How to make fried potato skins

Originally published May 22, 2019 . Last updated on May 13, 2020 4 Comments

Learn how to make Potato Skins at home that are quick and easy, yet better than any restaurants! The best, crispy Potato Skins recipe are twice-baked, loaded with your favorite fillings, and ready for a crowd-pleasing appetizer or side.

This post first appeared over at Real Housemoms where I’m a contributor.

How to Make Potato Skins Better Than Any Restaurant!

Making a potato skins recipe is easy, straight-forward, and hard to mess up. However, when making them at home they can lose that binge-worthy, comfort food decadence.

Some essential tips can take lackluster potato skins to extraordinary. Learn how to make crispy Loaded Potato Skins with cheese and bacon using these secret weapon hacks based on Pioneer Woman’s famous recipe.

Potato Skins Fillings

Having a crispy, twice-baked potato shell will only take you so far. Loading them with mouthwatering fillings is key!

• Classic – cheddar cheese, bacon, green onions, and sour cream
• Southwest – black beans, corn, peppers, taco seasoning, colby jack cheese, and salsa
• Hawaiian – chopped ham, pineapple, red onion, cheddar, bbq sauce, and cilantro
• Buffalo Chicken – shredded chicken tossed with hot sauce, celery, blue cheese, and ranch for dipping
• Pizza – mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, green pepper, and marinara for dipping

What to Serve with It

Potato Skins don’t have to be enjoyed solely as an appetizer. Enjoy them as a comforting side dish with some of these yummy dinners or salads.

How to Make Healthy Potato Skins

Usually, this recipe is comforting and delicious loaded up crispy bacon, melty cheese, and creamy sour cream. It’s perfectly fine to indulge, but I like to use these tips to streamline calories.

• Reduce the amount of cheese or substitute reduced-fat cheese.
• Substitute turkey bacon, chopped ham, or cut back on the amount of bacon.
• Use light sour cream or greek yogurt as a topping
• Instead of cheese and bacon, top your skins with black beans, corn, salsa, and cilantro

How to Make Deep Fried Potato Skins

Or, on the other hand, let’s indulge. Shall we? Follow these steps to make deep fried potato skins

1. Heat oil to 375ºF in a deep fryer or heavy saucepan.
2. Fry scooped out potato shells in batches for 5 minutes.
3. Remove to paper towel-lined baking sheet and immediately sprinkle both sides with salt.
4. Load with fillings and place on foiled lined baking sheet. Bake 400ºF oven for 5-10 minutes.

Can you freeze Potato Skins?

Freezing Unfilled Shells:

1. Place seasoned skins on baking sheet and bake for 16 minutes, flipping halfway.
2. Once they have cooled completely, transfer to a freezer-safe container until ready to bake.
3. Thaw in the refrigerator or on counter. Transfer to baking sheet and load with fillings. Bake at 400ºF until hot and cheese melts, about 5-10 minutes.

Leftover baked loaded potatoes can be frozen as well. Cool completely and transfer to freezer-safe container.

To reheat, thaw completely in refrigerator or on counter. Bake in 400ºF oven until hot and cheese melts, about 5-10 minutes.

How To Make Potato Skins

1. Cook potatoes until fork tender. (See tip in the recipe below on how to cut down cooking time or make the potatoes in the Instant Pot!)
2. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh.
3. Brush inside and outside of shells with oil and season generously with salt.
4. Place skins on baking sheet and bake for 16 minutes, flipping halfway.
5. Load with cheese and bacon. Bake for 5 additional minutes.

Make Ahead Potato Skins

Prepare the recipe in its entirety until the very last step of adding cheese and bacon. Set double cooked potatoes aside to cool completely.

Cover cooled, prepared skins with foil and place in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place skins on baking sheet and add cheese and bacon. Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

One of my very favorite appetizers to order at a restaurant is Potato Skins.

I love the fact that they are considered a finger food. This is the one time that it is socially acceptable to pick up a potato and eat it with your hands.

Plus who can resist the taste of cheese and bacon on a crispy potato skin?

But almost every time I prepare appetizers for a party, I rarely think about making potato skins.

Instead, there are plenty of dips and spreads, such as buffalo chicken and spinach artichoke dip, on the counter.

And don’t forget the ever popular chicken wings that are a must have for a game day party.

Because I make most of my appetizers in my Instant Pot, slow cooker or in the air fryer, my oven rarely gets used.

Which means that I have no excuse not to make potato skins!

Baked Potatoes

The first thing that has to be done is to bake the potatoes.

I know that there are several ways to bake a potato. And the oven isn’t necessarily the quickest method.

But although it is much faster to make baked potatoes in the microwave or Instant Pot, I wouldn’t recommend it for this recipe.

The skins of the potatoes need to be firm and crisp. And it is difficult to achieve that in the microwave or pressure cooker.

However, the oven does just that. And it is even better when you rub oil on the potatoes prior to baking.

The oil penetrates the skin which allows them to become firm and crisp as they bake.

Yes, it takes longer, but it is well worth the time involved.

But we have also found a way around this time consuming task on party day.

A week or two before the party, when we have plenty of time on our hands, we will bake several potatoes.

After they cool a bit, we will scoop out the insides (which we use for our twice baked potato or potato soup recipes) and freeze the skins.

Then on the morning of the party, we pull them out of the freezer to thaw.

All that is left to do is to add the toppings and bake them!

In less than 20 minutes, the potato skins are ready to be served! When you are hosting a party, every minute that you can save is precious.

Keys To Making Perfect Potato Skins

There are a few tips that we have learned over the years that will help you make perfect potato skins.

We already discussed the best way to bake the potatoes. And be sure to add the oil to the outsides of the skins before baking.

Once the potatoes are out of the oven, be sure to wait until you are able to handle them before cutting them.

But don’t wait too long!

You want to make sure that the insides are still tender and warm enough to scoop out easily.

And speaking of removing the insides, we have found the perfect utensil for the job!

A medium size cookie scoop works really well for this task!

Not only is it easy to remove the potato innards, it is also just as easy to release it into a bowl.

Save the discarded potatoes for other recipes. We use them to thicken potato soup and we also add them to the mixture when making mashed potatoes.

Another key to making perfect potato skins is to add a little flavor to them.

Potatoes are very bland and need to be seasoned well.

We do this by not only adding a little salt to the potato. But we also coat the skins in a butter and Italian seasoning mixture prior to baking them.

Why Italian seasoning? We find that the blend of spices found in dried Italian seasoning gives the potato a great flavor that isn’t masked by the cheese and bacon.

It really does make a huge difference in the taste of the potato skins.

And finally, be sure to bake your potato skins skin side down first.

This not only allows the skin to be exposed to the oven and become crisp. It also allows the heat to be trapped in the cove of the hollowed out potato, making sure that it remains tender.

Then turning them over to crisp up the potato edges is all that is left before it is time to add the toppings.

The Toppings

Quite honestly, you can add whatever toppings that you prefer.

However, for this recipe, I stuck with the basics: cheese and bacon. And of course, with the option of adding green onions and sour cream when served.

But I have also had some delicious variations of potato skins.

One of my favorites was when barbecue sauce was spread on the potato before the cheese was added.

It gave the potato a surprisingly unique flavor. We actually have replicated that flavor in our Loaded Baked Potato Rounds Recipe.

But I have also seen potato skins served with diced jalapenos, diced banana peppers, red onions and shredded pork.

Whatever toppings that you prefer, I am sure that you will enjoy them!

Check out the printable recipe below and let me know what you think!

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• Total Time 30m
• Prep Time 10 m
• Calories 727

There is no denying the fact that everybody loves potato. Be it a child, a grandparent or an adult, no person can say no to potato and maybe that’s why it is named as the ‘King of vegetables’. Here is an interesting potato recipe that you must try for your family and friends on occasions like kitty party, game night, and even pot luck. Potato Skins is a delicious appetizer recipe where hollow potatoes are stuffed with a filling prepared with cheddar cheese, bacon and sour cream. Try this easy recipe and enjoy with your loved ones!

Ingredients of Potato Skins

• 12 potato
• 450 gm cheese-cheddar
• 450 gm sour cream

• 2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup bacon

How to make Potato Skins

Step 1

To prepare this yummy potato recipe, pre-heat the oven at 190 degree Celsius. Take some oil and grease the baking pan and prick a fork in the potatoes so as to pierce them. Place them in the pre-heated oven to cook them on high speed for about 10 minutes and till they are soft.

Step 2

Halve the potatoes vertically and scoop them till only 1/4 of of the potato shells remains. In a sauce pan, pour the vegetable oil and let it heat on medium flame. Once heated properly, fry the potatoes till golden brown. And then drain them on paper towels.

Step 3

Carefully, add the cheese and bacon bits in the potatoes shells. And place them in the baking tray to cook for 8 minutes at 180 degree Celsius. Your Potato Skins are ready, enjoy!

Once you make this super easy recipe for potato peel chips you will never toss those peelings out again! Bet you can’t eat just one of these babies.

When I think about this recipe for potato peel chips, I have to close my eyes and NOT think about the giant towering mountain of potato peelings in my life that went into the garbage, the compost pile and other places other than into this utterly simple, totally addictive nibble.

Because yes, this involves taking the peelings from whatever delectable mashed potato recipe you are making, tossing them with a little olive oil and salt, and baking them until they are delicate, crispy little potato chips. And in this case, chips made out of the peelings, where lots of the fiber and nutrients live.

Could this be any better? Am I the last person on the planet to figure this out? I have SO much catching up to do!

This recipe works best when you have a bunch of potatoes being peeled up for something (hello, Thanksgiving mashed potatoes!) because the potato peelings are so thin and delicate. That teeny little bowl in the picture is from two potatoes, and let’s just say it was an aggressively friendly little battle in my kitchen that day to see who got the most chips, because there were not many to go around.

Regardless of how many potatoes you are peeling, go ahead and make them though, because a teeny bowl of potato peel chips is infinitely better than no chips at all. Besides, if you are like me, once you make your first batch it will be impossible for you to throw potato peels out Ever Again.

