Potato Skins
intro
Crispy, cheesy loaded potato skins stuffed with bacon, sour cream, and chives— the perfect salty, shareable pub-style snack for casual group gatherings.
Ingredients
Steps
Bake whole potatoes
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F, gas mark 6). Pat the 4 scrubbed, unpeeled russet potatoes completely dry with paper towels, rub all over with 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil, and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of the kosher salt. Place potatoes directly on the middle oven rack and bake for 45 minutes, until skins are taut and crisp, and a fork slides easily through the center of each potato. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cutting board to cool for 10 minutes until safe to handle.
Crisp chopped bacon
While the potatoes cool, heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the 120g chopped thick-cut bacon in a single, even layer, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fat is fully rendered and bacon pieces are deep golden and crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease, then set aside. Discard rendered bacon fat or save for other cooking uses.
Scoop potato flesh
Once potatoes are cool enough to touch, slice each one in half lengthwise with a sharp knife. Use a small metal spoon to gently scoop out the soft inner potato flesh, leaving a uniform 6mm (¼ inch) thick layer of potato attached to the skin to keep shells sturdy. Collect scooped potato flesh in a bowl to reserve for other uses like mashed potatoes or hash, rather than discarding it.
Crisp potato shells
Increase oven temperature to 220°C (425°F, gas mark 7). Brush both the inner and outer surfaces of every potato skin shell with the 2 tablespoons (28g) of melted unsalted butter. Season the insides of the shells with the remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Arrange shells skin-side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving 2cm (1 inch) of space between each, and bake for 10 minutes. Flip shells so the cut, hollowed side faces up, and bake for 5 more minutes until edges are deep golden and crunchy.
Add cheese and bacon
Pull the baking sheet of crisp shells out of the oven. Divide the 180g shredded sharp cheddar cheese evenly between each hollowed shell, followed by the drained crisp bacon pieces, pressing toppings lightly to stick to the shell. Return the baking sheet to the 220°C (425°F) oven and bake for 3 to 4 minutes, until cheese is fully melted and bubbling around the shell edges.
Top and serve warm
Remove loaded potato skins from the oven and let rest for 2 minutes to set. Top each skin with a 1-tablespoon dollop of the full-fat sour cream, then sprinkle evenly with the 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh chives. Arrange skins on a shared serving platter and serve immediately while cheese is still gooey and skins are crisp.
Tips
2.Do not scoop too close to the skin when hollowing potatoes; a ¼-inch thick potato layer prevents shells from cracking when you add toppings or pick them up to eat.
3.Add cold, creamy toppings like sour cream or guacamole only after the skins come out of the oven, as high oven heat will cause dairy toppings to curdle and turn watery.
OMG these potato skins were a total game changer for our Sunday football watch party! I loaded them up with extra cheddar, crumbled bacon, and a dollop of sour cream, and every single one was gone in 10 minutes. Even my super picky 8 year old asked for seconds! Only note: I baked them 5 mins extra to get them extra crispy, totally worth it.
Made these for my weekly meal prep to eat as side dishes with grilled chicken all week, and they hold up so much better than I thought they would! Super easy to follow, even for someone who burns toast half the time lmao. I skipped the bacon to make them vegetarian, added some pickled jalapeños for a kick, chef’s kiss.
Really solid recipe! I used dairy-free cheese and gluten-free bacon bits to fit my dietary needs, and they turned out great. Only reason I’m not giving 5 stars is I wish the recipe noted how long to let the potatoes cool before scooping out the insides—burned my fingertips pretty bad rushing it lmao. Will absolutely make again though!
Wait a second, is it weird that I used the scooped out potato insides to make a quick mashed potato side for dinner the same night? Felt like zero food waste, which I’m obsessed with. These skins came out so crispy, my roommate thought I ordered them from Applebee’s 😂
Brought these to my neighborhood block party potluck last weekend and people were literally coming up to me asking for the recipe before they even finished their first one! I did a mix of toppings: some with pulled pork, some with broccoli and cheese, some classic bacon cheddar. So customizable, easy to make a big batch for a crowd.
Made these for at-home date night with my boyfriend instead of ordering takeout, and he said they’re better than the ones we get at our local sports bar. We paired them with cold beers and watched old movies, 10/10 vibe. Will be adding these to our regular date night rotation for sure!
Has anyone tried making these in the air fryer instead of the oven? I don’t love turning my whole oven on in the summer when it’s 90 degrees out, would love to not heat up the whole house for these.
My kids loved these so much they didn’t even complain that I made a “vegetable” for dinner lmao. Told them potatoes are basically nature’s French fry carrier, got a solid eye roll from my teen. 10/10, easy enough to make on a busy weeknight, minimal cleanup too.
Added a drizzle of hot honey on top of the bacon and cheese and oh my GOD, that sweet and spicy combo is unreal. Don’t sleep on that hack, people. Crispy, salty, cheesy, a little sweet, a little heat? Literally perfect bite. The cook time was exactly as written too, no guesswork!
I’m literally a total beginner in the kitchen and I was so nervous to make these for my friend’s birthday hang, but they turned out SO good! The instructions were super straightforward, no weird fancy ingredients I had to run to three stores to find. I felt like a real chef lmao. Only mess up was I put too much cheese on a couple and it oozed all over the baking sheet, but that was my bad.
These are going to be my go-to for every game night from now on, no question. The crisp factor is off the charts, no sogginess at all if you follow the directions. I made a quick ranch dip to go with them instead of just sour cream, game changer.
Used leftover baked potatoes from last night’s dinner to whip these up, cut the cook time in half! Why have I never thought to do that before? Had skins ready in 20 minutes for a quick lunch, zero waste, maximum flavor. 10/10 hack for anyone who meal preps baked potatoes on Sundays.
Made a fully vegan version of these with vegan cheddar, coconut bacon, and dairy-free sour cream, and even my meat-obsessed brother said they were better than the regular loaded skins he gets at restaurants. Win for plant based eats!
Okay I was skeptical because every potato skin recipe I’ve tried before ends up chewy and soggy no matter what I do, but these actually came out CRISPY. I followed the tip to make sure they weren’t overlapping on the pan, brushed them with melted butter, and baked them the full time, and crunch city. My husband ate half the pan before dinner even started lmao.
This recipe is so budget friendly! I already had all the ingredients at home except potatoes and cheese, cost me like $5 total to make a whole batch. Way cheaper than ordering takeout appetizers for the family, and way tastier too. The easy difficulty rating is no lie, even my teen helped make them and didn’t mess anything up.
Testing these out ahead of my Super Bowl party next month, and they are a lock for the menu! I’m going to set up a toppings bar so people can load their own: cheese, bacon, jalapeños, sour cream, chives, pulled pork, chili, the works. How far in advance can I prep the potato skins so I’m not stuck in the kitchen during the game?
Made these at 1am after a night out with friends and they hit DIFFERENT. Way better than the late night pizza we were gonna order, and way easier to throw together when you’re half asleep lmao. 10/10 drunk food, 10/10 sober food, just all around perfect.
Don’t skip the fresh chives on top! I almost forgot to add them and I’m so glad I didn’t, that fresh oniony bite cuts through all the rich cheese and bacon so perfectly. I also added a little sprinkle of paprika for color and a tiny smoky kick, so good.