Air Fryer Potato Skins: How Long To Cook Them?

Air fryer potato skins are a quick and easy snack that can be made in large batches and frozen for later. They are a healthier alternative to fried potato skins and can be loaded with cheese, bacon, sour cream, and green onions. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the potato and the desired crispiness of the skin, but generally, they take around 5 minutes to cook at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

How to make potato skins in an air fryer

Ingredients:

• 4 large cooked russet potatoes
• Dash of ranch dressing seasoning
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Colby jack or cheddar cheese
• 2 slices cooked bacon, chopped
• Sour cream (optional)
• Green onions, chopped (optional)
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Method:

First, cook your potatoes. You can bake them, microwave them, or cook them in an air fryer. If baking, rub the potatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and cook at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 45-55 minutes. If microwaving, poke holes in the potatoes with a fork, place on a microwave-safe dish, and cook for 5 minutes. Flip the potatoes over and cook for another 7-8 minutes or until tender.

Once your potatoes are cooked, cut them in half lengthwise. Scoop out some of the potato flesh, leaving enough so that you can still eat the potato. Drizzle olive oil over the flesh and brush it around to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and add a dash of ranch dressing seasoning if desired.

Place the potato skins in the air fryer basket, skin-side down. Cook for 5 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

After 5 minutes, add cheese and bacon crumbles to the inside of the potatoes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Remove the potato skins from the air fryer and top with sour cream and green onions. You can also add jalapeños, ranch dressing, buffalo sauce, or any other toppings of your choice.

Reheating and Storage:

To reheat, place the potato skins in the air fryer and cook at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 3-4 minutes.

You can also make a large batch and freeze some for later. Allow the potato skins to cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe bag and remove the air from the bag before placing it in the freezer. They will keep for up to 6 months.

To reheat frozen potato skins, add them to the air fryer basket and set the temperature to 370 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes. You may need to add an extra 1-3 minutes for larger potatoes.

How to reheat potato skins in an air fryer

If you have leftover potato skins, you can reheat them in an air fryer. Here is a step-by-step guide:

Prepare the Potato Skins:

Wash and dry the potatoes. Cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out the desired amount of potato flesh, leaving some to eat. Drizzle olive oil over the flesh and brush it around to coat. You can also sprinkle salt and pepper for seasoning.

Air Fry the Potato Skins:

Place the potato skins in the air fryer basket with the skin side down. Set the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add Toppings:

After 5 minutes, remove the potato skins from the air fryer and add your desired toppings. Some popular options include cheese, bacon crumbles, sour cream, green onions, jalapeños, ranch dressing, and buffalo sauce.

Reheat and Serve:

If you are reheating already prepared potato skins, place them in the air fryer basket and set the temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Reheat for 2-3 minutes, depending on your desired level of crispness.

You can also reheat frozen potato skins in the air fryer. There is no need to thaw them first. Simply place them in the air fryer basket, ensuring they are not overcrowded, and cook for about 9 minutes at 360 degrees Fahrenheit.

And that's it! You now have delicious, crispy potato skins ready to be enjoyed as a snack or appetizer.

How to freeze/store potato skins

To freeze/store potato skins, follow these steps:

Firstly, it is important to note that it is best to freeze cooked or partially cooked potatoes, as raw potatoes contain a lot of water. When thawed, this water will make the potatoes mushy and grainy.

If you are freezing a large batch of potato skins, it is recommended to place them on a baking sheet and freeze them before transferring them to a freezer bag. This will prevent them from sticking together.

How to Freeze Potato Skins:

• Make the potato skins according to your chosen recipe.
• Do not add any sour cream or green onions to the top.
• Allow the potato skins to cool completely.
• Place the potato skins into a freezer-safe ziplock bag.
• Remove as much air from the bag as possible and place it into the freezer.

Frozen, cooked potato skins will stay good for about a year.

How to Reheat Frozen Potato Skins:

To reheat frozen potato skins in an air fryer, add the frozen potato skins to the air fryer basket. Set the temperature to 370 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for 5 minutes. If your potatoes are larger, you may need to add an additional 1-3 minutes to cook through.

Potato skin toppings

Classic Toppings

A traditional potato skin is made with potatoes, melted cheddar cheese, bacon, sour cream, and green onions. However, there are many other toppings and fillings you can use to make this dish your own.

Meat Toppings

For meat lovers, there are several options to choose from. This includes ground beef, shredded brisket, shredded chicken, bacon, and even shrimp. For a vegetarian option, you can swap out the bacon for vegan bacon bits.

Vegetable Toppings

If you're looking for a more vegetarian-friendly option, you can fill your potato skins with vegetables like broccoli, diced raw onion, or caramelized red onion.

Sauce Toppings

You can also top your potato skins with sauces like guacamole, BBQ sauce, jalapeno ranch dressing, salsa, or even pesto cream dip.

Creative Toppings

For those who want to get creative, there are endless possibilities for potato skin toppings. Here are some unique combinations to try:

• Cheesy Bacon and Kale
• Reuben-Style
• Mac and Cheese
• Cheesesteak
• Crab Salad-Stuffed
• Garlicky Cheesy Crispy
• Veggie Pizza
• Roasted Red Pepper Feta Stuffed
• Spinach-Artichoke Stuffed
• Bacon-Blue Cheese Burger

How to Make Air Fryer Potato Skins

Now that you have some ideas for toppings, here's a simple method for making potato skins in an air fryer:

• Start with cooked russet potatoes.
• Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise, then scoop out a bit of the potato flesh, being sure to leave some potato to eat as well.
• Drizzle olive oil over the inside of the potatoes and brush to coat.
• Add the potatoes to the air fryer basket, skin side down.
• Cook at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes.
• After 5 minutes, add cheese and bacon crumbles to the inside of the potato.
• Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
• Carefully remove the potato skins from the air fryer and top with sour cream and green onions.

Feel free to get creative and experiment with different toppings and combinations!

How to make potato skins in an oven

Ingredients

You will need:

• 4 large cooked russet potatoes
• Dash of ranch dressing seasoning (optional)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Colby jack or cheddar cheese
• 2 slices cooked bacon, chopped
• Sour cream for topping (optional)
• Green onions for topping, chopped (optional)
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Method

• Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
• Poke holes in the potatoes with a fork.
• Rub the potatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Place the potatoes on a baking sheet.
• Cook for 45-55 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes.
• Once the potatoes are cooked, cut them in half lengthwise.
• Scoop out a bit of the potato flesh to make a pocket, being careful not to take too much out.
• Drizzle olive oil over the potato flesh and brush to coat completely.
• Sprinkle salt and pepper over the potato skins, as well as ranch dressing seasoning if desired.
• Place the potato skins back in the oven and cook for 5 minutes.
• Remove the potato skins from the oven and add your toppings. First, layer the cheese and then the bacon.
• Put the potato skins back in the oven and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
• Remove from the oven and top with green onions and sour cream, if desired.
• Enjoy!

Frequently asked questions