You want to toss them with just enough olive oil to coat them without making them too weighed down. A teaspoon of olive oil per potato’s worth of peels is a good rule of thumb. Sprinkle them with some sea salt, pop them in the oven until they are nice and brown and crispy – you want them the deep golden brown color in the picture so they are the right amount of crisp. Here’s a quick video to show you the magic that is making potato peel chips…

And then eat them right away, because potato peel chips are best warm and wonderful right out of the oven. (This last bit will be the easiest part of the process.)

It gives a whole new meaning to the word recycling, right?

Potato Peel Chips

• Author: Kate Morgan Jackson
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 1 cup 1 x
• Category: Snack
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

Description

Once you make this super easy recipe for potato peel chips you will never toss those peelings out again! Bet you can’t eat just one of these babies.

Ingredients

• Peelings from two potatoes
• Two teaspoons olive oil
• Pinch of sea salt (and you can shake on some black pepper too, if you like!

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick foil.
2. Gently toss the peelings with the olive oil. Place in a single layer on the baking sheet, and sprinkle with salt.
3. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or so, watching carefully through the door to make sure they don’t get too brown. Remove when they are crispy and serve at once.

Notes

Can be increased to as many potatoes as you can peel!

Did you try this recipe?

Tag @FramedCooks on Facebook and tell us how it came out!

Hi there! I’m Kate, and I’m a recipe writer, food photographer and devoted bacon lover. I started Framed Cooks in 2009, and my mission is to create and share family-friendly recipes that make cooking both easy and fun…yes, I said FUN! My kitchen is my happy place, and I want yours to be that place too. And if you make this recipe, I would love you to tag @FramedCooks on Instagram so I can see the deliciousness!

Potato skins aren’t something you’d typically make for a casual dinner at home, but the air fryer makes them fast, easy, and healthy enough to be a weeknight side dish.

White potatoes get a bad rap, but they are packed with essential vitamins and fiber. When eaten in moderation, they are actually a great addition to a balanced diet! They’re even allowed on Whole 30!

The trouble is, white potatoes are used in some of the worst-for-you recipes out there. French fries! Twice baked potatoes! Chips! POTATO SKINS!

Admittedly, potato skins are on the menu of my favorite local restaurant, and I find myself ordering them more than I care to admit. A couple of days after a recent Friday night with friends and an inevitable potato skin order, I found myself in my kitchen, standing in front of my air fryer, with a handful of potatoes. I was determined to figure out how to make a healthier alternative to the deep fried, T.G.I. Friday’s style potato skins. And figure it out I did!

These air fried potato skins get nice and crispy, and the cheese gets nice and gooey in just six minutes. Again, when eaten in moderation, these are a perfectly acceptable side dish!

Air Fryer Potato Skins

2 cooked Yukon Gold Potatoes

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese

2 pieces cooked bacon, chopped

Start with two pre-cooked Yukon Gold potatoes. You can cook them in the Air Fryer for 45 minutes, boil them, pressure cook them, whatever ya like. Just let them cool down before cutting into them, or the skins will shred and they’ll crumble.

Cut it into quarters, or sixths if it’s a monster potato.

Scrape out the insides! I left a lot of potato on these skins, because I wanted to enjoy them more like a potato side dish. If you want them to be more of a crispy appetizer bite, scrape out more potato. Reserve the potato innards and make mashed potatoes tomorrow!

Spray the skins generously with cooking spray. This will help them get CRISPY!

Top them with cheese.

And BACON!

Carefully transfer the skins to the basket of your air fryer.

And cook at 350°F for 6 minutes. I found that cooking them any hotter than 350°F made the cheese hard-melted versus gooey-melted. And that just won’t do the trick for potato skins!

I stirred together some sour cream with my favorite hot sauce, but you could also dollop plain sour cream on top, or serve sour cream and salsa on the side. I cut up some basil and threw that on top because I had it. Sliced green onions or parsley would also be a great garnish.

Make these for game day this Fall, or simply for an easy weeknight side dish!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DeansDreamBig #CollectiveBias

With four boys and a hubby, my house can get a little crazy when it comes time for the Big Game! Parties and get-togethers every weekend are almost a must, even more so now that the boys are older and like to invite lots of friends. Keeping a rowdy bunch of young men happy and well fed can be a bit of a challenge at times. Finger food and snack food that will fill them up is my usual go to when the games are on. Extra bonus points if the snacks are easy and delicious. My Crispy Air Fryer Potato Skins are not only super easy, they are incredibly tasty too. The Air Fryer makes them light and crispy, their favorite toppings take them over the top.

Crispy & Easy Air Fryer Potato Skins – Pin it for later!

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Making snacks for the guys during the Big Game doesn’t have to be stressful or over the top. Most of the time they just want classic football food. Cold drinks and tasty appetizers are always a hit during any party. One of my most popular go-to appetizers has always been oven baked potato skins. This year I decided to put my new air fryer to the test and whip up a batch from start to finish in less than half the time it takes in a conventional oven.

What Makes A Good Potato Skin?

We have all gone to our favorite restaurant or sports bar that make the absolute best potato skins. What exactly makes them the best? Crispy seasoned skins to start with. No one likes a soggy potato skin! Creamy potato on the inside is also a must. Not too much potato, but you don’t want just the skin and no flesh either. Last but not least, the toppings. You can’t have really great potato skins without all of the good stuff piled on top. Cheddar cheese, bacon, chives and sour cream are the classics. This is what they call “loaded” potato skins in the restaurants.

My Secret Weapon

“Loaded” potato skins are really good, a classic even. What if I told you I have a secret weapon to take them from good to GREAT. Well let me tell ya, I actually have TWO secret weapons!

The first … My first secret weapon is all about the toppings. Simply replace the sour cream in your “loaded” potato skins with cool and creamy Dean’s Cheddar Bacon Dip! Yes, there is bacon crumbles on the potato skins, but let’s face it there is no such thing as too much bacon! Everything is better with bacon, why not add both.

Adding Dean’s Cheddar Bacon Dip to my potato skins was a happy accident when my son wanted to try it on top of his baked potato one night at dinner. They talked about it for 2 days. I just knew it would be on the food table for the big game, right next to the crispy potato skins.

We picked up Dean’s Cheddar Bacon Dip right at Walmart. You can find it with the refrigerated dips and sour cream. Ours is in the back of the store along the wall. Dean’s dip is ready to eat, convenient and delicious. It is a no-brainer when it comes to adding the dairy fresh taste to your favorite dishes.

Find out which store in your area carries Dean’s Cheddar Bacon and Dean’s Bacon Ranch Dips along with some tasty recipe ideas by clicking HERE.

Don’t forget to print your $1 off Coupon on ONE Dean’s Dip new Bacon varieties! While supplies last.

Secret Weapon #2!

Cooking the skins! How you cook your potato skins makes a world of difference. I recently got a new 6 qt. air fryer for my birthday. Cooking just about anything in the air fryer adds so much texture and flavor to your food. I was pleasantly surprised when the last batch of potato skins came out as incredible as they did.

Bake your potatoes according to your air fryer manual (each brand will be different). Make sure you season them well before cooking them. Once your baked potatoes are seasoned and cooked, it is time to make the skins for the big game.

Slice your potatoes in half and scoop out most of the flesh with a spoon. Don’t scoop out all of the flesh, you want some of that creamy potato goodness with your skins.

You can use a melon baller for this step also.

Top each potato with bacon crumbles and shredded cheddar cheese. Place them in a single layer in your air fryer. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

Top with thinly sliced chives and your favorite cool toppings. We chose to top ours with cool and creamy Dean’s Cheddar Bacon Dip.

You can see just how light and flaky the skins are. How thick and even the potato flesh is. And how creamy and flavorful Dean’s dip is piled high on top of the skins. The guys are going to love this appetizer bar while they are watching the Big Game!

What are you serving to your sports fans? I would love to hear all of your ideas.

If you love this recipe, please be sure to PIN IT using the image below. Don’t forget to check out all of our favorite recipes. Lots of tasty appetizers and main dish ideas that will please everyone.

These potato peel crisps are perfect for using up leftover potato skin. There’s no need for waste with this easy and delicious recipe. Potatoes play a big part in most family meals. We mash, boil or roast them but we often throw the peelings away. This is such a shame as, believe it or not, the peelings are rather delicious when turned into crisps. Yes, really! The next time you peel a potato, don’t throw the peelings away, try this simple recipe instead!

Ingredients

• Potato peel
• 1-2 tsp of oil
• Salt and pepper, for seasoning
• Cumin, paprika or chilli powder (optional)

Method

Pre-heat your oven to 200C. First of all you will need to peel your potatoes with a potato peeler. The skin might be too thick if you use a knife.

Potato peel does not keep well, so get the peelings straight onto a baking tray.

Drizzle the oil over your peelings and sprinkle over your chosen seasoning/spices.

Use your hands to mix everything together, until the peelings are evenly coated in the oil and seasoning.

Make sure the peelings are in an even layer and then place into the oven until slightly brown and crunchy, about 8-10 minutes.

Top tip for making Potato peel crisps

You can try other vegetable peelings too! How about carrot and parsnip? The peel lasts for up to three days, if wrapped well and stored in the fridge.

This CopyCat TGI Friday’s Potato Skins Recipe was a HUGE hit with my entire family. In the past we will make a trip to TGI Friday’s to enjoy an appetizer platter. Everyone’s favorite app is the potato skins. So for you years I would purchase the frozen TGI Friday’s skins from the grocery when I see a good sale or if I locate a rare coupon. After enjoying a nice lunch at Friday’s last week I knew we needed to make our own Copycat TGI Friday’s Potato Skins at home. My bill at Friday’s was about gave me a heart attack. There were four of us enjoying appetizers and my bill was over $60. YIKES! That will not happen again for sometime, ha ha. I decided this copycat recipe was a MUST or I think I will be in some crazy debt doing that trip to often.

Copycat TGI Friday’s Potato Skins Recipe

I love skins loaded up with tons of bacon, cheese and green onions. If you are a fan of TGI Friday’s skins you are going to love this simple and tasty recipe.

