Air Fryer Potato Skins
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Potato skins are a great appetizer but sometimes you want to avoid all the extra grease from deep-frying them. These Air Fryer Potato Skins taste just as good as fried potato skins.
Loaded potato skins are perfect for a party but also work well in place of normal baked potatoes. You can change what you stuff them with to get new flavor combinations too.
What potatoes are best for potato skins?
I’ve found that Russets are the best potatoes for this recipe and the 4-inch size ones are a perfect fit in the Ninja Air Fryer. You can easily lay out the 8 halves of potato so they cook properly.
Ingredients
- Small baking potatoes
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt, or flaked salt
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Bacon bits, about 5 to 6 slices of bacon cooked and crumbled
- Green onion, sliced thinly
Whatever potato you use, make sure it is either clean or you scrub away all the dirt before cooking. Remember you are eating those skins!
How to Make Air Fryer Potato Skins
- Wash and dry the potatoes then poke 3 holes in each side.
- Rub the potatoes with olive oil and put them in the basket or top of the crisping shelf.
- Add salt and set the Air Fryer to cook for 25 minutes at 400°F.
- Check the potatoes are cooked by prodding with a skewer or knife. If they are still a little hard, cook for another 5 minutes.
- Remove the potatoes and let them cook for a bit, a few minutes will do. Once cool enough to handle, slice them in half longways.
- Scoop out the inside of the potato and dry to leave around ¼ inch around the edge.
- Pop the potato halves in the Air Fryer using the basket or a shelf liner and use a pastry brush to coat the inside with a layer of olive oil.
- Set the Air Fryer to cook for another 10 minutes at 400°F.
- Fill each potato skin with 1 tablespoon of cheese and top with 2 teaspoons of crumbled bacon then cook for another 3 minutes.
- Remove and add sour cream and green onions to finish.
The larger the potato, the more cooking time it will need at first. Medium potatoes can need as much as 40 minutes while jumbo potatoes have taken as long as 60-70 minutes to cook. So adjust this cooking period based on the size of your potato.
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Use a smaller spoon when scooping out the potatoes as it does a better job. I found a long dessert spoon was perfect.
Can you freeze Air Fryer Potato Skins?
You can definitely prepare these quick Air Fryer appetizers in batches and freeze some. But what I would recommend is to freeze them after the second cooking but before you add the cheese and bacon. Then they will keep for about 3 months in the freezer.
To reheat them, put them in the basket or crisping shelf straight from the freezer and cook for 10 minutes at 400°F. Top with the bacon and cheese and cook again for another 3-5 minutes.
What other toppings can you use?
Cheese and bacon are a classic but not the only option you can use to top your potato skins. Some chopped ham, cheese, and a little mustard work well. A little tomato sauce with the cheese makes something like a pizza potato.
You could even try the recipe with sweet potatoes and top them with some guacamole and tomato salsa.
MORE POTATO RECIPES YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS
- Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole
- Fried Potatoes
- Deep-Fried Mashed Potato Balls
- Homemade Kettle Chips
- Loaded Potato Soup
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Air Fryer Potato Skins
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 4 small baking potatoes Russets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt or flaked salt
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese more can be used
- 1/3 cup bacon bits about 5 to 6 slices of bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1 green onion sliced thinly
Instructions
- Wash and dry the potatoes.
- Poke 3 holes on each side of the potatoes.
- Rub some of the olive oil over the entire potato and place into the basket or on top of the crisping shelf.
- Sprinkle with kosher salt or another flaky salt like Maldon salt.
- Cook in the air fryer set to 400°F for 25 minutes.
- Check the potatoes by sticking a skewer or knife into the center. Air fry for another 5 minutes if necessary.
- Remove the potatoes from the air fryer and set aside to cool for a few minutes.
- Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them in half longways.
- Scoop the insides of the potato out, trying to leave a 1/4-inch border all the way around the potato.
- Place the potato halves, cut side up back into the air fryer using the basket or shelf liner.
- Use a pastry brush to coat the cut and scooped portion and the sides of the potatoes with a thin layer of olive oil.
- Air Fryer for an additional 10 minutes at 400°F.
- Fill the each potato skin with 1 tablespoon of cheese and top with 2 teaspoons of crumbled cooked bacon.
- Air fry one last time for 3 minutes at 400°F.
- Remove from the air fryer and top with sour cream and green onions if desired.
Notes
4-inch russet potatoes are the perfect size for my Ninja Air Fryer. There is room for more whole potatoes than 4, but it perfectly holds the 8 halves.
Since you will eating the skins, scrub the potatoes well to remove all of the dirt when washing.
Larger potatoes will require additional cooking time. Medium potatoes may take as long as 40 minutes, jumbo potatoes will take 60 to 70 minutes for initial cooking.
A smaller spoon will make scooping the potato centers easier. I use a long dessert spoon.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and may vary based on exact ingredients used. For accuracy, consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
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Elizabeth (Beth) Mueller
Elizabeth (Beth) Mueller is a food journalist, CEO of Pear Tree Kitchen, and co-creator of Food Blogger Help. She also has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a registered nurse licensed in the State of Oklahoma. When she has free time between writing, blogging, and cooking, she can be found volunteering as an RN with the Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps.
