These air-fryer potato skins mix all the flavour of a loaded baked potato with the enjoyable of finger meals. Cooking potato skins within the air fryer is one of the simplest ways to make sure crispy, flavorful skins and golden edges—and the potato skins are able to serve in about 10 minutes.

Seasoned with garlic salt and filled with a mix of shredded cheeses and crunchy cooked bacon, these potato skins are the last word hand-held snack or appetizer, good for events and recreation day entertaining.

Methods to Make Potato Skins in an Air Fryer

Earlier than making potato skins in an air fryer, you’ll must bake two giant potatoes. Baked potatoes within the oven take about an hour, however you’ll be able to velocity issues up by cooking them within the microwave or making air-fryer baked potatoes. The excellent news is you can bake potatoes prematurely, which is able to scale back prep time when you’re serving these potato skins at a celebration.

As soon as cooked, slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out a few of the pulp to create a shell. Subsequent, brush the potatoes throughout with melted butter, oil and seasonings, then air-fry to get the skins good and crispy. Lastly, stuff the skins with shredded cheese and cooked bacon, and return them to the air fryer till the cheese is melted.

Substances for Air-Fryer Potato Skins

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• Potatoes: Russet potatoes are the very best kind of potatoes for potato skins. Their thick skins crisp effectively, and the bigger dimension is right for holding loads of cheese, bacon and toppings. You’ll must prebake the potatoes to make sure the insides are cooked and straightforward to scoop. You too can rework leftover baked potatoes into air-fryer potato skins—an effective way to prepare dinner as soon as and luxuriate in twice!
• Butter and oil: Coating the potato skins with melted butter and olive oil provides wealthy taste and helps the skins crisp evenly.
• Seasonings: The potato skins are seasoned with savory garlic salt and coarsely floor pepper. Mixing the spices into the melted butter and oil makes it simpler to stick the seasonings to the potatoes.
• Shredded cheeses: We’re stuffing these potato skins with shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, however you can swap in different varieties. Simply be certain that to make use of melting cheese, comparable to Colby or provolone.
• Bacon: Whether or not you prepare dinner bacon on the stovetop or within the microwave, you’ll want roughly eight slices for sufficient bacon crumbles to fill the potato skins. Precook the bacon till it’s tremendous crispy, then use a pointy knife to cut it finely.
• Toppings: We prefer to serve these cheese and bacon potato skins topped with a dollop of bitter cream and a sprinkle of minced chives, however the sky’s the restrict!

Instructions

Step 1: Put together the baked potatoes

Minimize the prebaked potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp, leaving 1/4-inch shell, and save the potato pulp for one more use.

Editor’s Tip: I like to make use of a paring knife to make a border across the potato, after which I exploit a small spoon or melon baller to scoop out the pulp.

Step 2: Brush the potato skins with oil and seasoning

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Mix the melted butter, olive oil, garlic salt and pepper in a small bowl. Brush the combination over either side of the potato skins.

Step 3: Air-fry the potato skins

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Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Prepare dinner the potatoes, minimize facet down, for 4 minutes. Flip the potatoes so the pores and skin facet is down and prepare dinner for 3 extra minutes.

Editor’s Tip: The potatoes and air-fryer basket can be scorching, so flip the potatoes with tongs to maintain your arms protected.

Step 4: High the potatoes with cheese and bacon

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Sprinkle the shredded cheese and crumbled bacon contained in the potato skins. Bake within the air fryer till the cheese is melted and the bacon is crisp, three to 4 minutes longer.

Editor’s Tip: Every potato pores and skin ought to comprise roughly 4 tablespoons of cheese and 1 tablespoon of bacon.

Step 5: Serve the potato skins

High the potato skins with bitter cream and chives, if desired. Serve instantly.

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Recipe Variations

• Add veggies: Fill every potato pores and skin with finely chopped broccoli, bell pepper or mushrooms earlier than topping with the cheese and bacon.
• Season with Parmesan: Add a tablespoon of grated Parmesan to the melted butter and olive oil, then brush it on the potatoes for an all-over savory, tacky taste.
• Make them spicy: Drizzle the potato skins with scorching sauce or Buffalo wing sauce earlier than serving.
• Strive Tex-Mex potato skins: Use pepper jack cheese as an alternative of Monterey Jack and prime the skins with black beans, bitter cream, and salsa or pico de gallo.
• Flip them right into a meal: High potato skins with a protein for a whole meal. Strive a scoop of beef and bean chili, shredded Buffalo rooster or barbecue pulled pork.

Methods to Retailer Air-Fryer Potato Skins

Switch leftover air-fryer potato skins to an hermetic container and retailer them within the fridge for as much as 4 days. Reheat potato skins at 350° within the air fryer till warmed by way of, about 5 minutes. You too can reheat the potato skins within the microwave, however they are going to be soggier than when you use the air fryer.

Are you able to freeze potato skins made in an air fryer?

You’ll be able to technically freeze these potato skins for as much as three months. Nevertheless, they’ve the very best taste and texture when loved recent.

Are you able to make air-fryer potato skins forward of time?

You’ll be able to partially put together these potato skins prematurely. You’ll be able to bake the potatoes a number of days forward and retailer them in an hermetic container within the fridge. In case your potatoes are chilled, add an additional minute or two to the cooking time for the skins. I don’t suggest filling and air-frying the potatoes forward of time for the reason that skins style greatest heat and are crispiest proper after cooking.

Air-Fryer Potato Pores and skin Ideas

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How can I exploit the scooped-out potato pulp?

The obvious use for the scooped-out potato pulp is mashed potatoes, however we have now heaps extra artistic concepts too! Put these taters to good use with a batch of potato waffles, use them to fill do-it-yourself pierogi, or chop and add them to a skillet with veggies, sausage and eggs for breakfast hash.

Why are my potato skins not crispy?

Potato skins gained’t crisp in the event that they’re damp or crowded within the air-fryer basket. Pat your potatoes dry earlier than slicing and filling, particularly when you saved prebaked potatoes within the fridge the place condensation can kind. Be sure the potato skins aren’t touching within the air-fryer basket—there must be area between them to permit the new air to flow into and evenly crisp the skins.

Lastly, double-check the temperature setting in your air fryer. The potato skins recipe within the air fryer ought to prepare dinner at 400°, however completely different fashions produce completely different ranges of warmth. In case your air fryer runs on the cool facet, you might need to bump the temperature to 425°.

What are another topping concepts for air-fryer potato skins?

Bitter cream and chives ship traditional loaded baked potato taste, however they aren’t your solely topping choices. Different topping concepts embrace chopped crimson onion, inexperienced onions, crispy onions, pickled jalapenos, salsa, Buffalo sauce, scorching sauce and ranch dressing. You’ll be able to even flip cheese and bacon air-fryer potato skins right into a hearty meal by topping them along with your favourite chili recipe or pulled pork.

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No oven? No downside! You’ll be able to nonetheless make potato skins utilizing your air fryer. They arrive out crispier, anyway! —Margaret Knoebel, Milwaukee, Wisconsin