, carefully remove them from the air fryer and cut in half, creating two, long potato halves. The potatoes will be hot, so be careful!
💡 Pro Tip: Make sure your knife is sharp to prevent damaging the skin.
Then, carefully scoop out the flesh with a spoon, leaving a small layer of potato inside the skins, and set aside.
The number of servings you can make from each potato will depend on their size. With some creative slicing, you can yield 2-4 servings per potato.
Step 7: Brush or spray the potato skins with neutral cooking oil.
Use a high-heat cooking oil (like vegetable, coconut or avocado) to brush or spray the hollowed-out potato halves.
Step 8: Air fry potato skins for 6-8 minutes until golden and crispy.
Put the potato skins back into the air fryer, cut side up, and air fry them until they become golden and crispy. This process usually takes around 6-8 minutes at the same cooking temperature of 380°F (193°C).
Since we’re aiming for an extra crispy version of this recipe, we’re ensuring it to turn crispy both on the outside and inside.
Step 9: Add the toppings.
Leaving the skins in the air fryer, carefully top each hollow half with mozzarella, cheddar, and bacon bits.
Step 10: Air fry loaded potato skins for another 2-3 minutes.
Continue air frying the stuffed potato skins for an additional 2-4 minutes to melt the cheeses. Bake until the cheese has bubbled up and turns golden in color.
Step 11: Serve and enjoy your air fried potato skins!
When the cheeses are melted and the bacon is crisp, carefully transfer the cooked potato skins to a plate.
For a proper fully loaded potato skins, serve them with dollops of sour cream and a sprinkle of chopped green onions. This combination creates one of the most delicious homemade appetizers you’ll ever experience!
Unfortunately, our sour cream got frozen, so we were unable to include it in the recipe image.
Anyhow, it still tastes great even with runny sour cream. It’s just not as visually appetizing.
The classic drink pairing for this decadent dish??? You guessed it, a beer!! Something crisp and refreshing like a Modelo Especial is the perfect accompaniment to these cheesy and delicious bites.
It would take additional time to prepare mashed potatoes and stuff them back into the hollowed-out potatoes, so we opted for a simpler recipe this time. However, in the future, we’re going to make stuffed air fryer potato skins.
Freezing & Storage
💡 Pro Tip: If you’re planning on freezing/refrigerating some leftover loaded potato skins, it’s best to not top them with sour cream.
Freezing: Allow the potato skins to cool completely. Add the potato skins to a freezer-safe zip-top bag or airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating
Fridge: Allow the potato skins to cool completely before adding them to an airtight container or zip-top bag.
Reheating: To reheat, preheat the air fryer to 360°F (182°C). Once preheated, add the potato skins in a single layer and air fry until hot and re-crisped, about 4-5 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can absolutely air fry potato skins. It’s one of the quickest ways to prepare these incredibly delicious appetizers.
If we’re going to factor in baking your russet potatoes, it will take approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes to make potato skins in an air fryer.
To air fry potato skins, first, thoroughly wash your russet potato, poke them with a fork, and season them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Next, bake them for 40-50 minutes at high heat until tender. Then, slice them in half, hollow them out, spray the flesh side with cooking oil, and air fry them for 6-8 minutes. Add your desired toppings, melt the cheese, and top them off with dollops of sour cream and chopped green onion.
On average, a single serving of potato skin can range from around 100 to 150 calories. However, the calorie content may vary depending on factors such as the size of the potato and any additional toppings or fillings used.
This ingredients checklist is interactive; you can use it as your grocery list.
Ingredients
- 2 russet potatoes medium to large
- â…› teaspoon salt or to taste
- â…› teaspoon pepper or to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Toppings
- 2 bacon strips crisped and chopped
- 1 tablespoons scallions chopped
- ½ cup Mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup Cheddar cheese
- 4 tablespoons sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 380°F (193°C). If your air fryer has a capacity of 4 quarts or smaller, please see the note for more info.
- Get the potatoes ready. Wash the potatoes thoroughly and pat them dry. Prick each potato several times with a fork to allow the steam to escape.
- Season each potato with olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Massage to incorporate the seasonings.
- Air fry the potatoes for 40-50 minutes, flipping them halfway through cooking. Cook until they are tender. To test, pierce them with a fork. You shouldn't feel any resistance. Once tender, remove them from the air fryer and allow them to cool for a few minutes.
- While air frying the potatoes, prepare the fillings: chop the scallions and shred the cheese, cook the bacon strips and chop them into small bits.
- Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice each potato in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh, leaving about ¼ inch of potato on the skin.
- Then, brush or spray each hollowed-out potato with cooking oil. This step is optional; only do this if you desire crispy potato skins.
- Air fry potato skins for 6-8 minutes until golden and crispy at 380°F (193°C).
- Add the toppings to each halved potato with mozzarella, cheddar cheese and bacon bits.
- Place them back in the air fryer and cook for another 2-4 minutes or until the cheese has melted and bubbly.
- Serve your air fryer potato skins with a scoop of sour cream topped with chopped green onions. Enjoy!
Recipe Video
Notes
- For 4-quart air fryers and smaller, reduce the cooking temperature to 360°F (182°C). They generate more heat because of the heating element’s proximity to the food.
- If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheating option, you can set the temperature to 275ºF (135ºC) and then let it cook for 3 minutes.
- Here’s a guide on how to cook bacon in the air fryer.
- To test if the whole potatoes are done cooking, pierce them with a fork. You shouldn’t feel any resistance.
- Carefully slice the baked potatoes to prevent the peel from breaking apart. Use a sharp knife.
- Reserve the scooped-out potato flesh for another use, such as mashed potatoes.
- I used a 6-quart Instant Vortex Plus to test air frying potato skins. Cooking time and temperature may vary depending on your air fryer and the number of servings you are making. For optimal results, begin with the lower end of the suggested cooking time.
Nutrition
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