I made up a huge batch of these skins and served them with a salad for dinner. So this recipe is perfect to serve up an appetizer or a meal.

I like that the TGI Friday’s Potato skins have a nice crisp and not too much of any one ingredient that dominates them. These were a perfect blend of the cheese, bacon and of course that slight crisp. Plus making our own at home saves so much money. My kiddos and hubby were trying to plan out the dinner menu so they could enjoy these again next week. Yup.. everyone liked them so they are a keeper.

INGREDIENTS
4 Russet Potatoes
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tbsp melted Butter
3/4 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/2 cup Chopped Crispy Fried Bacon

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Wash, scrub and dry potatoes.
Pierce each multiple times with a fork.
Rub with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Bake for 1 hour.
Allow to cool.
Preheat oven to 375.
Cut each potato lengthwise into thirds.
Reserve middle slice of each for something else.
Use a spoon to scoop out white middles of each remaining slice, leaving about 1/4″ thickness in each.
Brush potato skins with melted butter and bake for 25 minutes until crisp.
Sprinkle with cheese and bacon and return to oven until cheese is melted.
Serve with sour cream and sliced green onions.

Loaded potato skins are kind of the perfect party food. They’re inexpensive to make, they’re full of flavor, and they’re topped with ALL our favorite things. (We’re talkin’ bacon, sour cream, and lots of cheese.) We’ve got them in our party app rotation, and we think you should too!

So, what exactly qualifies as “loaded”?

Well, in our kitchen at least, if it’s topped with cheddar, sour cream, bacon, and scallions (or chives), it’s loaded. Examples include (but are CERTAINLY not limited to): loaded mashed potatoes, loaded pickle chips, and loaded zucchini skins.

Can I make potato skins in advance?

At least in part, yes! You can boil the potatoes and scoop them out up to 2 days in advance. Then, when you cook your bacon day-of, you can brush the bacon fat all over and crisp the potatoes up in the oven. You can even shred the cheese in advance! Everything else should be left until day-of for optimized freshness.

What do I do with the scooped-out part of the potato?

Well, maybe this is too obvious, but you could make mashed potatoes! If you want to get more creative, you could make these fried mashed potato balls—they also make great party apps!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Scrub potatoes clean and allow them to dry. With a paper towel (or just with your hands) rub the skin of the potatoes with 2 tablespoons canola oil so that they’re nice and moist.

Place potatoes on a baking sheet and bake until skin is crisp and potatoes are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the pan and allow to cool until you can handle the potatoes.

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out the insides, leaving a little bit of potato in the skins. Melt the butter with 2 tablespoons canola oil, then brush both the outside and the inside of the potatoes. Sprinkle the inside lightly with salt. Place potato halves face-down and return to the oven for 5 to 8 minutes. Using tongs, turn the potatoes over and continue to bake until the edges of the potatoes start to turn golden brown.

Remove from oven. Sprinkle the insides of the potato skins with cheddar, then sprinkle on the chopped bacon. Return to the oven long enough for the cheese to melt, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Serve immediately with sour cream and green onions. Yum!

I love potato skins because they remind me of 1983. Or was that 1984? Or was that 1982? Or was that 1985? Or was that…

Stop, Ree! STOP! You’re rambling again!

Anyway, potato skins are a nostalgic snack for me. And nostalgic snacks, I think I’ve established, are the very best kind of snacks. And they never, ever go out of style.

Unless you’re talking about deviled ham balls.

These potato skins are in my first cookbook, and I’ve made them forever. I made ’em a few weeks ago, then I made ’em again last night in anticipation of the Thunder game. They’re the perfect basketball food!

(Go, Thunder! Beat the heat!)

Start witha sacka potatoes. Russets will do just fine! It’s best if they’re on the smallish to mediumish side.

Thoroughly scrub the potatoes, then let them dry. Preheat the oven to approximately 401.3764293327266 degrees.

Okay, fine. 400 will do.

Use a paper towel or just your grubby (or, preferably, clean) hands to rub canola oil all over the skins until they’re nice and moist and wonderful.

Stick ’em on a baking sheet and bake ’em until the skins are crisp and the taters are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes or so.

While the taters are baking, grab some bacon. I like the thick cut, peppered kind, but you can use any ol’ bacon you have on hand.

I like to cut bacon slices in half before frying them…

Because they cook more evenly that way, and they also fit more neatly in the skillet.

Fry ’em till they’re just barely crisp but mostly chewy, then throw ’em on a cutting board.

Then chop ’em up pretty finely and set them aside for a bit.

While you’re at it, grate up some sharp cheddar. Or mild cheddar. Or medium mild sharp in-between ambiguous noncommittal cheddar.

Then slice/chop up some green onions.

Sorry to be so bossy today.

Okay, the potatoes are done by now! Let them cool just a bit, then slice ’em down the middle.

Then use a spoon or scoop to scoop out the insides.

Look. You can see me. Freaky!

Leave a little rim around the edges so the potato skins will have a little support and so the potato skins will also have some potato in them.

My logic is sound. My logic is very, very sound.

Just throw the innards into a bowl. Use it for whatever you’d like! I smashed mine up with softened butter, sprinkled in salt and pepper, and saved it for dinner.

But that’s just me.

Keep going till all the taters are scooped out!

Throw ’em back on the baking sheet…

Then melt together a little butter and canola oil.

Crispy potato skins strips are part baked potato, part crispy fry, and 100% deliciously addictive. They’re easy to throw together and a great alternative to nachos, even without the cheese!

Did you know there’s more than one way to make potato skins?

Until last year, I had no idea.

Then I came across an article in Food Network Magazine full of potato skins. But instead of little 1980’s style potato boats, every recipe featured thin crispy STRIPS of potato skins piled high with toppings.

It looked like snack food heaven and I sooo wanted to go there.

That night, I grabbed 2 leftover toaster oven baked potatoes and made a small batch for Tim and I. We were out of cheese so I topped them with black beans, corn, chopped tomatoes, sliced green onions and creamy guacamole.

They were so good we didn’t even miss the cheese!

The flavor of these crispy strips is similar to traditional potato skins. But with less “potato pulp” and skins that are insanely crispy and salty.

It is SNACK FOOD HEAVEN and you should go there!

Keep scrolling there’s step by step photo directions after the recipe

Crispy Potato Skins Strips

Crispy potato skins strips are part baked potato, part crispy fry, and 100% deliciously addictive. They’re easy to throw together with the help of your toaster oven.

Ingredients

• 2 medium Baked Russet Potatoes
• Oil or Melted Butter
• Seasoned Salt or Fine Sea Salt
• Shredded Cheese (optional)

Instructions

1. Adjust your toaster oven cooking rack to the middle position and preheat to 450°F or 425°F if using a convection toaster oven. Insert a small baking rack into a rimmed toaster oven pan.
2. Slice the baked potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out most of the potato flesh leaving a thin ¼-inch layer attached to the skins.
3. Brush both sides of the potato shells with oil or melted butter and season well. Slice each shell in half or into quarters for thinner strips.
4. Place the strips with their skins facing up on the rack and bake until crispy, about 10 minutes.
5. Serve strips warm with your favorite toppings and dips

Notes

For Cheesy Strips: After cooking, carefully remove the pan and turn your toaster oven to “Broil.” Flip the skins over and top with cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 2 to 3 minutes.

The skins taste best when fresh but we’ve had success rewarming/crisping in a preheated 450°F toaster oven for 4 to 5 minutes.

Don’t have leftover baked potatoes? Check out our ultimate guide to toaster oven baked potatoes or for microwave instructions see the recipe notes section on this post.

Inspired by and adapted from Food Network.

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How to Make Crispy Potato Skins Strips

Two quick things before we start:

1. If you don’t have any leftover baked potatoes and need to make some, scroll up a tiny bit. Links to our toaster oven baked potato guide and shortcut microwave instructions can be found on the recipe card above.
2. Ever had a baked potato with a few discolored spots? This strips method is my favorite way to use up blemished taters. Just slice off the offending area and proceed with the recipe.

Now that you’re ready to make the strips, adjust your toaster oven cooking rack to the middle position and preheat to 450°F or 425°F if you’re using a convection toaster oven.

Insert a small baking rack into a rimmed toaster oven pan.

I love using the pan and rack in our Chicago Metallic Toaster Oven Bakeware Set. It’s perfect for cooking a small batch of skins, baked sweet potatoes, and crispy frozen fries for one or two people.

For more info on our favorite toaster oven pans check out this post: What Are The Best Toaster Oven Pans?

Next scoop out most of the potato flesh. Then oil, season and cut the potato shells into strips.

If you’re working with microwave baked potatoes, be a little more delicate scooping them out. Their skins will be wrinkled, papery and tend to pull away from the potatoes in some areas.

You can slice the potatoes first and then scoop them out or the other way around. We prefer to scoop, oil, season, and then slice but go with the way that works best for you.

Place the prepared strips skin-side-up on the rack and add them to the heated toaster oven. It won’t take long for them to get crispy, about 10 minutes.

If you’re making cheesy skins, carefully remove the pan and turn your toaster oven to “Broil.”

Flip the skins over and sprinkle with cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Skillet-fried potatoes are at their best when you use a skillet, cooking oil and type of potato suitable for prolonged, high-heat cooking. Waxy and all-purpose potatoes are less likely to fall apart if they stick to the pan. A heavy skillet that conducts heat well also prevents sticking, so the crispy golden surfaces of the potatoes don’t tear and soften when you flip them. The fat in which you fry the potatoes is also vital to success. The best choices have smoke points above 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Waxy and All-Purpose Potatoes

Waxy, low-starch potatoes hold their shapes during prolonged cooking more effectively than starchier spuds, so they’re less likely to break apart when they become tender. Red potato varieties such as Red Bliss, Pontiac Red and Norland Red are among the most common types. All-purpose potatoes also fry well. Many chefs consider white Kennebec potatoes the best spuds for French fries because they crisp well on the surface and develop fluffy interiors. All-purpose yellow Yukon Golds also fry well, but may be more likely to break if they stick to the pan.

