Loaded Potato Skins Recipe

Preheat and prepare potatoes

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Scrub the russet potatoes well under running water and dry thoroughly.

Bake potatoes

Prick each potato several times with a fork, rub skins with 2 tbs olive oil, then sprinkle with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Place potatoes directly on the oven rack or on a baking sheet and bake for 45–60 minutes, until a skewer or knife slides into the center easily and the skin feels crisp.

Cool and halve

Remove potatoes from the oven and let cool for 10–15 minutes until safe to handle but still warm. Cut each potato in half lengthwise.

Scoop flesh

Using a spoon, carefully scoop out most of the flesh from each half, leaving about 1/4 inch of potato attached to the skin to help them keep shape. Reserve scooped potato for another use (mashed potatoes, etc.).

Brush with butter and season

Brush the inside and edges of each skin with softened butter and sprinkle the inside lightly with 1/2 tsp garlic powder and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (reserve remaining for topping).

Crisp skins

Arrange the potato skins on a baking sheet, skin-side down. Return to the oven and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 10–15 minutes until the edges begin to brown and the skins are crisp.

Cook bacon

While potatoes are baking/cooling, cook the bacon until crisp. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the 8 slices of bacon 6–10 minutes, turning occasionally, until evenly browned and crisp. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain, then crumble when cool enough to handle.

Prepare green onions and cheese

Trim and thinly slice the green onions (both white and green parts). Shred the cheddar cheese if not pre-shredded.

Fill skins with cheese and bacon

Remove the crisped potato skins from the oven. Evenly divide about 2 cups of shredded cheddar among the skins, sprinkling the cheese into the scooped centers. Top each with crumbled bacon (divide evenly).

Melt cheese

Return the filled skins to the oven and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 5–8 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the edges of the skins are further browned.

Finish and serve

Remove potato skins from the oven. Sprinkle with the sliced green onions and a light dusting of the remaining 1/2 tsp smoked paprika. Serve hot with sour cream (divide 1 cup among a small bowl or dollop directly on each skin) on the side for dipping. Optionally pass extra salt and pepper.