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Air fryer potato skins are a quick and easy appetizer or side dish that everyone will love! Leftover baked potatoes turn into crispy and tender potato skins loaded with cheese, bacon crumbles, sour cream, and green onions.

This homemade potato skin recipe makes the perfect appetizer for game day. They taste just like TGI Fridays but better because they’re easy enough to cook in your air fryer. A few more of my go-to appetizers are jalapeño poppers, these little smokies, and easy air fryer egg rolls.

Top view of air fryer potato skins on a large white platter garnished with sour cream, green onions, and bacon. A small bowl of sour cream on the side.

Air Fryer Potato Skins

I can’t wait for you to taste these amazing potato skins. The crispy outside gives a nice shell that is easily handheld for dipping or tender enough to cut through with a fork. So tasty and delicious, these air fryer potato skins will disappear as quickly as you make them!

Air fryer recipes make life so much easier. If you don’t have one, I highly recommend you get one. I didn’t think I needed one, and now it is my most used kitchen appliance. Some of my favorite air fryer recipes are this chicken, this perfect steak, and these roasted potatoes.

Ingredients For Potato Skins

Russet potatoes are known to be thicker and hold together the best for these potato skins. They are stronger potatoes to cut and hollow out. Stuff your potato with all the goods and air fry until perfection! See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.

  • Potatoes: Russet potatoes are the best because they are a perfect size.
  • Olive Oil: This coats the skins of the potatoes and creates a crispy outside.
  • Salt and Pepper: Add the salt and pepper in to taste!
  • Cheese: Sprinkle over top of the baked potato. Colby Jack is my favorite cheese but feel free to use cheddar cheese.
  • Bacon: Cook and crumble pieces on top.
  • Green Onions: Chop and add some to the top for added flavor.
  • Sour Cream: Great for dipping or putting a dollop on your potato skins. Ranch dressing is delicious too!

Making Air Fryer Potato Skins

This appetizer or side dish is one of the best and easiest recipes to make for a quick dish to serve. Cut and carefully hollow out each potato skin. This recipe is great even for doubling. You’ll just have to cook them in batches.

  1. Prepare Potatoes: Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon to carefully scoop out the flesh from the inside, leaving a 1⁄4-inch “rim”.
  2. Brush With Oil: Brush the potatoes with olive oil, then season with salt.
  3. Place in Air Fryer: Place the potatoes into the air fryer basket with the cut side up.
  4. Cook: Cook in the air fryer at 375° Fahrenheit for 6 minutes or until golden and soft.
  5. Add Cheese and Continue to Cook: Open the basket and sprinkle the cheese evenly inside each potato skin. Continue to cook for six more minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
  6. Garnish Potato Skins: Remove the skins from the basket and fill them with sour cream, bacon, and sliced green onions.
  7. Enjoy: Serve warm as the perfect side dish, appetizer, or game-day food!
First process photo are the baked potatoes hollowed out.  The second process photo is the olive oil being brushed onto the potato skins.  The third process photo is the potato skins placed in the air fryer.  The fourth process photo is the shredded cheese added to the potato skins in the air fryer.

Tips For Perfect Potato Skins

Here are some quick and easy ways to make crispy air fryer potato skins. These will turn out to be the best appetizer or side dish you make! My kids always ask me to make these, and I don’t mind because they are my favorite too!

  • Size of Potatoes: It is best to choose large potatoes and russets if possible. These will be the strongest and hold up best when baked.
  • Cool: Let the potatoes cool completely before cutting into them. They will fall apart if they are cut too soon.
  • Cutting: Cut lengthwise on the potato skin. Carefully spoon out the inside of the potato. Leave about ¼ inch of the potato to help for stability.
  • More recipes: Keep the hollowed potato parts for more recipes like this garlic ranch smashed potatoes or making mashed potatoes.
Top view of air fryer potato skins in an air fryer garnished with sour cream, green onions, and bacon.

Storing Leftover Potato Skins

If you have leftover air fryer potato skins, make sure to store them right so that you can enjoy them later! Because storing leftovers correctly is important, I’ve come up with a few tips on how to do it!

  • In the Refrigerator: After they have cooled, store them in an airtight container and put them in your fridge. They will last up to 4 days!  Just be sure not to add the sour cream, bacon, and green onions until just before serving.
  • To Reheat: To reheat them, add the potato skins back into the air fryer and cook at 350 degrees for 3-4 minutes. Add toppings as desired!
Close up view of air fryer potato skins  in an air fryer garnished with sour cream, green onions, and bacon.

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Air Fryer Potato Skins

By: Alyssa Rivers
Air fryer potato skins are a quick and easy appetizer or side dish that everyone will love! Leftover baked potatoes turn into crispy and tender potato skins loaded with cheese, bacon crumbles, sour cream, and green onions.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon to carefully remove the flesh from the inside, leaving a 1⁄4-inch “rim”.
  • Brush the potatoes with olive oil, then season with salt.
  • Place the potatoes into the air fryer basket with the cut side up.
  • Cook in the air fryer at 375° Fahrenheit for 6 minutes or until golden and soft.
  • Open the basket and sprinkle the cheese evenly inside each potato skin. Continue to cook for 6 more minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
  • Remove the skins from the basket and fill with sour cream, bacon, and sliced green onions.
  • Serve warm as the perfect side dish, appetizer, or game-day food!

Nutrition

Serving: 1potato skinCalories: 145kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 4gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 372mgPotassium: 385mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 144IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 76mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

About Alyssa Rivers

Alyssa Rivers is the author of 'The Tried and True Cookbook', a professional food photographer and experienced recipe-developer. Having a passion for cooking, her tried and true recipes have been featured on Good Morning America, Today Food, Buzzfeed and more.

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