Small Chunks Will Crisp Best

Rinse and scrub the potatoes to remove excess dirt. Leave the potatoes unpeeled, if possible. Skin-on spuds hold their shapes better. Potatoes cut in thin strips like matchstick potatoes will crisp effectively, but they’ll fall apart easily and stick together like hash brown cakes. Larger potatoes wedges hold their shapes, but take longer to cook. Small potato cubes or chunks about 1/2 to 1 inch wide maintain their shapes well and develop a better balance of exterior crispiness and internal fluffiness.

Soaking Spuds to Reduce Starch

Soak the cut potatoes in water overnight to draw out excess starch. Reducing the starch makes them less pasty and less likely to stick together. Cover and soak the potatoes in the refrigerator to prevent contamination. Drain and rinse the potatoes when you finish soaking them. Pat them dry to remove excess water. Dry potato pieces crisp more effectively than wet pieces.

Cooking Fats

Cooking oils with high smoke points and animal fats are the most effective frying fats; butter browns and burns too quickly for this type of dish. Peanut oil, grapeseed oil, vegetable oil and canola oil are all suitable for frying. Extra-virgin olive oil has a low smoke point, which means you must cook the potatoes longer at a slightly lower temperature, but it is an acceptable choice if you prefer the nutritional benefits. Light or refined olive oil has a much higher smoke point. Lard yields the crispiest results despite a relatively low smoke point, and it isn’t entirely unhealthy: Lard contains less saturated fat than butter. Duck fat is a high-end cooking fat that fries exceptionally well and yields sublime flavor.

Pan Selection and Preheating

Cast-iron skillets hold heat exceptionally well for prolonged periods, making them superior frying pans. Any heavy skillet should work if you do not have a cast-iron pan. Put just enough fat in the skillet to coat the bottom. Heat the skillet to about 380 F or medium-high if you are cooking with peanut, grape seed, light olive, vegetable or canola oil. Heat the skillet to about 350 F or medium if you are cooking with lard, duck fat or extra-virgin olive oil.

Add the Potatoes

Place a single layer of dry potato chunks in a preheated skillet. Avoid crowding the pan. You may need to cook in batches. Wait to flip or stir the potatoes until the undersides become golden and crisp, which takes 10 to 20 minutes depending on your pan, oil and cooking temperature and the sizes of your potato pieces. Handle the potatoes gently with a spatula or wooden spoon to avoid breaking them.

Reserve Additional Ingredients

Reserve seasonings and other ingredients to add later in the cooking process. Herbs and spices become bitter if they overcook, and other vegetables may burn before the potatoes cook through. Add salt and ground pepper about 5 to 10 minutes after you flip the potatoes the first time. Rosemary, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper and paprika are some of the seasonings that complement fried potatoes. Season them to taste. Add diced onions, diced bell peppers, minced garlic, or chopped bacon or ham when you season the potatoes, if desired.

Determining Doneness

Wait for the potatoes to crisp and become golden before flipping them again. Continue turning the potatoes until they reach your desired level of crispiness. Insert a fork into one or two of the pieces to make sure they cooked through. Reduce the heat if the potatoes are golden but not yet cooked through. Add 2 or 3 teaspoons of oil to the pan if it gets dry before the potatoes finish cooking.

By Lauren Allen on September 5, 2019 , Updated February 26, 2020

Loaded Potato Skins are an easy appetizer made with the crispy skins of a baked potato and filled with bacon, cheese, sour cream, and chives!

I’ve mentioned before how much I love fun appetizers, and this recipe is no exception. For more easy appetizers, check out my Easy 7-Layer Bean Dip or homemade Artichoke Dip!

When it comes to crowd pleasing appetizers, these potato skins are IT! All ages love them, from little kids to grandparents. They use simple ingredients but they are so flavorful and comforting. I know you’re going to love this recipe!

How to Make Potato Skins:

1. Choose the right potato: Russet potatoes make the best crispy potato skins. For an appetizer, choose a smaller potato. For a more filling dish, use a large potato and use more filling.

2. Bake the potatoes at 400ºF for 1 hour.

3. Cut the potatoes. Cut each potato lengthwise, into three sections, creating three long slices. (So each potato should yield two skins, plus a middle section that you can discard or use to make baked potato salad :).

4. Scoop out the filling. Scoop out about 70 percent of the potato to make a little boat. You still want to have a thick layer of potato near the skin, but you want it to be slightly hollowed-out in the middle to create a “boat”.

5. Brush and broil. Brush the potatoes with butter on the inside and outside, place them on a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, and broil.

6. Add toppings. Remove from the oven and add a generous amount of shredded cheese and bacon pieces into each potato skin. Top with sour cream and chives or green onion. Serve warm.

Additional Filling and Topping Ideas:

• Taco style- Taco seasoned ground beef seasoned filled with taco toppings
• Sloppy Joe style- fill potato skins with sloppy joe beef filling.
• Chicken enchilada style- fill potato skins with chicken enchilada filling.
• Pulled pork style- filled with flavored, shredded pulled pork
• Mac N’ Cheese- fill with homemade mac and cheese.

Freezing Instructions:

Scoop the filling from the baked potato and allow the skins to cool. Store them in a freezer safe container for 2-3 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight and then continue with broiling and filling the shells (step 5 of the recipe).

Consider trying these popular appetizers:

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These air fried potato peels are a hot & crispy snack. Nosh on them while you wait for dinner to finish. A tasty way to make sure food doesn’t go to waste!

Since so many holiday foods are only improved by a pile of potatoes next to them, this is the time of year when the potato peeler gets a workout.

Truth be told, when I’m making mashed potatoes just for myself, I usually leave the skin on. I like having a little extra texture, and the “homemade” quality that the peels give. Plus, there are nutrients in the peel that I don’t want to skip.

(I only buy organic potatoes, and so I’m not concerned about pesticides in the peels. There’s a reason potatoes are a member of the 2017 Dirty Dozen.)

However, I know there are some people in my extended family who would prefer their potatoes without any speckles of peel. Plus, there is something extra smooth and whippy about peel-less mashed potatoes.

That doesn’t mean you should let those peels go to waste. Air fry them!

I got the idea for frying the peels when I was scrolling through my Instagram feed recently. A friend mentioned that his wife preferred potato dishes sans peels. He fries the peels in oil to avoid wasting them.

Since I choose the air fryer whenever I possibly can, it seemed like a good time to put it to the challenge. Plus, I’ve been making vegan baked potato soup. So I happened to have some peels at the ready.

There’s really only one problem with these air fried potato peels. They taste best straight out of the air fryer. Now, that’s not an issue at all if you’re only planning on eating them. However, if you want to photograph them for a blog, that’s when the problems crop up.

I started snacking on them… just to make sure they were done, right? And before I knew it, I had to grab a smaller bowl for the photograph, and then a smaller bowl, and then a smaller bowl until it was getting kind of ridiculous.

Actual picture from that shoot:

So the next day I peeled more potatoes, just so that I could take pictures of them for you… And then eat them again. You’re welcome.

Top air fried potato peels with any of the following:

• A clove of garlic, minced and sautéed in oil until fragrant
• Chopped & browned seitan bacon
• Grated non-dairy cheese
• Non-dairy cream cheese (This is good for dipping too!)
• Green onions

Or just eat them on their own or with ketchup.

Here’s what you’ll find in this post: My favorite method for making fried red potatoes. Crispy, crunchy on the outside, creamy inside. Trust me when I say these are the best fried red potatoes. Simple and easy, that’s how we like our meals.

Many years ago my husband announced that he’d be happy to eat potatoes at least once a day. The man loves potatoes. Baked, fried, in a potato salad, as hash browns, you name it. We eat potatoes regularly in some form or another. Happily, potatoes are inexpensive to buy. Even better? We’ve had good luck growing potatoes here.

Making the best fried red potatoes

I have several little tricks I want to share with you.

Number one: Start with partially cooked potatoes. There are two ways you can do this. You can cook the red potatoes in an electric pressure cooker (like the Instant Pot) or you can bake them in the oven.

Pre-cook the red potatoes until they’re just beginning to soften. Don’t overcook them. In the Instant Pot, it takes about five minutes on manual. In the oven, 30-40 minutes. This will, of course, depend on the size of the potatoes. If you can plan ahead, it will be easier to cube the potatoes once they’ve had a chance to cool down.

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Number two: Don’t even think about putting the potatoes in the frying pan until it’s HOT. I use my cast iron pan for this. Faithfully. If you don’t yet have a cast iron pan, you can get by with what you have, I’m sure, but you should really consider keeping your eyes open at garage sales for cast iron. They’re the best!

Number three: You want fried red potatoes that are browned and crispy without getting stuck to the pan? As soon as you transfer the potatoes to hot pan, shake the pan. Like you’re making old-school popcorn. And then do it again. And again in another minute. This causes the red potatoes to form a cooked “skin” if you will, preventing them from sticking to the pan.

Number four: Walk away. Well, not really. You’re probably cooking other dishes to go with these fried red potatoes. But don’t mess with them. Let the potatoes cook on high for about ten minutes. No stirring, no flipping. This creates a nicely browned crust on each little potato cube.

★ Did you make these fried red potatoes? Don’t forget to give them a star rating below! ★

Fried Red Potatoes

If you want your fried red potatoes to be a bit creamy on the inside, with a crispy, crunchy, browned outside, here’s the secret & what you need to know.

Ingredients

• 5-6 whole red potatoes
• 3-4 tablespoons avocado oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

Pre-Cook the Red Potatoes

1. In the Instant Pot: Put about a cup of water in the bottom of the pot. Set a wire rack inside and place red potatoes on the rack. Close and seal the lid, then cook on STEAM for 5 minutes.
2. In the oven: Place red potatoes directly on the oven rack. Turn oven on to 350 and bake for 30-40 minutes. Test with a fork; remove potatoes from the oven when a fork can pierce the potatoes somewhat easily.

