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Crispy air fryer potato skins are loaded with gooey melted cheese and crispy bacon crumbles, and topped with tangy sour cream and fresh chives. This recipe is easy to make in an air fryer or in the oven, and you can make it ahead of time. It’s the perfect crowd-pleasing appetizer for game day gatherings, potlucks, holidays, or any party!
Potato skins are a classic pub appetizer or bar snack. Their salty flavor and crunchy texture pairs well with a cold beverage, and they’re easy to pick up and nibble.
Potato skins that you order at a bar or restaurant are typically deep-fried. However, with this simple recipe, we’re putting our air fryers to good use. This homemade version is loaded with melted cheddar and bacon crumbles, and is just as crispy as its deep-fried counterpart. And because this recipe is air fried (or oven baked), of course these loaded potato skins have a lot less oil!
What Are Loaded Potato Skins?
Classic loaded potato skins are crispy potato skins stuffed with melted cheddar cheese and bacon, and topped with sour cream and chives. To make potato skins, typically you cut baked potatoes in half and scoop out most of the flesh, leaving about 1/4 to 1/2-inch intact. After that, you either deep fry, air fry, or bake the hollowed out potato skins to get them crispy. Then you add toppings like cheese and bacon, and bake (or air fry) again briefly to melt the cheese.
If you prefer, you can omit the bacon to easily make this a vegetarian appetizer. Additionally, swap out the cheddar for any type of cheese you like. Sour cream and chives are of course optional!
Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
- Russet potatoes – Russet potatoes are a good choice for making potato skins because their skin is sturdy and doesn’t fall apart when you scoop out the potato flesh. Additionally, they’re easier to pick up even when stuffed with melted cheese.
- Olive oil – To help the potatoes get nice and crispy in the air fryer.
- Salt and black pepper – To season the potato skins so they aren’t bland.
- Shredded cheddar – Feel free to swap this out for any kind of cheese you like that melts well, such as Monterey Jack, Colby, or Gouda.
- Beef bacon – You can use any kind of bacon you like, just crisp it up first.
- Sour cream – This is for dolloping on top; it adds a creamy texture and tangy flavor.
- Fresh chives – Garnishing cheesy potato skins with chives adds a mild onion flavor and a pop of green color. You can use sliced scallion instead if you prefer.
Save Time and Use Leftover Baked Potatoes
If you want meal prep recipes or are looking for a make-ahead appetizer idea for your next party, try this recipe! You can use leftover baked potatoes here, or bake the potatoes up to 3 days ahead of time (after cooling, store them in an airtight container in the fridge).
Step-by-Step Instructions
Making potato skins is a three-step process. First, bake the potatoes. After that, scoop out most of the flesh of the potato skins, brush them with oil, and bake so the skins start to get crispy. Then, stuff them with cheese and heat one final time to melt the cheese and finish crisping the skin.
You can do all these steps in the oven or in the air fryer. If you’ve never tried air fryer baked potatoes, get ready for your new favorite way to make baked potatoes! It couldn’t be easier to make baked potatoes in the air fryer, and the process is a little faster than baking them in the oven.
Here are step-by-step instructions to walk you through making this recipe. For the recipe video, please see the recipe card below.
How to Make Air Fryer Potato Skins
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F. Add the potatoes, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to a large bowl and toss to coat.
- Arrange the potatoes in the air fryer basket. Air fry for 30 minutes, and then flip the potatoes over and cook until a paring knife slides out. This will take an additional 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the size of your potatoes.
- After the potatoes are cooked, let them cool until they’re not too hot to handle, then cut each in half length-wise. Scoop out the potato flesh, leaving about 1/4 to 1/2-inch of potato intact.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F. Arrange the potato skins in the air fryer basket with the skin sides facing down. Brush the inside of each potato skin with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and sprinkle on the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Air fry for 5 minutes to crisp up the skins.
- Sprinkle the cheese into the potato skins, and then the bacon.
- Air fry at 400F until the cheese is melted, about 3 to 5 minutes.
How to Make Cheesy Potato Skins in the Oven
Step 1: Prep the Potatoes
Preheat the oven to 400F. Get out 4 Russet potatoes. Wash them, pat them dry, and use a sharp paring knife to poke a few holes in each potato.
Step 2: Bake the Potatoes
Once the oven is hot, place the potatoes directly on a rack set in the middle of the oven. Bake until the potatoes are tender, about 50 to 60 minutes.
PRO TIP: Baked potatoes are done cooking when a paring knife inserted in the center slides right out.
Let the baked potatoes cool until they’re not too hot to touch.
Step 3: Scoop Out the Flesh and Crisp the Skins
Turn the oven up to 450F. Cut the baked potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out the flesh, leaving about 1/4 to 1/2-inch so the skins are thick enough to pick up easily. Place the potato skins on a baking tray. Brush both sides with a little olive oil, and season with salt and black pepper.
Arrange the potato skins with the skin side facing up on the baking tray, and bake for 10 minutes. Flip the potato skins so the skin side is facing down, and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
Step 4: Stuff the Skins and Melt the Cheese
Sprinkle the cheese and crispy bacon crumbles inside the potato skins. Return to the oven (preheated to 450F) so the cheese can melt, about 5 minutes.
Storage
Store leftover cheesy potato skins covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Don’t add the sour cream and chives on top until right before serving because these toppings don’t reheat well.
Reheating
To keep them crispy, you can reheat potato skins straight from the fridge either in the oven or in the air fryer.
