Air Fryer Potato Skins: How Long To Cook Them?

Air fryer potato skins are a quick and easy snack, appetiser, or side dish. They are also a great way to reduce food waste. The skins are loaded with cheese, bacon, sour cream, and green onions. They can be made in an air fryer in under 20 minutes, or in an oven in under an hour.

How to make potato skins in an air fryer

Ingredients:

• 4-6 Russet potatoes
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Cheese (Colby Jack, Cheddar, or Monterey Jack)
• Bacon
• Sour cream
• Green onions

Method:

First, you need to cook your whole potatoes so that you can use the skins! You can use whatever method you like best. If you're short on time, you can bake the potatoes in the air fryer itself. Otherwise, you can bake them in the oven the night before or a few hours in advance.

Once your potatoes are baked and cool enough to handle, cut them in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon to carefully scoop out the flesh from the inside, leaving a 1⁄4-inch “rim”. Be careful not to tear the potato skin!

Brush the inside of the potatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the potatoes into the air fryer basket with the cut side up.

Cook in the air fryer at 375°F-400°F for 5-6 minutes or until golden and soft.

Remove from the air fryer and add your toppings. First, layer your cheese and then your bacon. You can choose to add your green onions now or after the cheese is melted.

Cook the potato skins with the toppings for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the air fryer, top with sour cream and green onions, and serve!

Tips:

• It is best to choose large potatoes, preferably Russets, as they will be the strongest and hold up best when baked.
• Let the potatoes cool completely before cutting into them. They will fall apart if they are cut too soon.
• If you want extra crispy potato skins, you can preheat the air fryer for a few minutes while you are preparing the skins.
• The key to keeping potato skins from sticking to the air fryer is to make sure they are dry before adding them to the air fryer.
• You can easily customize the flavor with different seasonings like garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, onion powder, Greek seasoning, Old Bay, or Cajun seasoning.

How to make potato skins in the oven

Potato skins are a great appetizer for game day or a casual party. They are easy to make and can be loaded with cheese, bacon, and sour cream. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make potato skins in the oven.

Ingredients:

• Russet potatoes
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Cheese (Cheddar, Colby Jack, or Parmesan)
• Bacon
• Green onions
• Sour cream or ranch dressing

Instructions:

• Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
• Scrub and wash the potatoes. Poke holes in the potatoes using a fork.
• Rub the potatoes with olive oil and place them on a baking sheet.
• Bake the potatoes in the oven for about 1 hour or until they are tender.
• Remove the potatoes from the oven and let them cool until they are easy to handle.
• Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon to scoop out the flesh, leaving a 1/4-inch thick shell.
• Brush the potato skins with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Increase the oven temperature to 450°F (230°C).
• Place the potato skins back on the baking sheet, cut side up, and bake for 10 minutes.
• Flip the potato skins and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until slightly browned and crispy.
• Remove the potato skins from the oven and fill them with cheese and bacon.
• Return the potato skins to the oven and bake for 5-7 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
• Remove from the oven, top with green onions, and serve with sour cream or ranch dressing.

Tips:

• For extra flavour, brush the potato skins with garlic butter before baking.
• You can also add some ground beef, pulled pork, or vegetables like peppers and onions to your potato skins.
• If you want a little heat, sprinkle cayenne pepper or add diced jalapeños to your potato skins.
• To make them ahead, freeze the empty potato skins on a baking sheet. Once frozen, store them in a freezer bag. Bake them directly from frozen, with no need to thaw.

What to do with leftover potato filling

Air fryer potato skins are a quick and easy snack to make. They are also a great way to reduce food waste. You can use leftover baked potatoes to make crispy and tender potato skins loaded with cheese, bacon, sour cream, and green onions.

Potato Pancakes

Add some cheese, flour, eggs, and spices to your leftover mashed potatoes to make delicious potato pancakes. Fry them to perfection and serve with sour cream. You can also get creative and add your own twist with various ingredients like diced red peppers, grated carrots, onions, or leftover ham.

Shepherd's Pie

Use your leftover mashed potatoes to make a hearty shepherd's pie. This classic dish combines creamy mashed potatoes with a beef filling and veggies for a cozy and satisfying meal.

Potato Rolls

Try making homemade potato rolls! They have a distinctively delicious flavor and a moist, fluffy texture. They are a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes and are perfect for sandwiches or as a side dish.

Potato Croquettes

Potato croquettes are a popular Spanish tapa (appetizer) and a fantastic way to give your leftover mashed potatoes a new life. They are bite-sized, crispy, and loaded with all the flavors of cheesy, bacony goodness.

Gnocchi

Making homemade pasta may seem intimidating, but gnocchi is a great option if you want to try your hand at pasta-making. Gnocchi is a rustic, dumpling-like pasta that is much easier to shape by hand than other types of pasta. You can use your leftover mashed potatoes as a base and get creative with your sauces.

Samosas

Samosas are a delicious and easy-to-make snack. The spiced potato filling is particularly fast and simple to make if you use leftover mashed potatoes. The dough also comes together quickly using melted ghee.

How to store leftover potato skins

Air fryer potato skins are a quick and easy snack, appetiser, or side dish. They can be loaded with cheese, bacon, sour cream, and green onions. But what happens when you have leftovers?

Leftover potato skins can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. It is important to note that the sour cream, bacon, and green onions should only be added just before serving. To reheat, simply place the potato skins back into the air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for three to four minutes. You can also reheat them in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until warm.

• Allow the potato skins to cool completely before storing them.
• Place the potato skins in an airtight container. Make sure they are in a single layer and not stacked on top of each other.
• Store the airtight container in the refrigerator.
• Potato skins can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days.
• When you are ready to serve them, take them out of the refrigerator and add the sour cream, bacon, and green onions.
• If you want to reheat the potato skins, you can place them back in the air fryer or oven for a few minutes until they are warmed through.

By following these simple steps, you can enjoy delicious leftover potato skins while reducing food waste!

How to make potato skins crispy

Preparation

Before cooking your potato skins, you'll want to prepare your potatoes. Wash and dry your potatoes thoroughly, then bake them. You can bake them in the oven or in your air fryer. If you're using the oven, bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 40–50 minutes, or until tender. If you're using an air fryer, rub the potatoes with olive oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper, then cook at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for around 40 minutes, or until tender.

Once your potatoes are baked, let them cool. Then, slice them in half lengthwise and scoop out the insides, leaving around a 1/4-inch border of potato flesh. Be careful not to tear the potato skin!

Cooking

Now, it's time to cook your potato skins. Brush the inside of the potato skins with oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the skins in the air fryer basket and cook in batches at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes, or until crispy.

Once the skins are crispy, fill them with grated cheese and cook again in batches at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

Serving

Remove the potato skins from the air fryer and let them cool slightly. Top with your desired toppings and enjoy!

Tips for Crispy Potato Skins

To ensure your potato skins are extra crispy, make sure they are completely dry before adding them to the air fryer. You can also preheat the air fryer for a few minutes while you prepare the skins. Additionally, don't skimp on the oil—it will help crisp up the skins.

Frequently asked questions