These air fryer potato skins are an incredibly easy way to make perfectly crispy potato skins at home! Bake your potatoes in advance or use leftover baked potatoes for these fan-favorite appetizers that are perfect as a snack, for entertaining, or for Super Bowl parties!
Air Fryer Potato Skins Recipe
I think everyone loves crispy baked potato skins, loaded with cheddar cheese and bacon, then topped with sour cream. Right? I mean, potato skins are one of the most popular appetizers ever at restaurants and TGI Friday's even sells them ready to bake in the freezer aisle at like every grocery store and convenience store I know!
That crispiness like restaurants get is what I love about these air-fried potato skins. I have baked my homemade loaded potato skins for many, many years now and this version is the best EVER!
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If you love tasty air fryer potato recipes, try my easy air fryer french fries or crispy air fryer potato chips!
❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe!
Great For Guests - You can vary the toppings to make them more individualized.
Better Than The Restaurant Version - Healthier than the restaurants, less oil and better ingredients make it so much better for you!
Super Quick - If you do a little prep (ie. have leftover baked potatoes) these only take a few minutes to make!
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🥘 Air Fryer Potato Skins Ingredients
You really only need 3 ingredients to make air fryer potato skins. However, I prefer adding some olive oil to get them extra crispy, then I top them off with sour cream and green onions for serving!
- Russet Potatoes - 6 medium russet potatoes, washed and baked. These are hands down the best potatoes for potato skins!
- Olive Oil (optional) - 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil for coating the outside potato skin to make the skins extra crispy.
- Cheddar Cheese - 6 ounces of shredded cheddar. I love cheddar on mine but you can use any cheese you prefer. Freshly grated melts the best!
- Bacon - 3 strips of cooked bacon (or use store-bought cooked bacon) crumbled or sliced.
- Sour cream (optional) - ½ cup of sour cream, or you could go with fresh hatch chile guacamole, ranch, or even pico de gallo.
- Green onion (optional) - 1 green onion sliced for garnish, it does add a nice flavor. You can swap for chives for a more baked potato feel.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🥔 How To Bake Potatoes In The Air Fryer or Oven
Instructions on how to bake your potatoes in the air fryer and in the oven are below. Microwaved potatoes and Instant Pot baked potatoes will also work, but I find that they don't have quite the same crispiness to the skin when made into potato skins.
How To Bake Potatoes In An Air Fryer
- Preheat. Preheat your air fryer to 400ºF (204ºC) and wash 6 russet potatoes. Remove eyes as needed, then pierce each washed potato with a fork.
- Season and cook. Season your prepared potatoes with a coating of olive oil and a few turns of freshly ground salt and pepper. Cook the potatoes in your air fryer according to the manufacturer's instructions at 400ºF (204ºC) or roughly 30 - 40 minutes.
- Cool. When the potatoes are done, you can insert a knife or fork easily into the potato center. Remove from your air fryer and allow to cool before handling, as the insides will be very hot!
How To Bake Potatoes In The Oven
- Preheat. To bake your potatoes in an oven, set your oven to the same temperature at 400ºF (204ºC) and prepare 6 russet potatoes as directed (wash, pierce, then coat with olive oil and season with salt and pepper).
- Bake. Place your potatoes directly on the oven rack, or set a sheet of aluminum foil underneath them. Bake time is about 45 minutes to 1 hour. I like to wrap my potatoes in aluminum foil, but my husband and daughter like their skins crispier whether we're making baked potatoes or loaded potato skins!
- Check for doneness. Your potatoes are done baking when an inserted knife or fork easily cuts into the potato flesh. Maybe that's the easy way? I've always just squeezed the potatoes to see how soft they are (just be careful, they're hot)!
🔪 How To Make Air Fryer Potato Skins
- Scoop out the potatoes. Once your baked potatoes are done and cooled, slice each potato in half lengthwise and spoon out the potato flesh from the center of each sliced half. Leave approximately a ¼-inch lining of the potato flesh on each potato skin.
- Arrange in your air fryer. Brush a light amount of olive oil onto both the skin and flesh of the potato, if desired, so that the entire surface is covered. Place your potatoes with the center facing upward onto your air fryer racks or in an air fryer basket.
- Air Fry. Fry your potatoes skin-side-down in a preheated air fryer at 400ºF (205ºC) for 10 minutes. *When using my Instant Pot Vortex Plus, I switched my racks halfway through this cooking time to evenly fry my potato skins.
- Remove from the air fryer. Remove the potato skins after 10 minutes of cooking time.
- Add cheese and bacon. Add 6 ounces of grated cheddar cheese and 3 strips of sliced or crumbled cooked bacon to each potato skin and return to your air fryer.
