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Air Fryer Potato Skins

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Crispy potato skins loaded with sharp cheddar, bacon, sour cream, and green onions, made in two stages in the air fryer for a restaurant-quality crunch without deep-frying.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 medium russet potatoes
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 4 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • Salt and pepper
  • Sour cream for serving
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • Optional: diced jalapeno, hot sauce

Instructions

  1. Rub potatoes with olive oil and salt. Poke each potato several times with a fork. Air fry at 400°F for 45 minutes until fully cooked through (a skewer slides into the center with no resistance). Let cool until handleable, about 10 minutes.
  2. Cut each potato in half lengthwise. Scoop out the interior flesh, leaving about 1/4 inch of potato attached to the skin. Save the scooped potato for another use.
  3. Brush the inside and outside of each skin with olive oil or melted butter. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Place potato skin halves cut-side down in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 400°F for 6 minutes until the skins are crispy.
  5. Flip skins cut-side up. Divide shredded cheese among the potato cups and add crumbled bacon. Air fry for 3 more minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
  6. Transfer to a plate. Top with sour cream, remaining bacon, and green onions. Serve immediately.

Notes

Use russet potatoes. Their thick skins hold up to high heat and get genuinely crispy; Yukon gold skins are too thin.

Scoop aggressively. The thinner the potato layer left on the skin, the crispier the result. A paper-thin layer produces maximum crunch.

Oil both surfaces. Brush the inside scooped surface and the outside skin to ensure even crisping.

Crisp before loading. Always crisp the empty skins first, then add toppings just to melt the cheese.

Make-ahead tip: Cook and scoop the potatoes up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Stage 2 then takes only about 12 minutes from fridge to table — ideal for game day prep.

Find it online: https://airfrycentral.com/air-fryer-potato-skins-loaded-and-crispy/