These crispy air fryer potato skins are loaded with melted cheese, bacon, sour cream and green onions. Easy to make and perfect for game day, parties and appetizers!
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Crispy on the outside and fluffy and tender in the middle, these loaded potato skins are one delicious appetizer! Top them with melted cheese, bacon, sour cream and green onions, or add your favorite toppings to make them your own.
Be sure to try my Air Fryer Quesadillas and Air Fryer Halloumi Fries too!
Ingredients
- Potatoes: Use Russet potatoes for the best results. Give them a good wash before baking in the air fryer.
- Oil: A little oil helps the skins to get nice and crispy. Any high heat oil like canola or vegetable will work well.
- Seasonings: Salt and pepper.
- Toppings: I use shredded cheese, sour cream, cooked bacon and sliced green onions, but you can easily add your favorite toppings.
How to make air fryer potato skins
Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe!
- Air fry the potatoes til tender.
- Cut in half, scoop out the flesh, and season with salt and pepper (photo 1).
- Top with shredded cheese (photo 2).
- Cook til the cheese has melted and browned (photo 3).
- Top with sour cream, bacon and green onion to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Depending on the size of your potatoes, they will take around 35 to 40 minutes to fully bake in your air fryer at 390F, compared to an hour plus in your oven. I also love that your kitchen doesn't heat up during cooking.
When scooping out the flesh, it's important to leave a little around the edge so that the skin doesn't fall in on itself. I like to score into the flesh with a sharp knife a little away from the skin as a guide, and then use a spoon to scoop out the centers.
Yes! Don't throw out the scooped out flesh! You can use it to top pies like cottage pie, or keep it to make up a batch of mashed potatoes. The flesh will keep well covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Make Ahead and Storage
These air fryer loaded potato skins are a great option to make ahead of time, or freeze them for an easy to grab appetizer for a later date.
- Make ahead: You can bake the potatoes up to 4 days ahead of time and keep them covered in the fridge. Just cut them and add the cheese and cook as per the recipe when you are ready.
- Refrigerate: Bake the potatoes and cut them in half. Let them cool completely before seasoning and adding the cheese. Cover and keep refrigerated for up to 24 hours before cooking as per the recipe.
- Freeze: You can bake the potatoes, cut in half and let cool before seasoning and adding the cheese. Wrap in foil and place in a freezer bag or conatiner for up to 6 months. Cook them right from frozen in the air fryer at 320F til warmed through.
Topping Suggestions
I use classic sour cream, bacon and green onions, but air fryer potato skins are easy to customize with your favorite toppings. Try:
- Chili
- Buffalo Shredded Chicken
- Broccoli and Cheddar
- Blue cheese and Bacon
Air Fryer Loaded Potato Skins
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 potatoes (Russet or Yukon Gold)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- salt and pepper
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (40g) (or as much as you like!)
Toppings
- 4 tablespoons sour cream
- 4 strips bacon (cooked)
- 2 green onions (sliced)
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 390F.
- Wash the potatoes and use your hands to rub oil all over them and sprinkle with salt.2 potatoes, 1 tablespoon oil, salt and pepper
- Air fry at 390F for 35 to 40 minutes until tender.
- Once cooked, remove the potatoes form the air fryer and let them cool slightly so that you can handle them.
- Cut them in half horizontally. Score a line just inside the flesh as a guide and then scoop out the middles. Take care to leave some flesh so that the skins don't collapse.
- Seasoned the potato skins with salt and pepper and divide the shredded cheese into the skins.½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Place back in the air fryer basket and cook at 360F for 4 to 5 minutes until the cheese has melted and has started to bubble and brown.
- Top with sour cream, cooked bacon bits and sliced green onions to serve.4 tablespoons sour cream, 4 strips bacon, 2 green onions
Notes
- Use your hands to rub oil over the potatoes before baking them. This will help them to crisp up.
- Cooking times can vary depending on your model of air fryer and how large the potatoes are.
- Cook the potato skins in an even layer in the air fryer basket.
- Check that the potatoes are cooked through by using a skewer to pierce the skin, they should be tender.
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