This potato skins recipe is easy to make with crispy baked potatoes filled with cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon topped with a dollop of sour cream. The perfect party appetizer.
I love to serve hot appetizers when entertaining guests! Other favorites include crockpot BBQ meatballs, 7-layer dip and pigs in a blanket.
Table of Contents
Easy Potato Skins
This homemade potato skins recipe is one of our favorite game day appetizers. They are super easy to make, crispy and always the first Super Bowl appetizers to go.
If I could eat potatoes for the rest of my life, I’d be in heaven. They are definitely one of my favorite foods! Loaded baked potatoes, twice baked potatoes, cheesy potatoes, creamy mashed potatoes … you name it. I’ve never met a potato I didn’t like. ;)
Why I Love These Baked Potato Skins
- Easy appetizer. Aside from scooping out the potatoes, this recipe is as simple as turning on the oven and sprinkling a few toppings.
- Crispy. Skip deep frying! This are oven-baked potato skins and turn out perfectly crispy! A hearty appetizer that will satisfy any appetite.
Ingredient Notes
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Russet potatoes: The star of the show, but you can also use Yukon if you prefer.
- Olive oil: I use this to coat the potatoes before baking to ensure a really crispy skin.
- Butter: I use melted and unsalted, but you can use salted if you like.
- Salt & pepper: The classic seasoning to bring out all the other flavors. I also coat the outside of the potato with salt before baking.
- Cheddar cheese: This gives the potato skins their melty goodness. Use a combination of cheddar and Monterey jack cheese, if you would like.
- Bacon: Use cooked and crumbled bacon or bacon bits to add a nice texture and bit of salt.
- Optional toppings: I love to add a dollop of sour cream and sliced green onions to add a little extra flavor. Greek yogurt or chives could be used.
How to Make Potato Skins
Brush potatoes all over with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake until soft and tender. Let cool until easy to handle. You can also make air fry baked potatoes.
Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the potato flesh, leaving about 1/4-inch of flesh on the skin. Brush with butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until crisp.
When potatoes are done, top the cut side with cheese and bacon. Continue baking until the cheese in nice and bubbly.
Top with a little sour cream and green onions, if desired. Enjoy!
Tips and Variations
- Make sure to leave about 1/4-inch of potato in the potato shell. Otherwise it will tear.
- Add garlic powder and onion powder to the melted butter before brushing on top.
- Dip in ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing for a really amazing appetizer.
- For a taco style, replace bacon with taco seasoned ground beef and top with pico de gallo and olives. Then dip in my favorite homemade salsa or guacamole.
- Make these pizza potato skins by adding cheese, pepperoni, Italian seasoning, and some marinara sauce for dipping.
- Skip the bacon and add chili with sliced red onions, diced tomatoes and jalapenos.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! Simply leave off or replace the bacon with a veggie or a plant-based protein.
Of course! This recipe works well for a large crowd and is easy to double. You can even bake the potatoes in advance to save time and then simply bake them with the topping as needed.
Potato skins are served great as an appetizer alongside crockpot meatballs and baked chicken wings. They also make a great side dish when serving steak in the oven, baked chicken or grilled salmon.
If you love the Air Fryer as much as I do, you’ll be pleased to know that you can make air fryer potato skins just as easily. Is there anything this trusty kitchen appliance can’t do?!
Looking for more party appetizers? Try easy homemade pretzel bites or ham and cheese sliders.
More Potato Recipes
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Potato Skins Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Toppings
- Sour cream , optional
- Sliced green onions , optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Prep potatoes. Give 4 large potatoes a good scrub and dry completely with a paper towel.
- Bake potatoes. Place on baking sheet, and brush all over with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt. Bake 1 hour, or until soft and tender. Let cool until easy to handle.
- Scoop out potato flesh. Turn oven to 450°F. Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh, leaving about 1/4-inch of flesh on the skin. Brush the tops and bottom of potato halves with 2-3 Tablespoons butter. Sprinkle the inside with salt and pepper. Return to the baking sheet.
- Bake 10 minutes. Flip and cook an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until edges are starting to crisp.
- Add cheese and bacon. Sprinkle each potato half with cheese and bacon. Return to oven 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Top with a dollop of sour cream and sliced green onions, if desired.
Notes
- Sprinkle in some garlic and onion powder with the melted butter before brushing on top.
- Use a combination of cheddar and Monterey jack cheese.
- They also taste great dipped in ranch dressing
- For more of a Mexican feel, replace bacon with taco seasoned ground beef and top with salsa and olives
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Appetizers, Mini appetizers, Super Bowl
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
i made these tonight i had every thing but the green onions so i cut up 2 jalapenos insted (i love spicy food) also added pepper jack cheese on top. a hint for anyone with a deep fryer cook the bacon in that about 2 minutes it shrivels up small cooked and makes it easier to crumble. great recipe :)
Love the spicy twist Torrie, thanks for sharing! :)
Yum! I’m trying this recipe tonight, but I’m going to substitute sweet potatoes.
Yum, that sounds delicious! Let me know how it goes, I haven’t tried it with sweet potatoes before!
I had a yen for potato skins but didn’t want the hustle of the whole baking potatoes (ok, how lazy is that?) but remembered you had a “better” recipe. Tracked it down and you are now a permanent part of my recipe file. Thank you from the lazy cooks of the world!
Haha i’m glad you found it! This is definitely a delicious and easy way to get the same taste! :)
love this recipe always looking for the types you find in restaurants that i can make at home thanks for sharing now following on google+ and other social media
Thanks for stopping by and commenting Lorraine! I love creating delicious recipes that you can make at home for cheaper too! Hope you have a great day! :)
I am making these for a wedding reception. Could they be made the night before and then reheated with the cheese and bacon the day of?
Yes definitely! My mom always makes them the night before and then refrigerates them before the second baking. Then she will back them the second time right before dinner! :)
Just pinned, can’t wait to try!
HUGE fan of potato dishes – loved these potato skins. THX! Pinned!
You are brilliant! Potato skins are my go-to appetizer when eating out, but I never wanted to go to the trouble of making them at home. This version looks like a cinch!! Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.; )♥
Love that recipe because potatoes are my favorite food but I am a vegetarian so I think I will skip the bacon slices. Hmm looks so yummy!!!
Potatoes are my favorite food too! These would be yummy with any baked potato topping, so many possibilities! :)
They look great and I bet you could prep them to the point of adding the toppings ahead of time and then finish them up later
Mmm, I eat a whole batch of these!
I love this idea so much more than the way we normally make potato skins in our house. Our way is a whole lot more work, and if I don’t make mashed potatoes in a couple days, a bunch of potato guts gets wasted. Thanks for sharing!!
I don’t eat potatoes too much anymore because of the carbs, but I received some in my last Bountiful basket so I’ve been needing to use them up. These look amazing!
These are so so delicious (and easy!).
Oh, I love potato skins! Must give this version a try!! :)
These look delicious! We are a starchy kind of family! :)
Wow! Those look so good. I am addicted to potatoes :)
xoxo
I’ve never met a potato I didn’t like either! These look so good.
The rounds are a good idea, rather than wasting so much potato. And yeah, I love potatoes too! These look delicious. Isn’t it funny how kids don’t like onions. My boys didn’t like onions or peppers, but had no trouble chowing down on salsa – full of onions and peppers. :-)