Description
Crispy potato skins loaded with melted cheese and bacon offer a mouthwatering classic appetizer perfect for game day gatherings. Savory, crunchy, and irresistibly simple, these baked potato skins deliver crowd-pleasing flavor you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Potatoes:
- 6 small to medium russet potatoes
Cheese and Protein:
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) finely shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) finely shredded monterey jack cheese
- 4 slices bacon, crispy cooked and chopped
Seasonings and Additional Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (22 ml) canola oil or olive oil
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) butter
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 green onion, finely sliced
- sea salt
- sour cream (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare potatoes by preheating oven to 375°F. Thoroughly wash Russet potatoes, pat dry, and puncture multiple times with a fork. Lightly coat with oil and generously season with salt. Place directly on baking sheet and roast for 50-60 minutes until tender when pierced and skin turns crispy. Allow potatoes to cool until comfortable to handle.
- Increase oven temperature to 450°F. Slice potatoes lengthwise and carefully hollow out interiors, maintaining a thin potato layer against skin for structural integrity. Leave approximately ¼-inch potato attached to prevent fragile skins.
- Create seasoned butter mixture by melting and combining butter with garlic and onion powder. Meticulously brush mixture onto both interior and exterior potato skin surfaces. Return to baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes, then flip and continue baking additional 10 minutes to achieve maximum crispiness.
- Distribute cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses evenly across potato skins. Sprinkle crispy bacon pieces across cheese layer. Return to oven for 5 minutes until cheese melts completely and becomes gloriously bubbly.
- Remove from oven and garnish with freshly chopped green onions. Optional: Add dollop of sour cream for extra richness. Serve immediately while warm and cheese remains gooey.
Notes
- Choose large, uniform Russet potatoes for the most consistent and crispy potato skins that hold their shape perfectly.
- After scooping out potato flesh, pat the skins dry with paper towels to ensure maximum crispiness and avoid excess moisture.
- Swap bacon for crispy mushrooms or diced jalapeños to create vegetarian or spicy variations that suit different dietary preferences.
- Prepare potato skins partially ahead of time by baking and scooping, then refrigerate. Finish with butter and toppings right before serving for quick entertaining.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 75 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg