Air Fryer Potato Skins
Air fryer potato skins are the ultimate appetizer or side dish. They’re made with crispy baked potato skins filled with melty cheese and loaded up with toppings!
When we first got our air fryer I wasn’t sure how much we’d like it. This grilled cheese piqued my interest but it was when we made baked potatoes in the air fryer that I was 100% sold. The potatoes had the crispiest skins and wonderfully fluffy middles.
Naturally, we had to try turning those tasty spuds into air-fried potato skins. And let me tell you, they did not disappoint.
These cheesy little potato boats are savory and filling but it’s the outrageously crispy skins (they’re air fried twice!) that make them a potato lover’s dream.
Ingredients Notes
Russet Potatoes: While you can make potato skins using other potato varieties (like Yukon gold), Russets are really the best. They have thicker skins that become super crispy when baked or air fried and their heartier structure can support lots of toppings.
One thing to keep in mind is that the larger the potatoes are the longer they take to cook. For potato skins, we like to use smaller 6-ounce potatoes, they take about 30 minutes to bake in the air fryer.
How to Make Potato Skins in the Air Fryer
1. Prep The Potatoes: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 5 minutes while you get the potatoes ready. Pierce each potato a few times with a fork. Then use some of the oil and rub each potato with a light coating all over.
Arrange the potatoes in the air fryer basket so they are spaced out and not touching. This will help to get the skins nice and crispy.
2. Air Fry: Cook the potatoes until they can be easily pierced in the center with a knife, about 30 minutes. Then, leave them in the basket to cool for a bit.
3. Scoop Out the Potato Boats: Once they are cool enough to handle, cut each potato in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out the soft middles leaving a ¼-inch border of potato next to the skin.
Don’t toss that potato flesh, you can do all kinds of things with it like add it to soups or salads. Personally, I like to mash it with some Greek yogurt and seasonings to make lazy mashed potatoes.
4. Oil and Season: In a small bowl, mix together the remaining oil and paprika (or any seasonings you like, sometimes we’ll add garlic powder or use seasoned salt or Old Bay instead). Brush both sides of the potatoes with oil and season with salt and pepper.
5. Crisp The Skins: Place the potato halves with their middles facing the pan and the skins facing up. Air fry for 5 minutes at 400°F (no need to preheat the air fryer again, just pop them in there).
All Air Fryers Are Not The Same
We used a 5.8 QT air fryer and were able to fit all of the potato halves in the basket. Depending on the size/shape of your air fryer, you may need to cook the skins in batches.
6. Add Fillings: Flip the skins over and fill each one with cheese anything else you want like buffalo sauce or leftover taco toppings. *I topped a few of our skins with some beans, veggies, and salsa that we needed to use up.
7. Heat and Enjoy: Reduce the air fryer temperature to 370°F, add the skins, and air fry for 3 to 5 minutes more until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with dollops of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt and sliced green onions. Then dig in!
More Tasty Recipes You Can Make With An Air Fryer
- Flaky Cinnamon Chips
- Addictive Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds
- Crispy Baked Potato Wedges
- Chili-Lime Roasted Cauliflower
- Toaster Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Cake Mix Cookies (Half Batch)
Air Fryer Potato Skins
Treat these skins like your favorite baked potato and load them up with the toppings you enjoy the most.
Ingredients
- 4 Small Russet Potatoes (about 6 ounces each), scrubbed and dried well
- 3 teaspoons Avocado Oil or Olive Oil, divided
- ⅛ teaspoon Smoked Paprika (optional)
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- ½ cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese (or more if you want them cheesier)
- For Topping: Sour Cream or Plain Greek Yogurt and Sliced Green Onion
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 5 minutes while you get the potatoes ready.
- To prep the potatoes, pierce each one a few times with a fork and rub all over with a light coating of oil (about 1 to 1½ teaspoons of the oil). Arrange the potatoes in the air fryer basket so they are spaced out and not touching.
- Air Fry until the potatoes can be easily pierced in the center with a knife, about 30 minutes. Set the potatoes aside until they are cool enough to handle.
- Cut each potato in half lengthwise. Using a spoon scoop out the soft middles (reserve for another use) leaving a ¼-inch border of potato next to the skin.
- In a small bowl, mix together the remaining oil and paprika. Brush both sides of the potatoes with oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Place the potato halves with their middles facing the pan and the skins facing up. Air fry for 5 minutes at 400°F.
- Flip the skins over and fill each one with cheese. Reduce the air fryer temperature to 370°F, add the skins, and air fry for 3 to 5 minutes more until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Top with dollops of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt and sliced green onions. Then dig in!
Notes
Air Fryer Toaster Ovens: Use the AIR FRY setting. We’ve found that baking potatoes at 375°F works a little better. The cooking time should be the same, but if the potatoes are taking too long to bake, just increase the temperature. When using a basket, make sure to place a pan underneath to catch any oily or cheesy drips.
Get a Jumpstart With Microwaved Potatoes: Poke the potatoes all over with a fork and microwave until tender, 8 to 10 minutes, flipping the potatoes over after 4 minutes. Set aside until they are cool enough to handle. Then proceed with Step 4, taking care to be gentle when scooping out the potatoes as the skins will be more fragile.
Serving Size: Figure 1 potato or 2 skins per person. They make a great starter or side dish, for a fun vegetarian dinner enjoy alongside a crisp salad.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 2 Topped Potato SkinsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 196Total Fat: 5.8gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 36mgCarbohydrates: 31.8gFiber: 2.4gSugar: 1.6gProtein: 5.6g
Do You Love Potatoes? Yeah, us too! In fact, we’ve got a whole category that’s just for potato and sweet potato recipes.