Potato Skins
I love, love, love appetizers. I love them almost as much as desserts. In fact, if I could arrange it so that the main dish was eliminated from meals and we only ate appetizers and dessert, I would be in food heaven. That sort of sounds like the type of platform that someone running for student body president in high school would run on, doesn’t it? First of all, it would be awesome if the real-life, grown-up elections that we have to endure now were more like those of our youth. Second of all, I would vote all day, every day for someone who was proposing meals consisting solely of appetizers and desserts. When it comes to appetizers (or any food, for that matter), I’m not a fancy girl. Forget the caviar or highfalutin hors d’oeuvres. Give me dips, chips and potato skins. Carbs, cheese and bacon. That’s my speed. And if that’s wrong, I don’t ever want to be right.
Save This Recipe
Enter your email address, and we'll send it straight to your inbox!
I’ve been in love with potato skins since I was a kid and my cousin worked at a small diner-style restaurant in our town. My mom would take my sister and I there to say hi and get a bite to eat. The only thing I remember from those little trips were potato skins. Since then, I’ve gravitated to potato skins on every appetizer menu I’ve seen. They’re crispy potato skins filled with cheese and bacon, topped with sour cream and green onions. Basically, these are everything that is good about appetizers. And football season. And life. Make them, love them, and cheer on your favorite team.
One year ago: Congo Bars
Two years ago: Bacon Onion Cheddar Biscuits
Three years ago: Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Four years ago: Grown Up Mac and Cheese
Potato Skins
Ingredients
- 6 russet potatoes, small to medium-sized is best
- Canola oil
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 4 ounces (113.4 g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- Sour cream
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Scrub the potatoes and dry them thoroughly. Rub the outside of the potatoes with canola oil and place directly on the oven rack. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until potato is tender when pierced with a knife. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes or so, until cool enough to handle. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F.
- Slice each potato in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, cookie scoop or melon baller (any will work), scoop out the insides of the potato, leaving a little bit of potato clinging to the skin (about a ¼ inch).
- Combine the melted butter with 2 tablespoons canola oil. Brush both sides of the potatoes with the butter/oil mixture and then season with salt and pepper. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet face-down and bake for 10 minutes. Flip the potato halves over and bake for an additional 10 minutes (the edges of the potato skins will start to turn golden brown).
- Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the insides with the shredded cheese and bacon. Return to the oven for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Switch to broil for an additional minute or two, if desired.
- Use tongs to transfer the potato skins to a serving platter. Add a dollop of sour cream and sliced green onions to the potato skins and serve immediately.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Our plans to attend a Super Bowl party fell through at the last minute, leaving my daughter and myself at home alone unexpectedly. Looking through my sparse pantry (neither one of us wanted to run to the grocery store) and our desire to make a good Super Bowl must have, we browsed through your recipes. Totally agreed on the Potato Skins and followed your recipe (except for changing up cheese based on what I had…..and my daughter’s suggestion that we add a small amount of garlic powder to a butter/oil mixture to rub onto the potato skins before baking.) SOOO worth the time and effort to end up with savory and decliciously crisp Potato skins with just the right toppings (bacon never disappoints!) We’re still talking out this amazing recipe next day!!
Sorry, forgot to add 5 STARS to my previous comment!!
The worst part about making potato skins is hollowing out the potatoes. I found that GFS sells a HUGE bag of empty potato skin shells. Fortunately I have one near me. I will use your filling ingredients!
Can you make these well in advance and freeze the plain skins then thaw and follow the rest of the directions?
Hi Yvonne, I’ve never tried doing this, but I think it *should* work.
Can these be made ahead of time (a lot for a party) and then heated up before hand – or will they most likely use their crispiness?
GREAT recipe btw!!!
Hi Penny, Thanks! I’ve never made them ahead and reheated, they might lose some crispiness unless you could reheat in a toaster oven or on a baking stone.
These came out beautifully! I had never made potato skins before but was prompted by my boyfriend to make them for a football game. Your recipe saved the day! The only thing I did differently was use the bacon grease to coat the potatoes with the canola oil and butter, then continued to ‘baste’ them with it as they cooked… not the healthiest choice but DELICIOUS! Thank you for saving our meal :)
We love skins. Instead of sour cream, we use homemade ranch:) YUM!!
Hi!
I live in Dubai and specific stuff like russet potatoes are hard to come by, can I use any old pretty looking potato?
Hi Rida, Yes, whatever you use as your standard potato would work just fine. Enjoy!
I’ve been making potato skins for years and I never thought to bake them again after I scoop them out and before I fill them. Thank you so much for the tip! I always thought the restaurants deep fried them to get them so crispy.
If making these to freeze do i bake them first and then freeze or freeze and then bake?
Hi Kristen, I have never frozen these before; I would imagine you’d need to do the first bake, then assemble and freeze, then bake the second time.
I just have to ask… did anyone else follow this recipe and end up with a house full of smoke and burning eyes? Maybe my husband used too much oil…all I know is that right now I want to put ice cubes on my eyes, dear lord!
Just made these and they turned out great, thanks!
These are definitely well worth the effort to prepare them. I’ve been buying small bags of potato skins at Fred Meyers and it’s getting a tad bit expensive, so I think I’ll make up a bunch and freeze them for later. Just the potato part that is.
Thanks
I love potato skins. But I always mess them up. Thanks for the recipe.
Buy Here Pay Here
I love potatoes in every form, well, maybe mashed potatoes are not my very favorite, but still. When I came across this potato skins recipe I just knew I had to make them. And I did. Just now… and they were insanely delicious! Thank you so much.
btw i baked the middle of the potatoes (brushed with the butter-oil mix and salted) along with the skins and topped them with some spare cheese, It was delicious too:)
Those made my mouth water. I want some right now. lol :)
I haven’t made potato skins in forever! I need to have an all appetizer night for dinner soon.
My hubby loves potato skins, but don’t’ make them often. I’ll have to try these out and surprise him! I have to ask… what do you do with all that potato you take out? I never know what to do with it other than the obvious and hate to waste.
Hi Cris, I keep them and use them the next day for mashed potatoes.
These were excellent! I started out with intentions of making baked potato soup then realized I had skins left over,. Perfect! The only thing I would change is I think I brushed too much oil/butter on mine. They were too greasy for me. Thanks for a great idea!
I made these last night, loved them! Thanks for sharing.