Frying the Red Potatoes

1. Set cast iron frying pan on high heat to warm.
2. Cut potatoes into 1/2 – 3/4 inch cubes.
3. Pour oil into frying pan, allowing it to heat up for a minute or so.
4. Slide cubed potatoes into the hot frying pan. Use caution as the oil may splatter.
5. Shake frying pan back and forth so the potatoes slide in the oil. Repeat several times. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
6. Allow potatoes to cook for about 10 minutes without disturbing them, then use a spatula to flip them. Cook for another 10 minutes, or until red potatoes are fried to a crispiness you like.

Nutrition Information:

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If you’re hosting a party this weekend, this Loaded Potato Skins recipe is the perfect appetizer! These potato skins are baked, not fried. So they’re easy to make with minimal mess and clean-up. And when you’re planning a party it’s super convenient to bake the potato skins and cook the bacon the evening before. Just before serving, load them up and pop them under the broiler.

This restaurant recipe for loaded potato skins is amazing. It’s filled with hearty goodness: a crispy potato shell filled with delicious Tillamook cheddar cheese and generous sprinkles of smoked bacon. Below is a quick look at all the ingredients you’ll need to make loaded potato skins. If possible, try to select potatoes of similar size so they will all be finished baking at the same time. If you wish, you can also add ranch dressing to the ingredients list to give your guests an additional option. Which is your favorite garnish for potato skins?

Here’s how to make loaded potato skins from scratch. To prepare the baked potato skins, remove one oven rack and put it aside. Adjust the remaining oven rack so it’s positioned in the center of the oven. Heat your oven to 400 degrees. Scrub the potatoes under running water then dry them off with a clean kitchen towel. With a fork, pierce each potato 3-4 times on each side. Place the potatoes on a baking tray and brush all sides with olive oil. Bake the potatoes for about 50 minutes or until a thin knife can be inserted all the way through the potatos without much resistance.

Allow the baked potatoes to cool for about 10 minutes or until they’re cool enough to handle. In the meantime, pull out a second baking tray. On a cutting board, slice each potato length-wise. Using a small cookie scoop, remove a portion of the interior from each potato half. I like leaving about 1/4 inch of the interior intact so my loaded potato skins will be nice and hearty, but you can scoop out a bit more of the inner flesh if you’d like.

Place the potato skins on the two baking trays. Brush each of the skins with olive oil, both the inside and backs of the potato skins. Sprinkle a bit of salt on the interior and exterior of the potato skins. Return the first oven rack back into the oven sliding it into the top setting. Turn on the broiler. Broil the potato skins for about 2-3 minutes or until lightly crisp, then flip the potato skins over and broil another 2-3 minutes. Take the two trays out of the oven and generously sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese and bacon pieces within each potato skin.

Put the trays back under the broiler just until the cheese is melted and the bacon starts to sizzle. Remove the loaded potato skins from the oven. Immediately garnish with sliced green onions. Serve hot alongside a small condiment bowl of sour cream and/or ranch dressing. Loaded potato skins are ideal for any occasion! You can make a few batches in advance and freeze them in Ziplocks. Just be sure to freeze the potato skins in flat rows with enough space in between so they don’t freeze together.

Member recipe by Emeraldlass

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Member recipe by Emeraldlass

Cooking time

Skill level

Servings

Ingredients

• 4 large baking potatoes
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon paprika
• 1⁄8 teaspoon pepper
• 8 slices streaky bacon
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (8 oz)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 spring onions

Method

Preheat the oven to 415 degrees F (200c/gas mark 6).

The day (or up to 2 days) before you load them, prick all 10 potatoes, then bake the potatoes until the skins are crisp and the insides floury, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

As soon as you can bear to tackle the hot potatoes, cut them in half lengthwise and scoop the insides into a bowl.

Put the husk-like skins of the potatoes on a tray and, when cool, cover until you are ready to fill them.

Let the potato cool in the bowl, and then cover until needed.

When you are ready to fill the potatoes, preheat the oven to 415 degrees F (200c/ gas mark 6).

Add 7 ounces (200g) of grated Cheddar to the cold potato along with the sour cream. Finely chop the spring onion and add to the potato, with the salt, pepper, garlic powder and Paprika.

Spoon the potato filling into the potato skins, and lay each half on a baking tray so they fit snugly together. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese, giving each potato skin a light covering, and cook until golden, about 20 to 30 minutes.

In a large saute pan, over medium heat, add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Fry the bacon rashers in the oil, or grill them, until crispy. Remove them to a paper towel lined plate and then crumble.

Sprinkle each potato skin with the bacon to make them fully loaded.

Tips for Bacon

How to Cook Bacon

Bacon is most commonly cooked on the stovetop or in the oven. If you’re opting for the former, start with a cold pan with the bacon strips touching, but not overlapping. Set the burner on low and allow the bacon to slowly release its fat. As it begins to cook, use tongs to flip the strips and fry them on their opposite sides. Continue to flip and turn until the bacon is browned evenly. Let the cooked bacon drain by carefully placing them on paper towels or a newspaper.

To cook bacon in the oven, simply line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and arrange the bacon strips on its surface. If your baking sheet does not have grooved edges, be sure to fold the aluminum corners upwards to catch excess grease. Bake at 400°F for ten to 20 minutes (depending on your texture preference), remove, and place bacon strips on paper towels or a newspaper. The bacon will crisp as it cools.

How to Store Bacon

How to Freeze Bacon

Ingredients (8)

• 8 (3-inch-long) russet potatoes (about 2 1/4 pounds), scrubbed and thoroughly dried
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick), melted
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)
• 5 to 6 slices cooked, crumbled bacon
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

• Calories 227
• Fat 13.86g
• Saturated fat 6.62g
• Trans fat 0.25g
• Carbs 19.31g
• Fiber 1.45g
• Sugar 1.05g
• Protein 7.1g
• Cholesterol 31.82mg
• Sodium 184.1mg
• Nutritional Analysis per serving (10 servings)Powered by

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I’ve spent many a pub happy hour pondering whether loaded potato skins could be considered a proper dinner. After all, they’re a vegetable covered with meat, herbs, and dairy, no? Whether you have these for dinner or serve them at your next party, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a crispy potato skin loaded with bacon and cheese, served with a cold beer.

What to buy: Look for potatoes in 5-pound bags, as they tend to be smaller in size than loose potatoes. Avoid green-spotted or sprouted potatoes—they contain the bitter toxin solanine.

Game plan: Use the leftover scooped potatoes for mashed potato cakes, gnocchi, or potato soup.

This recipe was featured as part of our Make Your Own Loaded Potato Skins project.

What to buy

Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Baking Sheet

These durable and rust-proof aluminum baking sheets conduct heat well, so everything you make, from appetizers to baked goods, cooks evenly.

Published August 19, 2014 . Last updated May 27, 2020 By Elizabeth Lindemann &nbsp&nbsp/&nbsp&nbspThis post may contain affiliate links.

Who doesn’t love a good baked potato? Deliciously simple, wicked easy to make, and super versatile topped with whatever fixings you want, they can be a really great, very inexpensive dinner on their own, or as a side dish with a delicious steak.

Unless you are my husband, in which case, you don’t ever want baked potatoes. For some reason, Zach isn’t really a fan. I, however, LOVE them. And since he is off galavanting in the woods right now chaperoning a camping retreat for the seniors we teach, I’m jumping at the opportunity to make a baked potato for dinner. Yum yum yum.

I like my baked potatoes with crispy, yummy, seasoned skin. So many people don’t eat the skin on their potatoes, but they should! That’s where many of the nutrients, including tons of fiber, are. I leave the skin on for mashed potatoes, soup, when I make oven fries… not to mention, it means you don’t have to peel potatoes! (which I am hereby declaring as the WORST cooking chore ever.)

Here’s how to make perfect baked potatoes with yummy crispy skin, step by step.

First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Next, you’ll want to use a vegetable brush to scrub the potatoes clean, since they can be pretty dirty. They do grow in dirt, after all. If you don’t have a vegetable brush, a clean towel will do. Then, pierce the potatoes with a fork a few times around the entire vegetable. This will allow steam to escape through the skin and proactively avoid a potato explosion in your oven.

Now, rub the potatoes all over with olive oil. Coincidentally, olive oil is an awesome natural skin moisturizer. If you aren’t weirded out by this, rub the residual olive oil on your hands into your hands and arms before rinsing it off and you’ll have silky smooth skin!

Season all sides of the potato liberally with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper (if you like things spicy). I will usually lay the potatoes on a cutting board, season the side facing up, and turn the potato 90 degrees to season again, repeating until I am finished.

Place the potatoes directly on the rack in the oven and place a cookie sheet or roasting pan underneath (to catch any drippings). Cook for 45 minutes to an hour, or until you can easily pierce the potato with a fork or knife. (This is one of those meals that takes a while to cook, but the hands-on time is really short.)

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least five minutes. Slice the skin on top across lengthwise with a sharp knife, cutting about a half an inch through. Then, squeeze on either end of the potato pushing in toward the center. This will make the cut open up and allow access to the inside of the potato without compromising the skin’s structural integrity. Fluff the insides with a fork and, viola! You have the perfect baked potato!

NOW FOR THE FIXINGS. Sorry to yell, I just get really excited about this part. I usually go traditional: sour cream, butter, salt, pepper, and green onions. Sometimes I add crumbled bacon and/or cheddar cheese, if I’m feeling crazy.

OR, you can try something from this awesome list of 23 Amazing Ways to Eat a Baked Potato from buzzfeed. I will definitely be trying #21 with my smoky vegetarian chili sometime in the very near future.

Want all the taste of a yummy baked potato in a bowl? Try this instant pot loaded baked potato soup.

Don’t be put off by how long these potato skins take to cook – there’s very little work involved! And you can make the dips in the meantime.

