Air Fryer Potato Skins

Air Fryer Potato Skins are the PERFECT crispy and cheesy appetizer, made with russet potatoes topped with cheddar cheese, bacon, green onions, and sour cream, ready in 30 minutes!

These are the perfect thing to serve at a party or for the big game! For more great appetizer ideas, check out these Spinach Balls, or Gluten Free Crab Cakes!

This is one of my favorite appetizers for game day! They’re really simple to make, and use only a few basic ingredients. I like to serve these with some crowd-favorite toppings like extra green onions, sour cream, and salsa on the side for dipping. The air fryer is great at making extra crispy skins that everyone will love!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Potatoes. The best option for potato skins is medium size Russet potatoes. They are starchy and hold up really well when cooking. You can also use gold potatoes, but they may not turn out as crispy. 

Cheese. I like to use regular shredded cheddar cheese, but use whatever your favorite cheese is. Try to use a block of cheese that you shred yourself, as this will melt better than pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese usually has anti-caking ingredients that keep it from melting as well as block cheese.

Bacon. Bacon adds a nice salty savory flavor. You can use regular or turkey bacon, but regular will taste better. I use 4-6 pieces of bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled. You can add more or less depending on how much crispy bacon you’d like. 

Olive Oil. Rubbing the potatoes in olive oil before baking helps make the skin crispy. You can save the olive oil if you have cooking spray instead. 

Green Onions. You can use green onions or chives, either one would work. This adds a really nice light onion flavor that compliments the cheese and potato. 

Spices. This recipe uses a small amount of garlic powder, with kosher salt and black pepper to taste. You can also mix it up by adding this Homemade Ranch Seasoning, Taco Seasoning, or Fajita Seasoning. 

How to Make Air Fryer Potato Skins

1.  Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Cut the baked potatoes in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the inside of the potato halves. Brush the inside of the potato skins with olive oil and sprinkle on garlic, salt, and pepper.
2. Place the potato skins in the air fryer basket. Air fry for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. 
3. Remove the basket from the air fryer and top the potato skins with the shredded cheddar and crumbled bacon.
4. Place the basket back into the air fryer and air fry potato skins for another 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Top with the green onions, season with salt & pepper to taste, and serve. 

How to Bake Potatoes in the Air Fryer

1. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Wash potatoes thoroughly and dry with a kitchen towel. 
2. Brush a small amount of olive oil on the outside of each potato, coating evenly. Sprinkle with salt and poke a few holes in each potato with a fork. 
3. Place the potatoes in the air fryer basket and air fry for 40-50 minutes, or until a fork goes through the potatoes easily. The time can vary depending on the size of the potatoes, and you may need to add a few additional minutes. 

Frequently Asked Questions

More Appetizer Recipes

• Cream Cheese Sausage Balls
• Spicy Sausage Cream Cheese Dip
• Bacon Wrapped Sausage Stuffed Jalapeños
• Philly Cheesesteak Dip
• Air Fryer Sweet Potato Wedges

Storage

Refrigerate for 3-4 days in an airtight container. 

Freeze potato skins in an airtight container for 2-3 months. Reheat frozen potato skins in the toaster oven on the broil setting until warmed through, or in the air fryer at 400°F for 5-10 minutes, or until warmed through. 

Recipe Variations

• Try making this recipe with sweet potato skins! Top with a small amount of butter, chopped pecans, and brown sugar instead of cheese. It’s the perfect appetizer for the holidays!
• You can use different types of cheese, like colby jack or pepper jack cheese. 
• Make these spicy with a dash of cayenne pepper, hot sauce, chili powder, or red pepper flakes. Add the cayenne pepper over potato skins before adding any other toppings. 
• Try adding some Homemade Ranch Seasoning, or some Buttermilk Ranch Dressing for dipping. 
• Top these with extra pulled pork or buffalo chicken if you have leftovers. 
• Try topping with mozzarella cheese and pizza sauce with pepperoni.
• If you want to make this recipe a little lighter, use low fat shredded cheese, turkey bacon, and dip in greek yogurt instead of sour cream. 

Cooking Tips

• If you air fry the potatoes beforehand to bake them, the cooking time depends on the size of potato you’re using.
• You may have to work in batches depending on how big your air fryer basket is. 
• If you want to make these in the oven, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake the empty skins at 400°F for 30 minutes, turning over half way through. Then add the toppings and bake an additional 3-5 minutes, or until everything is melted. 
• Don’t skip the oil in this recipe. You need to add a little bit of oil to make really crispy potato skins. You can use olive oil, canola oil, or avocado oil for this recipe. 

If you loved this recipe, be sure to leave a 5 Star review below, and tag me with a photo of your finished recipe on Instagram @Jacqui_DishingDelish!

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