- Melt the cheese. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted. Remove from your air fryer and serve immediately.
- Garnish (optional). Top each potato skin with sour cream or ranch dressing, and sliced chives or green onions, if desired.
These air fryer potato skins are one of my favorite Super Bowl snacks. Sometimes, I serve them with a side of creamy spicy ranchero sauce for dipping. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- Brush the skin sides of the potatoes with oil for extra crispiness.
- Bake your potatoes ahead of time to make these super fast! You can also use my extra-quick microwave-baked potatoes, though I find the skin doesn't get quite as crispy.
- Cook times will vary based on your air fryer type or model, and the size of your potatoes. I am using an Instant Pot Vortex Plus with the racks today, but my cooking time is very similar in my basket-style air fryer too!
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Potato skins are one of those things that taste way better when they are hot and crispy. If you do have leftovers, you can put them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating Air Fryer Potato Skins
The best way to get your potato skins nice and crispy again is to reheat them in the air fryer! Just pop them into the basket skin-side-down and reheat them at 350°F (175°C) for 3-5 minutes.
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❓ FAQ
Russet potatoes make the very best potato skins. They are large and the skin is tough, so it holds up well in the air fryer and crisps up nicely!
You want a high temperature so the skin gets extra crispy. I cook my potato skins in a preheated air fryer at 400ºF (204ºC) for 10 minutes and they come out delicious every time!
Because these potato skins cook so quickly, I highly recommend enjoying them fresh for the best flavor and texture. To save yourself time, you can definitely bake the potatoes the day before so they are ready to go when you want to make your potato skins!
😋 More Amazing Air Fryer Recipes
- French Fries - Using your air fryer, you can easily make perfectly crisp french fries.
- Coconut Shrimp - Butterfly shrimp air-fried to perfection with a crispy coconut and panko coating.
- Fried Pickles - Hands down, the air fryer makes the absolute best fried pickles!
- Rotisserie Chicken - You can make an entire rotisserie chicken, crispy skin and all, right in your air fryer!
- Grilled Ham and Cheese - Making a delicious grilled ham and cheese sandwich has never been easier!
- Air Fryer Chicken Tenders - Skip the drive-thru and make crispy golden chicken tenders at home!
📋 Recipe
Air Fryer Potato Skins
Ingredients
- 6 medium russet potatoes (washed and baked)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional, extra virgin)
- 6 oz cheddar cheese (grated)
- 3 strips bacon (cooked and crumbled or sliced)
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 green onion (finely sliced, or chives)
Instructions
Baked Potatoes
- Baking Your Potatoes Can Be Done A Day In Advance: After cleaning your potatoes, pierce each one with a fork. Season the prepared potatoes with a coating of olive oil and freshly ground salt and pepper.
- Cook your washed, scrubbed and seasoned potatoes in the air fryer according to manufacturer instructions or at 400 degrees F (204 degrees C) for roughly 30-40 minutes. Your cook time will vary based on your air fryer type, and the size of your potatoes.
- Potatoes can also be oven baked at 400 degrees F (204 degrees C) for 45-60 minutes. Potatoes can be placed directly on the oven rack, wrapped in foil, or placed on a sheet of aluminum foil on your oven rack.
- Your potatoes are cooked when an inserted knife or fork easily goes into the potatoes. Remove from the air fryer or oven and allow the potatoes to cool before slicing.
Air Fryer Potato Skins
- Cut cooled potatoes in half lengthwise and use a spoon to core out the center of each halved potato. Leave about 1-4 inch of potato flesh on the potato skins.6 medium russet potatoes
- Lightly brush olive oil onto the potato flesh and skins of each of the halved, cored potato skins. Place your potato skins open side up in an even layer of your air fryer basket or rack.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Fry the potato skins in your preheated air fryer at 400 degrees F (204 degrees C) for 10 minutes. Remove from the air fryer and top each potato skin with cheddar cheese and bacon crumbles, then return to the air fryer and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted.6 oz cheddar cheese, 3 strips bacon
- Remove potato skins from the air fryer, top each with sour cream and sliced green onion or chives and serve immediately.½ cup sour cream, 1 green onion
Equipment You May Need
Notes
- Brush the skin sides of the potatoes with oil for extra crispiness.
- Bake your potatoes ahead of time to make these super fast! You can also use my extra-quick microwave-baked potatoes, though I find the skin doesn't get quite as crispy.
- Cook times will vary based on your air fryer type or model, and the size of your potatoes. I am using an Instant Pot Vortex Plus with the racks today, but my cooking time is very similar in my basket-style air fryer too!
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
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