Ingredients

• For the skins
• 6 large baking potatoes
• For the chunky Mexican guacamole dip
• 1 large avocado
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• Juice of ½ lime
• 1tbsp olive oil
• ½ red chilli, deseeded and diced,
• 2 finely sliced spring onions
• Handful of torn coriander leaves
• Salt
• For the soured cream and chive dip
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• 1tbsp snipped chives
• Large pinch of cayenne pepper
• 142ml tub soured cream
• Salt, to season
• For the hot tomato and red onion salsa
• 2 medium tomatoes, deseeded and finely chopped
• ½ red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• ¼ red onion, finely chopped
• 1tbsp olive oil
• Salt, to season

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F, gas mark 6). Prick six large baking potatoes with a fork and rub with olive oil.

Place directly on the oven shelf and bake for 45 mins, until slightly soft. Leave to cool for 15 mins.

Meanwhile, make the dips. To make the guacamole, halve the avocado, remove the stone and scoop out the flesh. Mash with the other ingredients, and chill.

Next, make the soured cream and chive dip by simply combining all the ingredients and season with salt – that’s it!

Make the tomato salsa dip by combining the tomatoes, chilli and onion. Stir in the olive oil and season to taste.

When the potatoes have cooled, cut each potato in half lengthways and then cut in half again. Scoop out the flesh, leaving a layer of potato at least 1cm (½ in) thick.

Brush lightly with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and bake, skin side down, on a roasting dish, for 30 mins, until crisp. Turn over after 15 mins. Serve with the dips.

Top tip for making Potato skins with dips

Top tip: Save the flesh from the potatoes. You can use it to make bubble and squeak.

It was an evening like any other.

I was meandering home down the dimly-lit side street, lost in thought, when something caught my eye and I halted. I looked down and could see, around and ahead of me, potato skins mysteriously scattered along the pavement. I glanced around furtively, a Poirot-like curiosity awakened, but could spy no shred of other vegetable matter in the vicinity.

For twenty or so yards, I followed the trail of distinctive pinky-red rooster peelings and stopped at a shabby green doorway. I imagined some unfortunate Hansel or Gretel, compelled to leave behind an identifiable trail, but were those peels leading away from that door or leading me, La Spud, to it?

I scurried on, the mystery unsolved. For days afterward, the trail remained and I wondered about it each time I passed.

Where do you go to, my lovelies?

While I will probably never know the truth about those potato peels, I did get to pondering the usual fate of a potato’s skin. Sometimes eaten but, more often than not, cast aside – if not, inexplicably, on the pavement, then onto the compost heap or into the bin it goes.

It doesn’t have to be that way, though.

So it was that the next time I found myself wielding a potato peeler, I thought about putting the newly liberated peelings to better use. While the spuds themselves morphed into mash, their peels were shredded, fried and the two reunited to give the mash a new, crispy crown. It was like they were always meant to be together, no mystery about it.

This is such a simple idea, it barely needs a formal recipe, beyond the instructions to shred the potato peels, fry until crispy and apply as a garnish.

It does, of course, assume that you are, at the same time, making some other potato dish (such as mash) which involves first peeling your spuds.

September 16, 2019 By Laurie 2 Comments

Air Fryer, How To Make Frozen TGIF TGI Friday’s Potato Skins In The Air Fryer

There is nothing quite like a meat and potato meal. It is one of the most classic meals, you have in America.

Everyone loves potatoes! And good to know that there are hundreds of ways to cook them. Whether you want to use the Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker), air fryer or just make them in your oven, they all full of flavor. The key to a great dish is spices, you need to use lots of different spices in your potato dish until you find one that you really like on potatoes. I used to hate salt on my potatoes, but my son loves them, so one day, I let him season them. I realize that good old salt and pepper, applied in LARGE quantities, really seasoned the potatoes well, so after that, I used to add more than I usually did, and everyone complimented me on my potato dishes. So, experiment, find out what spice you like and adapt it to any potato recipe.

Another great reason for using potatoes as your side dish is that they are so budget-friendly, these are usually on sale at the grocery store, at least twice a month, so take that time and grab yourself a package/bundle. You can literally turn one package of potatoes for about $3.00 for a 5-pound bag, into about 3 dishes. So, that’s a real budget saver.

Sweet potatoes are highly nutritious and pair well with many meals.

However, their peel rarely makes it to the dinner table, though some argue that it should be eaten due to its nutrient content and unique flavor.

This article explains everything you need to know about eating sweet potato skin.

Health benefits

Sweet potato skin is edible, and you may miss out on some health benefits if you toss it.

Packed with nutrients

Sweet potato skins are very nutritious.

A medium (146 gram) sweet potato with the skin on provides ( 1 ):

• Calories: 130
• Carbs: 30 grams
• Protein: 3 grams
• Fiber: 5 grams
• Provitamin A: 154% of the Daily Value (DV)
• Vitamin C: 31% of the DV
• Potassium: 15% of the DV

The fiber content of sweet potatoes mainly comes from the peel. Therefore, removing it will decrease your fiber intake.

Research has shown that the nutrients in vegetables and fruits tend to be concentrated around the peel. Thus, removing the peel can reduce your intake of nutrients and antioxidants ( 2 , 3).

High in fiber

Sweet potatoes are a good source of fiber. However, their fiber content is reduced when the peel is removed (4).

Fiber helps increase feelings of fullness, support a healthy gut microbiome, and manage blood sugar and cholesterol levels ( 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ).

Source of antioxidants

Sweet potatoes are high in antioxidants, particularly beta carotene, chlorogenic acid, and vitamins C and E. Furthermore, purple sweet potatoes are high in antioxidants called anthocyanins (9).

These antioxidants help prevent cellular damage and are associated with a lower risk of chronic conditions like heart disease and cancer ( 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ).

Since antioxidants tend to be concentrated in the skin and just below it, eating sweet potato skins can increase your antioxidant intake ( 2 ).

Sweet potato skins are rich in fiber, antioxidants, and nutrients like potassium, manganese, and vitamins A, C, and E, all of which may help improve your health.

Are there any risks?

Sweet potato skins are safe to eat both raw and cooked.

However, since sweet potatoes are tubers and grow in the ground, it’s important to properly wash the outer skin to remove any excess dirt, pesticides, or debris.

To wash your sweet potato, place it under running water and scrub it with a vegetable brush. Since their skins are tough, you don’t need to worry about damaging it or the flesh.

You can eat sweet potato skins raw or cooked, though it’s important to properly clean the outer skin with a vegetable brush to remove dirt and other residue.

How to eat sweet potato skins

Sweet potato skins can be enjoyed by themselves or along with the flesh.

Here are some delicious and easy ways to enjoy them:

• baked, boiled, or fried
• stuffed
• deep-fried
• mashed with the flesh
• as fries or wedges

For most sweet potato recipes, it’s unnecessary to remove the skin. Nevertheless, certain dishes, such as desserts, are best made without the skins.

You can eat sweet potato skins by themselves or leave them on in most recipes, though desserts usually exclude the peel.

The bottom line

Sweet potato skins are safe to eat and can be easily added to most recipes.

They’re rich in fiber, other nutrients, and antioxidants that can help support a healthy gut, increase feelings of fullness, and prevent chronic disease.

If you’re looking to get the most nutrition out of your sweet potato, keep the peel on.

Apps anyone? This delicious Chili Potato Skins recipe is made in an air fryer to make a diet-friendly and delicious appetizer for your next get-together. Complete with your favorite chili on top, this app is a game-day win. You’re certain to be the star of the game (and party) with these Air Fryer Chili Potato Skins, so make sure to make enough because they’re bound to be a crowd favorite!

These delicious Chili Potato Skins are super simple to make! Preheat your oven and pierce a russet potato several times with a fork. Place the potato(es) on the oven rack and bake for about 50 minutes or until the potato is tender. Once the potato cools, slice in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh. Place the potato halves in the air fryer and spray with nonstick spray to ensure your potato skins don’t stick! Cook the skins for five minutes, fill each half with your favorite chili, and cook for another five minutes. Top the Chili Potato Skins with cheddar cheese and cook for a remaining two to three minutes. Remove the skins from the air fryer, top with a dollop of sour cream, and prepare your taste buds for this cheesy, chili-filled flavor.

At just 151 calories per serving, these Air Fryer Potato Skins are Nutrisystem-approved. On your Nutrisystem meal plan, each potato skin counts as one-half-a PowerFuel, one-half-a SmartCarb and two Extras. Along with all your daily food intake, be sure to log each potato skin in the NuMi app to ensure you are staying on track with your meal plan and hitting your weight loss goals. Not familiar with our awesome food tracker app? Check out NuMi 101: A Comprehensive Guide to Our Free Tracking App >

Looking for a few more diet-friendly apps to add to your party menu? Check out our favorites below:

Want to lose weight enjoying delicious breakfasts, lunches and dinners? Nutrisystem’s got a plan for you! Click here to learn more >

Servings: 2 (1 potato skin)

Calories per Serving: 151

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1/2 SmartCarb, 1/2 PowerFuel and 2 Extras

Crispy potato strips are a fun alternative to fries and made even more delicious with freshly grated parmesan and rosemary.

First things first. How do you guys like the new site? (If you’re viewing in a reader, hop on over to the full site to check out the redesign!) It’s been a long time coming and I’m psyched about the fresh new look. I’ve admired Shay’s work for awhile now and am so excited to have had her do the design. Thanks to Emily from Layers of Happiness too! I finally have all my recipes in one spot. Please go check out her awesome blog and give her some love!

On to the potato strips! So this weekend started as quite a shit show Friday afternoon as I watched the rain pour down for hours on end and my phone blow up at me warning of flash flooding. Around 12pm I started to see the water overflowing the drainage area on the side of our backyard and slowly overflow toward the bed around our deck. Next thing I know I’m panicking trying to figure out how to get the sump pump at the bottom of our walkout basement steps set up by myself while Ulysses was unreachable at work. Within minutes, gallons of water started pouring down the steps and accumulating outside the door to the basement, rising higher and higher as the drain and sump pump just couldn’t keep up. Watching the water pour into the house through the crack between the door and the door frame, I literally just wanted to cry. There’s nothing you can do at that point until the water/rain stops and you’re just watching your basement flood. So I shut the boiler off, picked up all the gym equipment on the floor I could and just sat there. Eventually, I went into the garage in search of something to try and block the water from flowing down the steps and found a 2×6 that sort of did the trick, at least slowing the flow enough so the sump pump could gain some ground. Thankfully, the rain stopped about 30 minutes later and after a quick trip to a friend’s house to borrow a wet vac, I spent the next 4 hours sweeping and vacuuming about 4 inches of water out of my basement for the 4th time since we’ve lived here. Ironically, we decided to list our house for sale on Thursday and all I could think was “we better sell this damn place because I’m NOT doing this again”.

