Deliciously loaded air fryer potato skins will be an absolute hit when you make them! They taste just like the fried version, but so much better for you! Make them in the air fryer or bake them in the oven.

These loaded potato skins were made in my air fryer

Air Fryer Loaded Potato Skins

Loaded potato skins was my all time favorite item to order at TGIF back in the 90s. Is it called TGIF or Friday’s? I can’t keep up with the changes. But anyway, the hold those potato skins had on my heart was very strong. I also remember they started selling their potato skins in the freezer section of major grocery stores. That was exciting because then I could have that deliciousness at home.

The combination of flavors – potato, bacon, cheddar cheese, and green onion! I absolutely love it, and it was my gateway to finding out how much I loved loaded potato soup. Perfection! I have a great Loaded Potato Soup recipe, and now I have a great recipe for Potato Skins. I figured out how to make potato skins taste just like my favorite restaurant version, only healthier – by making them in the air fryer!

These days I love making everything in my air fryer. It saves me so much time and I use a lot less oil when I cook. This recipe for Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Wings is one of the most popular on my blog and I highly suggest you trying it out after you make these Air Fryer Potato Skins.

Can you make Potato Skins in the Air Fryer?

Absolutely! In fact, it is my preferred way! The air fryer crisps up the potato skin and then makes the cheese super melty! And it only takes minutes! I used 5 large russet potatoes for this and I baked them the night before. You can definitely do it in the same day, but I have a toddler and I like to break up tasks to fit them easily into our schedule.

I chose to bake the whole potatoes instead of using the air fryer because these potatoes were massive and I would have only fit a few of them at a time. Since cooking them whole takes a long time, I chose to do it all at once in the oven instead of the air fryer. When it comes to making the potato skins, each skin is in the air fryer for less than 10 minutes, so it is easy to do this in several batches depending on how many you are making.

How long should I cook Potato Skins in the Air Fryer?

First, you need to cook your whole potatoes so that you can use the skins! I like to do this the night before. You can use whatever method you like best. Then, once you have your skins, you preheat your air fryer to 400F and then cook the skins alone for 5 minutes in the air fryer, then add your toppings and cook them for another 3 minutes. My favorite toppings are cheddar cheese and bacon, but you can easily make this vegetarian and add peppers, onions, whatever you like!

Potato Skins Recipe

INGREDIENTS

5 Large Russet Potatoes baked the night before or a few hours in advanced
1 tbsp Olive Oil plus extra
8 slices Thick Cut Bacon cooked
10 oz Cheddar Cheese shredded
3 Green Onions diced
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
sour cream or ranch dressing optional for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

Slice your baked potatoes in half and gently scoop out the insides. Reserve the potato flesh for another recipe like mashed potatoes. See note below
Preheat your air fryer to 400F
Rub the inside of each potato skin with a little olive oil using a silicone basting brush. Then, add a little salt and pepper on the inside of each potato skin.
Cook each potato skin without toppings for 5 minutes.
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 green onions, and serve with sour cream or ranch dressing.

NOTES

I have a video of how to assemble these on my Instagram and Tiktok accounts @spinachandbacon.

I baked my potatoes the night before for an hour because they were super large russet potatoes. I placed my potatoes on a heavy duty baking sheet, rubbed them with a good amount of olive oil, and a generous amount of sea salt and black pepper. Then, I stored them in my refrigerator overnight and made my potato skins the next morning.

If you like this recipe, you may also like:

Slow Cooker Potato Soup