Loaded Potato Skins Recipe
Crispy potato skins topped with cheddar cheese, bacon, and green onions, served with sour cream.
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Ingredients
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Potatoes and skins
Filling and toppings
Method
Potatoes and skins
- 1
Preheat and prepare potatoes
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Scrub the russet potatoes well and pat them dry.
- 2
Bake potatoes
Rub each potato with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. Place directly on the oven rack or on a baking sheet. Bake for 50–60 minutes, until the skins are crisp and a fork slides into the center easily.
- 3
Cool and halve
Remove potatoes from the oven and let cool for 10–15 minutes until cool enough to handle. Cut each potato in half lengthwise.
- 4
Scoop out flesh
Using a spoon, scoop out most of the potato flesh, leaving about 1/4 inch of potato attached to the skin to maintain structure. Reserve the scooped potato flesh for another use (mashed potatoes, soup, etc.) or discard.
- 5
Crisp the shells
Brush the inside of each potato skin with melted butter (or spread a small amount of butter with a brush or back of a spoon). Place skins cut-side down on a baking sheet. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 8–12 minutes until edges begin to crisp. Flip skins cut-side up and bake 3–5 more minutes.
Filling and toppings
- 6
- 7
Assemble skins
Reduce oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange the pre-crisped potato skins cut-side up on a baking sheet. Add a small spoonful of sour cream or a dot of butter inside each shell if desired (this is optional—the main sour cream is for serving). Evenly divide the shredded cheddar among the skins, using about 2–3 tablespoons per skin so cheese covers the interior.
- 8
Add bacon and bake
Sprinkle the chopped bacon evenly over the cheese. Bake the assembled skins at 400°F (200°C) for 5–8 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling.
- 9
Garnish and serve
Remove potato skins from the oven. Immediately top with thinly sliced green onions and a light dusting of smoked paprika, if using. Transfer to a serving platter and serve hot with the remaining sour cream in a bowl for dipping. Garnish with minced chives if desired.
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