Air-Fried Potato Skins: A Quick, Crispy Delight

Air fryer potato skins are a quick and easy snack, appetiser or side dish. They are made with crispy baked potato skins, filled with melted cheese and loaded with toppings. They are a healthier alternative to the fried version, and can be made in large batches and frozen for later.

Choosing the right potatoes

Go for Russet Potatoes: Russet potatoes, also known as Idaho potatoes, are the preferred variety for making potato skins. They have thicker skins that become super crispy when baked or air-fried. Their larger size and heartier structure can also support lots of toppings without falling apart.

Size Matters: Opt for larger potatoes if you want to load your potato skins with lots of toppings. Smaller potatoes are great if you prefer a higher skin-to-flesh ratio, but they will cook faster, so keep an eye on them to avoid overcooking.

Consider Baking First: If you plan to bake your potatoes before making the potato skins, choose potatoes that are similar in size. This ensures even cooking. You can bake them in the oven or use your air fryer, but remember that the air fryer may only fit a few potatoes at a time.

Peel or Not to Peel: Depending on your preference, you can either leave the potato skins on or peel them off. Peeled potato skins can be turned into a crunchy snack, while keeping the skins on adds texture and flavour to your potato skins.

Look for Firmness: Choose potatoes that are firm to the touch. Avoid potatoes with soft spots, sprouting eyes, or green discolouration. Firm potatoes will hold their shape better during the air-frying process.

Wash and Dry: Before using your potatoes, give them a good wash to remove any dirt or bacteria. Dry them thoroughly, as moist potatoes may not crisp up as well in the air fryer.

Storage Matters: Store your potatoes in a cool, dark, well-ventilated place to extend their shelf life. Avoid exposing them to sunlight or storing them in the refrigerator, as this can affect their texture and taste.

By choosing the right potatoes and following these simple tips, you'll be well on your way to making mouth-watering potato skins in your air fryer!

Preparing the potatoes

Firstly, select the right type of potatoes. Russet potatoes are ideal for this recipe due to their thicker skins, which become super crispy when baked or air-fried. Their larger size also provides a heartier structure that can support lots of toppings. However, keep in mind that the cooking time will depend on the size of the potatoes; smaller potatoes will cook faster, while larger potatoes may take longer.

Before cooking the potatoes, it is essential to prepare them properly. Wash and dry the potatoes thoroughly to remove any dirt or bacteria. Then, pierce each potato a few times with a fork to allow steam to escape during the cooking process. This prevents the potatoes from bursting open in the air fryer.

Next, preheat your air fryer to 400°F for about 5 minutes. During this time, you can coat the potatoes with a light layer of oil, such as olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil. Make sure to rub the oil all over the potatoes. You can also season the potatoes with salt and pepper or other seasonings of your choice, such as garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, or onion powder.

Now, it's time to cook the potatoes. Place the potatoes in the air fryer basket, ensuring they are spaced out and not touching. This arrangement will help achieve crispy skins. Cook the potatoes at 400°F for about 30 minutes, or until they can be easily pierced with a knife or fork. The cooking time may vary depending on the size of your potatoes, so keep an eye on them to avoid overcooking.

Once the potatoes are cooked, remove them from the air fryer and let them cool down. When they are cool enough to handle, cut each potato in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, carefully scoop out the soft middles of the potatoes, leaving a border of about 1/4 inch of potato flesh next to the skin. Be careful not to scoop out too much, as you want to retain some potato for eating. You can reserve the scooped-out potato for another recipe, such as mashed potatoes or soups.

Finally, brush the hollowed-out potatoes with more oil and season them with salt and pepper or other seasonings. At this stage, you can also sprinkle ranch dressing seasoning over the potatoes if desired. This step ensures that the potato skins are well-coated and seasoned before the final cooking step.

Oil and seasoning

First, choose your oil. Olive oil is a popular choice, but you could also use avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or even bacon grease. Next, brush the oil onto the potatoes. Make sure you get a good coat all over the potatoes, especially the skins.

Now it's time to season. Salt and pepper are classic choices, but you could also try garlic powder, Greek seasoning, Old Bay, or Cajun seasoning. Be generous! You can also sprinkle on some ranch dressing powder or make your own sour cream and onion seasoning by combining salt, onion powder, and powdered buttermilk.

Once your potatoes are oiled and seasoned, they're ready for the air fryer. Cook them skin-side up for a crispy treat.

Air-frying the skins

First, you need to cook your potatoes. You can bake them in the oven, or cook them in the microwave or air fryer. If you're using the air fryer, pierce the potatoes with a fork, rub them with a little oil, and cook at 400°F for about 30 minutes, or until tender. You can also poke holes in the potatoes and cook them in the microwave for around 13 minutes, flipping them over halfway through.

Once your potatoes are cooked, cut them in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh, leaving about a 1/4-inch border of potato next to the skin. Be careful not to scoop out too much, as you still want to eat some of the potato! You can save the potato flesh for another recipe, like mashed potatoes.

Next, brush the inside of the potato skins with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. You can also add other seasonings like garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, or onion powder.

Place the potato skins in the air fryer basket, skin side up, and cook at 400°F for 5 minutes. Then, remove them from the air fryer and add your desired toppings. Cheese and bacon are classic choices, but you can also add peppers, onions, or beans.

Return the potato skins to the air fryer and cook for an additional 2-5 minutes, until the cheese is melted. For a final touch, add some sour cream or ranch dressing, and sprinkle with green onions.

And that's it! You now have delicious, crispy air-fried potato skins. Enjoy!

Adding toppings

Now comes the fun part: adding your favourite toppings to your potato skins!

Classic toppings

A classic combination of toppings for potato skins includes cheese, bacon, sour cream, and green onions. You can use cheddar or Colby Jack cheese, and sprinkle it over the baked potato. For the bacon, simply cook and crumble the pieces on top. You can also add jalapeños, ranch dressing, buffalo sauce, awesome sauce, or blue cheese crumbles.

Vegetarian toppings

For a vegetarian option, you can add peppers, onions, or other vegetables of your choice. You can also make it cheesy by adding Parmesan or cheddar cheese and topping it with shredded or grated Parmesan while it's still warm.

Other creative toppings

You can also get creative and experiment with different toppings. Try using different seasonings like chili powder, paprika, onion powder, Greek seasoning, Old Bay, or Cajun seasoning. For a tangy flavour, use dried ranch powder or make your own sour cream and onion seasoning by mixing salt, onion powder, and powdered buttermilk. You can also add crumbled bacon or sausage, or use sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes.

Frequently asked questions