There’s nothing quite as satisfying as a plate of deliciously loaded potato skins that are topped with salty bacon bits, melted cheddar cheese, and a dollop of tangy sour cream. These little babies are baked in the oven to crispy perfection making them enticing appetizers. I dare you to eat just one!
Why I love these Loaded Potato Skins
- These little jewels are ideal finger food for any get-together and are the perfect size for “grab and go.”
- Baked crisp instead of deep-fried. Most restaurants will throw the skins in a deep fryer to crisp them up, making them greasy. Not these. They are baked in the oven on high heat until crispy.
- A healthier way to eat a loaded baked potato. Who doesn’t love a fresh-out-of-the-oven baked potato with loads of bacon, cheese, and sour cream? But oh the calories!! These cut down on that a little bit because they’re small with less “load” but yet scrumptious. And bonus – the skins have amazing nutritional value and are loaded with fiber and antioxidants.
The Ingredients
The ingredient list is simple with the foundation being potatoes, obviously. Brush on some melted butter, sprinkle on coarse sea salt, and black pepper, add crispy bacon bits, and shredded cheddar cheese. For an added treat dollop on some sour cream and garnish with chives. See, there’s really nothing to the recipe.
What kind of potato is best for Loaded Potato Skins?
Russet potatoes are the best for baked potato skins because they have the firmest skins and they won’t fall apart when you are scooping out the insides or adding all the fixin’s.
Choose smaller potatoes for bite-size appetizers. They’re the perfect size for a hand-held snack.
How to Make Crispy Loaded Potato Skins in the Oven
#1 – Bake the potatoes in a 400°F oven.
First, pierce each potato on all sides with a fork. This will release steam while they’re cooking. Then coat each potato well with olive oil. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and place on a wire rack that sits on a baking sheet. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes.
Three ways to know if your baked potato is done. 1)When pierced with a fork it should slide through the potato freely. 2) If you gently squeeze the potato in the middle it should give easily under the pressure. 3) Inserting an internal thermometer into the center should register 210°F when it is done.
#2 – Cutting the Potatoes
Make sure and let the potatoes completely cool before cutting them. Once they are cooled, cut lengthwise using a serrated knife. This will keep the potato skins from tearing.
#3 – Scooping out the Flesh
Scoop out the flesh of the potato with either a melon ball or a small ice cream scoop. Honestly, you can use a small spoon if that’s all you have.
You want to leave about 1/4 of an inch of flesh on the skins. This will give them more substance and firmness to hold all the “good stuff.”
- The scooped out flesh can be used for gnocchi, mashed potatoes, potato pancakes, add it to potato soup, etc.
#4 – Baking a second time
Once the flesh is scooped out, melt some butter and brush it on both sides of the halved potatoes and sprinkle with coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the potatoes back in the oven, skin side up, and cook for eight minutes. Using tongs, gently turn the potato skins over and cook for another five minutes until they are crispy and browned.
- If you have leftover bacon grease, you can brush that on the potato skins instead of butter. This adds another dimension of “bacon” love.
#5 – Adding Shredded Cheese and Bacon Bits
This is where it gets really good! Add shredded cheddar cheese (or whatever kind you prefer) and crispy bacon bits. You can add as much or as little as you like. For me, the more the merrier!
- When buying cheese don’t grab the bag that is already shredded. There is an additive to the pre-shredded bag to keep it from clumping. But the cheese doesn’t melt together nicely. It’s a little extra work to grate it yourself, but the end result is better, in my opinion.
Place the baking sheet back in the oven for the third time, but only long enough to melt the cheese.
Can you Bake the Potato Skins ahead of time and freeze?
Yes. Follow steps 1-3 (see above). Once the potatoes are cooked and the flesh has been scooped out, let them cool completely. Place them individually, side by side, on a cookie sheet, and freeze until they’re fully frozen. Stack them on top of each other and place them in a freezer ziplock bag. They will keep in the freezer a good two months.
When you’re ready to cook and serve, thaw them completely and follow steps 4-5 (above).
