Air Fryer Potato Skins

Just so you know, I test all of my air fryer recipes with a 6-quart basket style air fryer. This style is the most popular style sold in America, so I use that since it is the one most people own. Unfortunately, it’s impossible for me to test every recipe in every single style of air fryer out there. They make so many styles now – like an oven style, or one with the fan at the top, some are dual basket, etc. I cannot tell you how to make these potatoes in any other style of air fryer other than the air fryer basket style that I use.

If you have a different style of air fryer, grab your owners manual and see if it has any helpful tips. Otherwise, you just need to use your own personal judgement and use the knowledge you’ve gained from cooking with your own air fryer to adjust this specific recipe if you need to.

I tested this recipe with Russet Potatoes, but Idaho potatoes, red potatoes, or Yukon Gold potatoes would work well, too. You may need to adjust cooking times though. They are done when they are fork tender.

If you don’t dry your skins well enough before you prep them then they may just get soggy rather than crisp. Also, I can’t stress the importance of adding the oil to the skins to help crisp them up. If you’re too light with the oil, they won’t get crispy either.

If you don’t have an air fryer, you can make potato skins in the oven using this recipe below:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare potatoes by washing well and drying thoroughly.
2. Lightly oil a baking sheet and add potatoes.  
3. Bake for 45 minutes or until fork tender.  
4. Remove potatoes from oven and place baking sheet on a wire rack to cool. 
5. Once potatoes have cooled enough to handle, take a sharp knife, and slice potatoes length  wise.  
6. Using a spoon, scoop out the inside, leaving about ¼ inch thick potato skins. (Store the discarded potatoes for another use.)
7. Sprinkle cheese and bacon bits evenly over each potato skin. 
8. Return potato skins to baking sheet and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes, until cheese is  melted and starting to bubble. 
9. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. 
10. Top with sour cream and sliced green onions or chives. Enjoy!

I would definitely save the scooped filling for other recipes. It can be made into mashed potatoes or it can be shaped into patties and fried. The topping could be used for Shepherd’s Pie or you can use the filling to make pierogis.

Absolutely! Cook potatoes following the instructions. Add cheese and bacon bits. Flash freeze on a baking sheet for one hour in the freezer. Wrap in foil and place in a Ziploc freezer bag and freeze for 3-6  months. When ready to cook, put frozen potatoes skins on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes at 400F degrees or cook in pre-heated air fryer for 12-15 minutes.  

Store leftover potato skins in an airtight container or plastic bag for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.