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Best Crispy Loaded Potato Skins with Bacon & Cheddar

crispy loaded potato skins with bacon and cheddar - featured image
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Crispy, cheesy, and loaded with bacon, these potato skins are the ultimate party appetizer. A simple technique makes them shatteringly crisp without deep frying.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 medium russet potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
  • 8 slices thick-cut bacon
  • 1½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 4 green onions, thinly sliced
  • Optional: ranch dressing or hot sauce for dipping

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Scrub potatoes clean and dry thoroughly. Prick each potato several times with a fork. Rub with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt. Place directly on oven rack or on a baking sheet. Bake for 50-60 minutes until a fork slides in easily.
  2. Let potatoes cool for about 10 minutes. Cut each potato in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out the potato flesh, leaving about ¼ inch of potato attached to the skin. Save scooped-out potato for another use.
  3. Increase oven temperature to 450°F (230°C). In a small bowl, mix melted butter with salt and pepper. Place potato shells on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Brush inside and outside of each shell with the butter mixture. Bake for 10 minutes, then flip shells and bake for another 8-10 minutes until golden and crispy around edges.
  4. While shells bake, cook bacon. Bake on a separate sheet pan at 400°F for 15-18 minutes until crispy. Let cool, then crumble or chop into small pieces.
  5. Remove crispy shells from oven. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese evenly into each shell, then top with crumbled bacon. Return to oven for 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
  6. Transfer loaded potato skins to a serving platter. Top each with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of sliced green onions. Serve immediately.

Notes

For maximum crispiness, dry potatoes thoroughly before baking and use a cooling rack for the second bake. Shred cheese from a block for best melting. Serve immediately as skins lose crispiness once loaded. To make ahead, bake and scoop potatoes up to a day ahead, then do final crisping and loading before serving.

Nutrition

Keywords: potato skins, loaded potato skins, crispy potato skins, bacon cheddar potato skins, game day appetizer, party food, Super Bowl snack

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