Other Topping Ideas
- BBQ – Pulled Pork and BBQ Sauce
- Mexican – Chorizo, jalapenos, cheese, guacamole, and sour cream
- Pizza – Marinara sauce, pepperoni, and mozzarella cheese
- Buffalo Chicken – shredded chicken with buffalo sauce and cream cheese
This Loaded Potato Skins recipe is on the “easy” scale of cooking. You do have to plan ahead though because there is quite a bit of oven time. But once the baking is done, all that’s left is to sprinkle some shredded cheese, add some crumbled bacon, some more bacon, and dollop it with sour cream. That’s it. Pretty basic and pretty dang simple. BUT, OH SO DELICIOUS!
When I’ve made the Loaded Potato Skins for a get-together with friends, a whole platter would easily be devoured in less than five minutes. Note to self, “Next time, double the recipe. There’s never enough to satisfy these ravenous guests.”
If you love potato recipes, check out these:
Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Hasselback Potato Ring
Potatoes and Onions on the Grill
Sweet Potato Rounds
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetables and Potatoes
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PrintLoaded Potato Skins
Who doesn’t love crispy potato skins loaded with shredded cheese and crumbled bacon? When you add dollops of tangy sour cream, you have the makings of tantalizing appetizers.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 20 1x
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 5 lb bag of Russet Potatoes
- 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil
- Coarse Sea Salt
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 2–3 tablespoons Butter
- 1 lb Cooked Bacon, crumbled
- 2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Sour Cream, for topping
- Chopped Chives, for garnishment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Scrub 5 pounds of small potatoes until clean.
- Pierce each potato with a fork and rub them with olive oil.
- Sprinkle coarse sea salt on all sides of the potatoes.
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes. When the skins are crisp and the flesh is tender remove from the oven and let cool completely.
- Cut the potato lengthwise and carefully scoop out the flesh using it for another use later. Leave around 1/4 of an inch of flesh on the skin.
- Melt 2-3 tablespoons of butter and brush on both sides of the potatoes. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and black pepper.
- Place the potatoes skin side up on a wire rack that sits on top of a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes.
- Using tongs, gently turn the potato skins over and return to the oven. Bake for another 5 minutes until potatoes are crisp and browned.
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle with grated cheese and crumbled bacon. Return to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted.
- Add a dollop of sour cream and chopped chives. Serve Immediately.
Notes
- Russet potatoes are the best ones for these potato skins. They have the firmest skins and won’t fall apart when you are scooping out the insides
- Choose small to medium size potatoes. 5-pound bags tend to have smaller potatoes and are the perfect size for a hand-held snack
- Three ways to know if your baked potato is done. 1)When pierced with a fork it should slide through the potato freely. 2) If you gently squeeze the potato in the middle it should give easily under the pressure. 3) Inserting an internal thermometer into the center should register 210°F when it is done.
- Make sure and let the potatoes completely cool before cutting them. Once they are cooled, cut lengthwise using a serrated knife. This will keep the potato skins from tearing.
- Scoop out the flesh of the potato with either a melon ball or a small ice cream scoop. Honestly, you can use a small spoon if that’s all you have.
- The scooped out flesh can be used for gnocchi, mashed potatoes, potato pancakes, add it to potato soup, etc.
- If you have leftover bacon grease, you can brush that on the potato skins instead of butter. This adds another dimension of “bacon” love.
- When buying cheese don’t grab the bag that is already shredded. There is an additive to the pre-shredded bag to keep it from clumping. But the cheese doesn’t melt together nicely.
- The Loaded Potato Skins can be made ahead of time. See above in the post for instructions.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 potato skins
- Calories: 494
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 1400
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 88 mg
Keywords: loaded potato skins, baked potato skins, stuffed potato skins, potato appetizers
How can you go wrong with loaded potato skins. These are awesome as a snack or an appetizer.
★★★★★
You are right! There are never enough potato skins. And isn’t it funny how many folks don’t know the right way to bake a potato? I love them crisp on the outside, too!
★★★★★
Thanks so much Abbe for stopping by. Crispy potato skins are the BEST!
Well these are fun. I could probably just eat the crispy potato skins by themselves, but I wouldn’t say no to cheese and bacon, either!
Amen to that Mimi!
These look ridiculously good, Kristy, and I love that they are baked and not fried. And those flavours are so classic and so tantalising! Drooling over your photos!
★★★★★
Thanks so much Katerina. I’m with you on baking these little goodies. Gives me less guilt.