For reheating in the oven, place the potato skins on a baking tray and reheat in a 350F oven until they’re warm and the cheese is melted, about 10 to 15 minutes.
To reheat in the air fryer, preheat the air fryer to 350F, put the potato skins in the basket of the air fryer, and air fry until they’re warm, about 5 minutes.
After potato skins are reheated, add the sour cream and chives on top.
Make Ahead
If you’re looking for an easy appetizer for game day, a potluck, or any party or gathering, loaded potato skins are perfect.
Everyone loves a cheesy appetizer, and the best part is, you can bake the potatoes ahead of time. That way when you want to serve the appetizer, all you have to do is stuff the skins and melt the cheese!
To make cheesy potato skins in advance, bake the potatoes and let them cool to room temperature. Once they’re cool, you can store them covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can even scoop out the flesh before refrigerating, or wait and do that right before you want to stuff the potato skins.
Then when you want to make the potato skins, all you have to do is crisp them up, add the cheese and bacon, and warm them to melt the cheese.
Filling Variations
- Chili – Stuff potato skins with chili and then top with cheddar cheese (I like to use beanless beef chili for this).
- Buffalo Chicken – This cheesy, spicy Buffalo chicken mixture is perfect for making Buffalo chicken potato skins.
- Pizza – Marinara sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese are a good base for pizza potato skins, and you can add your favorite pizza toppings as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cooking potato skins in the air fryer takes three steps. First, you have to bake the potatoes. After that, you scoop out the potato flesh, brush the skins with oil, and air fry until they’re starting to get crispy. Then, you stuff the potato skins with cheese and cook them again to melt the cheese and finish crisping the skin. The cooking time for this whole process in the air fryer is around 45 minutes.
It takes about 35 to 40 minutes to make baked potatoes in the air fryer.
Potato skins cook at 400F in the air fryer.
Russet potatoes work really well because they have a thicker skin. This means it’s easier to scoop out the potato flesh, and they’re easier to pick up when eating.
More Air Fryer Appetizers to Make
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Air Fryer Potato Skins Recipe
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Equipment
- Air fryer (see Notes below for oven instructions)
Ingredients
- 4 medium-large Russet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided into 1 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon
- 3/4 teaspoon salt divided into 1/2 teaspoon + 1/4 teaspoon
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper divided into 1/4 teaspoon + 1/4 teaspoon
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 slices beef bacon cooked until crispy and crumbled (or bacon of your choice)
- 8 tablespoons sour cream for topping
- 4 teaspoons minced fresh chives for garnish
Instructions
- Bake the potatoes in the air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 400F. Add the potatoes, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to a large bowl and toss to coat. Arrange the potatoes in the air fryer basket. Air fry for 30 minutes, and then flip the potatoes over and cook until a paring knife slides out. This will take an additional 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the size of your potatoes.
- Cool the potatoes and scoop out the flesh. Let the potatoes cool until they’re not too hot to handle, then cut each in half length-wise. Scoop out the potato flesh, leaving about 1/4 to 1/2-inch of potato intact.
- Crisp the potato skins in the air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 400F. Arrange the potato skins in the air fryer basket with the skin sides facing down. Brush the inside of each potato skin with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and sprinkle on the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Air fry for 5 minutes to crisp up the skins.
- Add the fillings and air fry to melt the cheese. Sprinkle the cheese into the potato skins, and then the bacon. Air fry at 400F until the cheese is melted, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Finishing touches. Transfer the potato skins to a serving platter and top each with 1 tablespoon of sour cream and 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh chives. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Recipe Yield Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes 8 large loaded potato skins; each serving is 1 potato skin.
- Storage: Store leftover cheesy potato skins covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Don’t add the sour cream and chives on top until right before serving because these toppings don’t reheat well.
- Reheating: To keep them crispy, you can reheat potato skins straight from the fridge in the oven or in the air fryer. To reheat in the oven, place the potato skins on a baking tray and reheat in a 350F oven until they’re warm and the cheese is melted, about 10 to 15 minutes. To reheat in the air fryer, preheat the air fryer to 350F, put the potato skins in the basket of the air fryer, and air fry until they’re warm, about 5 minutes. Add the sour cream and chives on top after the potato skins are reheated.
- Make Ahead: To make cheesy potato skins in advance, bake the potatoes and let them cool to room temperature. Once they’re cool, you can store them covered in the fridge for up to 3 days before making them into loaded potato skins.
- Prep the potatoes. Preheat the oven to 400F. Get out 4 Russet potatoes. Wash them, pat them dry, and use a sharp paring knife to poke a few holes in each potato.
- Bake the potatoes. Once the oven is hot, place the potatoes directly on a rack set in the middle of the oven. Bake until the potatoes are tender, about 50 to 60 minutes. (Baked potatoes are done cooking when a paring knife inserted in the center slides right out.) Let the baked potatoes cool until they’re not too hot to touch.
- Scoop out the flesh and crisp the skins. Turn the oven up to 450F. Cut the baked potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out the flesh, leaving about 1/4 to 1/2-inch so the skins are thick enough to pick up easily. Place the potato skins on a baking tray. Brush both sides with a little olive oil, and season with salt and black pepper. Arrange the potato skins with the skin side facing up on the baking tray, and bake for 10 minutes. Flip the potato skins so the skin side is facing down, and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
- Stuff the skins and melt the cheese. Sprinkle the cheese and crispy bacon crumbles inside the potato skins. Return to the oven (preheated to 450F) so the cheese can melt, about 5 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on March 22, 2023, and updated on October 31, 2025.
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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