That was Friday. Saturday was better minus all the hiccups and stress that come with bringing a new website live and yesterday, I got stung by a bee and epically failed at grilled pizza.

In the middle of all that though, I made these potato strips and for the first time in my life, legitimately fried something.

1. I have no idea why I waited so long to actually fry a food at home. Oil is goooood.

2. If it means having to deal with a flooded basement again just to eat these, I might actually consider it. Might… Maybe if Ulysses was home next time around because emptying the wet vac no less than 25 times by myself was just slightly annoying.

The best part about using an air fryer is the crispy, “fried” food that it creates, and these Air Fryer Potato Skins are no exception. With an added kick from BBQ sauce, these golden Potato Skins are topped with a dollop of sour cream for a full-on appetizer experience.

By using simple, portioned ingredients, these Potato Air Fryer Potato Skins are diet-friendly and just as tasty as your favorite appetizer you order out. Prep the russet potato by piercing it several times and popping it in the oven until tender. Slice the potato in half lengthwise and scoop out flesh, leaving a quarter-inch lining. Place the potatoes in the air fryer for about five minutes. In a large mixing bowl, combine pulled chicken or pork and BBQ sauce. Evenly distribute the shredded chicken between halves and top with cheese. Complete this recipe by topping with a scoop of sour cream for added creaminess!

This recipe makes two servings, but you can easily double or triple the ingredients if and whip up these Air Fryer Potato Skins when you’re hosting a party or heading to a friend’s to watch the big game. Each serving clocks in at 143 calories and counts as one PowerFuel and two Extras on your Nutrisystem meal plan. Be sure to log each serving in the NuMi app to ensure you’re not overdoing it with this crispy and delicious snack. Consistently keeping track of your daily intake can increase weight loss results. Learn more about the benefits of food tracking and using our NuMi app here >

We’ve got plenty more appetizer recipes that won’t wreck your diet. Check out a few of our favorites you can whip up for the big game:

Want to lose weight enjoying delicious breakfasts, lunches and dinners? Nutrisystem’s got a plan for you! Click here to learn more >

Servings: 2

Calories per Serving: 143

On Nutrisystem, Count As: 1 PowerFuel and 2 Extras

Serves | Prep Time | Cook Time

Why I Love This Recipe

Ingredients You’ll Need

4 large baking potatoes
2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
5 garlic cloves, minced
Dash hot pepper sauce
Oil for deep-fat frying
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
6 to 8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
4 teaspoons minced chives or green onion

Directions

Bake potatoes at 400° for 1 hour or until tender.

Meanwhile, for dip, combine the sour cream, soup mix, onion, garlic and hot pepper sauce in a bowl.

Cover and refrigerate until serving.

When potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut in half lengthwise.

Scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4-in. shell (save pulp for another use).

With a scissors, cut each potato half into three lengthwise strips.

In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375°.

Fry skins in oil for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.

Place potato skins in a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan.

Combine the cheeses and bacon; sprinkle over potatoes.

Broil 4 in. from the heat for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

• Level: Easy
• Total: 1 hr 35 min

• Prep: 25 min
• Inactive: 10 min
• Cook: 1 hr

• Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 russet potatoes

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Homemade Maple Sausage, recipe follows

8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

4 scallions, white and light green parts, reserving dark green tops for garnish

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter

1 cup grated mild Cheddar

Chive Sour Cream, recipe follows

Homemade Maple Sausage:

1 pound ground pork

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

1 teaspoon granulated onion

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Chive Sour Cream:

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup chopped chives

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Microwave the potatoes following your microwave’s instructions until the potatoes are tender to the touch, 5 to 6 minutes. (Alternatively, bake in a 400 degree F oven until tender , about 45 minutes.) Set the potatoes aside to cool until you can handle them. Once cooled, cut the potatoes in half and gently scrape out 1 or 2 tablespoons of flesh, creating a bowl. Place the potato skins flesh-side up on a baking sheet. Drizzle the potatoes liberally with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until golden and crispy, about 10 minutes, and set aside.
3. In a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the Homemade Maple Sausage. Brown the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or potato masher as it cooks. Once the sausage has started to brown, add in the mushrooms. Saute the mushrooms until they have softened and any liquid they release cooks off, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the peppers and the white and light green parts of the scallion to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Meanwhile, add the butter to a large nonstick skillet and place over medium-low heat until the butter melts and begins to foam. Gently crack the eggs into the skillet, being sure to crack them as close to the surface of the pan as possible. Sprinkle the eggs with salt and pepper. For sunny-side up eggs with runny yolks, cook the eggs for 3 to 4 minutes.
5. While the egg cooks, stir the Cheddar into the hash and allow it to begin to melt, 1 to 2 minutes.
6. To assemble, take a heaping spoonful of the Chive Sour Cream and spoon it over the bottom of the potato skin. Divide the sausage mixture evenly among the crisped potato skins. Top each skin with a sunny-side up egg and top with a dollop of the Chive Sour Cream and a sprinkling of scallion greens.

Homemade Maple Sausage:

1. In a large bowl mix the pork, maple syrup, sage, salt, fennel seeds, garlic, onion and red pepper. Cook the sausage however you like – make patties and sear, or crumble and cook in a skillet like hash.
2. Make sure you form the sausage patties in the same size and shape of the bread you are using, that way every bite you take of the sandwich has every component it.

Chive Sour Cream:

1. Mix sour cream, chive, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Taste and adjust for seasoning as needed.

Cook’s Note

You can always make this with pre-made sausage. A potato masher is a great tool to break up sausage and insure a great sear. You can use all different types of meats and spices to make the sausage your own!

Thanks for sharing!

Leftovers. Sometimes it’s great having them and other times it’s hard to know what to do with them. Because both Anna and I are pretty frugal people, we naturally hate wasting food! That’s why Anna wrote a post titled Eight Ways to Waste Less Food and Save Money on Groceries. And she’s right! Creatively using leftovers really can save money in the long-run. Although you may be a little bit perplexed trying to figure out how to reuse certain foods, it’s actually pretty simple to makeover leftover potatoes. As a matter of fact, you may be surprised just how easy it is to repurpose those extra spuds.

To help support our blogging activities, our site contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase from a link on our site, we may receive a small percentage of that sale, at no extra cost to you.

First of all, let’s talk about baked potatoes. Do you know there is a secret to fluffy baked potatoes? Yep! And the secret is something extremely easy.

Now, because I personally love potatoes, I routinely serve them to my family and guests. However, I have to admit that sometimes I get a little overzealous and make WAY more potatoes than I need. No worries… because that’s what today’s post is all about! Hence the title: How to Makeover Leftover Potatoes!

Pan fried potatoes are probably of the easiest ways to use leftover baked potatoes. Only 3 ingredients are required and they are naturally gluten-free and vegan! Fried Potatoes are perfect for breakfast, a side dish or even for an afternoon snack. (Pssst…. don’t be surprised if you become a little addicted to them… lol.)

Homemade loaded potato skins are another fabulous way to makeover leftover baked potatoes. Simply cut baked potatoes in half and scoop a portion of the fleshy potato into a bowl, leaving the skins intact. Use a basting brush to apply a light coating of olive oil, then add a sprinkle of salt and pepper, shredded cheese, and bacon. Pop the potato skins into the oven until the cheese starts to melt, then add a dollop of sour cream and chives. So easy and umm umm good!

Twice baked potatoes are also a fabulous way to remake leftover baked potatoes. I use a sharp knife and slice approximately 1/4 inch off one side of each potato. Next, I use a spoon to gently scoop out the fleshy insides into a microwave-safe mixing bowl then I set the skins off to the side. I then heat the potatoes in the microwave and mash them along with butter, sour cream, cream cheese, and seasonings. Finally, I spoon the mixture back into the potato skins and heat them in the microwave or oven. Shredded cheese and chives make a nice garnish.

Anna often uses leftover baked potatoes to make a steamy hot batch of Loaded Baked Potato Soup – a.k.a. Bacon Soup. The blend of herbs and spices, cream, potatoes, and bacon will have your taste buds doing a little happy dance! Pinky promise! (Side Note: Anna says that this is her husband’s most requested meal so you know it’s delish!)

My house always has such a deliciously, intoxicating aroma of cooked bacon, onions, vinegar and spices whenever I whip up this yummy recipe for old-fashioned German potato salad. The original recipe calls for raw potatoes, however, feel free to swap them for leftover baked potatoes instead! So yummy!

A creamy hash brown casserole is yet another fabulous way to use leftover baked potatoes. For this recipe, dice leftover baked potatoes and swap them for the hash browns. Combine the potatoes with the cheese mixture and bake until browned and bubbly. This recipe truly is simple, yet scrumptious.

It pretty much goes without saying, but grilled potatoes are another way to remake precooked potatoes. Simply toss the potatoes with a little olive oil and your favorite grill seasonings and place them in a grill basket. Fire up the grill and cook the potatoes until they are golden brown and thoroughly heated.

Shepard’s Pie is pretty much a complete meal and very simple to make. Why? Because it’s all about using already-cooked ingredients such as leftover mixed vegetables, meat, gravy and mashed potatoes. Simply grease a baking dish or ramekins and combine a mixture of meat, gravy, and vegetables. Top with leftover mashed potatoes. Bake in a 350 degree F oven until all of the ingredients are thoroughly heated and the top of the potatoes are golden brown. What a great way to save all of those leftovers, huh?

Once in awhile, I find I have just two or three raw potatoes left in the bag. That’s when I decide it’s time to make fresh, homemade potato chips. Store-bought potato chips don’t begin to compare to these homemade chips. Plus, they really are easy to make. For variety and interest, sometimes I sprinkle the warm chips with different flavors of seasoning salts. Interestingly enough, my grandkids often request that I make homemade potato chips for them. That right there tells you they’re amazing!

Potato pancakes are another delicious way to use those few remaining raw potatoes you have lying around. Simply throw all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor and combine. Pour approximately 1/4 cup of batter into a greased, hot skillet and fry like regular pancakes until they are golden brown and crispy around the edges. (Check back soon for the complete recipe!)

What’s your favorite way to use leftover potatoes?

Thanks for sharing!

Leftovers. Sometimes it’s great having them and other times it’s hard to know what to do with them. Because both Anna and I are pretty frugal people, we naturally hate wasting food! That’s why Anna wrote a post titled Eight Ways to Waste Less Food and Save Money on Groceries. And she’s right! Creatively using leftovers really can save money in the long-run. Although you may be a little bit perplexed trying to figure out how to reuse certain foods, it’s actually pretty simple to makeover leftover potatoes. As a matter of fact, you may be surprised just how easy it is to repurpose those extra spuds.

To help support our blogging activities, our site contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase from a link on our site, we may receive a small percentage of that sale, at no extra cost to you.

First of all, let’s talk about baked potatoes. Do you know there is a secret to fluffy baked potatoes? Yep! And the secret is something extremely easy.

Now, because I personally love potatoes, I routinely serve them to my family and guests. However, I have to admit that sometimes I get a little overzealous and make WAY more potatoes than I need. No worries… because that’s what today’s post is all about! Hence the title: How to Makeover Leftover Potatoes!

Pan fried potatoes are probably of the easiest ways to use leftover baked potatoes. Only 3 ingredients are required and they are naturally gluten-free and vegan! Fried Potatoes are perfect for breakfast, a side dish or even for an afternoon snack. (Pssst…. don’t be surprised if you become a little addicted to them… lol.)

Homemade loaded potato skins are another fabulous way to makeover leftover baked potatoes. Simply cut baked potatoes in half and scoop a portion of the fleshy potato into a bowl, leaving the skins intact. Use a basting brush to apply a light coating of olive oil, then add a sprinkle of salt and pepper, shredded cheese, and bacon. Pop the potato skins into the oven until the cheese starts to melt, then add a dollop of sour cream and chives. So easy and umm umm good!

Twice baked potatoes are also a fabulous way to remake leftover baked potatoes. I use a sharp knife and slice approximately 1/4 inch off one side of each potato. Next, I use a spoon to gently scoop out the fleshy insides into a microwave-safe mixing bowl then I set the skins off to the side. I then heat the potatoes in the microwave and mash them along with butter, sour cream, cream cheese, and seasonings. Finally, I spoon the mixture back into the potato skins and heat them in the microwave or oven. Shredded cheese and chives make a nice garnish.

Anna often uses leftover baked potatoes to make a steamy hot batch of Loaded Baked Potato Soup – a.k.a. Bacon Soup. The blend of herbs and spices, cream, potatoes, and bacon will have your taste buds doing a little happy dance! Pinky promise! (Side Note: Anna says that this is her husband’s most requested meal so you know it’s delish!)

My house always has such a deliciously, intoxicating aroma of cooked bacon, onions, vinegar and spices whenever I whip up this yummy recipe for old-fashioned German potato salad. The original recipe calls for raw potatoes, however, feel free to swap them for leftover baked potatoes instead! So yummy!

A creamy hash brown casserole is yet another fabulous way to use leftover baked potatoes. For this recipe, dice leftover baked potatoes and swap them for the hash browns. Combine the potatoes with the cheese mixture and bake until browned and bubbly. This recipe truly is simple, yet scrumptious.

It pretty much goes without saying, but grilled potatoes are another way to remake precooked potatoes. Simply toss the potatoes with a little olive oil and your favorite grill seasonings and place them in a grill basket. Fire up the grill and cook the potatoes until they are golden brown and thoroughly heated.

Shepard’s Pie is pretty much a complete meal and very simple to make. Why? Because it’s all about using already-cooked ingredients such as leftover mixed vegetables, meat, gravy and mashed potatoes. Simply grease a baking dish or ramekins and combine a mixture of meat, gravy, and vegetables. Top with leftover mashed potatoes. Bake in a 350 degree F oven until all of the ingredients are thoroughly heated and the top of the potatoes are golden brown. What a great way to save all of those leftovers, huh?

Once in awhile, I find I have just two or three raw potatoes left in the bag. That’s when I decide it’s time to make fresh, homemade potato chips. Store-bought potato chips don’t begin to compare to these homemade chips. Plus, they really are easy to make. For variety and interest, sometimes I sprinkle the warm chips with different flavors of seasoning salts. Interestingly enough, my grandkids often request that I make homemade potato chips for them. That right there tells you they’re amazing!

Potato pancakes are another delicious way to use those few remaining raw potatoes you have lying around. Simply throw all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor and combine. Pour approximately 1/4 cup of batter into a greased, hot skillet and fry like regular pancakes until they are golden brown and crispy around the edges. (Check back soon for the complete recipe!)

What’s your favorite way to use leftover potatoes?

Raise the bar this weekend with some homemade pork scratchings.

The Great British pub is part of our culture and so are its bar snacks, but did you know you can make these delights at home? All you need for this easy recipe is good sea salt and an ingredient readily available from your local butcher: higher-welfare pork skin.

The secret to super crunchy pork scratchings is simple – really dry pork skin. Leave it, uncovered, at the bottom of your fridge overnight to dry out.

EASY PUB SNACK

1. When you’re ready to make your pork scratchings, roll the skin up like a Swiss-roll and cut into thin slices with a very sharp knife. Unroll each piece so you have long strips (they can be as wonky as you like).
2. Lay the strips out on a baking tray and sprinkle with sea salt. This will help to drive out the moisture from the skin and allow the fat to bubble up, creating that ultimate crunch.
3. The next trick is to place another baking tray on top of the pork skin for the first part of the cooking to help weigh it down. Bake for 10 minutes on full whack (240ºC).
4. When the time’s up, carefully remove the top tray, then cook for a further 10 to 15 minutes, or until crispy, puffed up and delicious.

QUICK APPLE SAUCE

While the pork scratchings are cooking, make an easy apple sauce for dipping and dunking. Peel, core and roughly chop 2 cooking apples and 1 eating apple. Place in a pan with 1 teaspoon of golden caster sugar and a glug of apple cider and leave to bubble away, stirring occasionally, until it’s broken down into a thick, delicious sauce.

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

Cheddar Bacon Potato Wedges are fried with cheddar cheese and lots of bacon. It’s the ultimate crispy appetizer for game day.

Just like Loaded Potato Skins, Cheddar Bacon Potato Wedges are a perfect Appetizer Recipe for parties and big game day celebrations like the Super Bowl.

CHEDDAR BACON POTATO WEDGES

These Cheddar Bacon Potato Wedges are crisp and so full of flavor you may want to make a double batch if you’ve got a good sized crowd to feed!

It’s getting close to the big game, which means it’s time to start thinking about game day appetizers. Cheddar Bacon Potato Wedges are a classic treat, and can be easily customized to suit everyone’s tastes, even your pickiest guest.

They turn out deliciously golden brown and are loaded with crispy bacon bits, melty cheddar cheese, and finely chopped green onions. They’ve got an addicting combo of tender insides and crispy outsides. The perfect party snack – easy to share and easy to clean up.

Bacon Cheddar Potato Wedges can be dressed up if you’re going for something a little fancier, but the great thing about them is that you don’t have to break out the fine china. They’re fairly self-contained so your friends can set a wedge on a paper towel and enjoy. Cheddar Bacon Potato Wedges are great for game day, New Years, or even summer BBQs.

MORE GAME DAY RECIPES

Buffalo Wings

Loaded Potato Skins

Cocktail Meatballs

Buffalo Chicken Dip

HOW TO MAKE CHEDDAR BACON POTATO WEDGES

VARIATIONS ON CHEDDAR BACON POTATO WEDGES

• Toppings: You can top your Cheddar Bacon Potato Wedges with traditional baked potato toppings like sour cream and chives to make your appetizer more like a mini side dish.
• Spices: Try dusting the top of the potato wedges with garlic powder, black pepper, a little paprika, red pepper flakes, or cajun seasoning depending on the occasion.
• Cheese: You aren’t limited to sharp cheddar cheese, try some mozzarella, pecorino, aged Irish cheddar, or parmesan cheese. It’s also delicious to crumble multiple kinds of cheese over the top together to get a more complex flavor.

CHEDDAR BACON POTATO WEDGES FAQS

• How do you cut potato wedges? Cut a potato in half lengthwise, then again until the spud is in 4ths.
• What do you serve with potato wedges? We like to serve our potato wedges with Ranch Dressing. If you are throwing a party, make a couple different ranch dipping sauces like Chipotle Ranch, Cilantro Ranch, and BBQ Ranch. All will go perfectly with the wedges and are a fun way to play with flavors.
• What are Jo Jo’s? Jo Jo’s are the name for fried potato wedges and dates back to the 1960s. Back in the day, potato skins and scraps were treated like junk and thrown out. Then one day, an unknown hero/restaurant owner decided to fry them up and sell them, thus the Jo Jo, or the Potato Wedge, was born.

MORE TASTY APPETIZER RECIPES

Ultimate Spinach Artichoke Dip

Super Crispy Chicken Tenders

Queso Dip

Bacon Brown Sugar Smokies

HOW LONG ARE CHEDDAR BACON POTATO WEDGES GOOD?

• Serve: Don’t leave Cheddar Bacon Potato Wedges out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.
• Store: You can keep your Cheddar Bacon Potato Wedges in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: You can freeze them for up to 1 month, however I recommend eating them fresh. You can freeze the ingredients separately if you want to prepare this dish ahead of time.

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