These crispy air fryer potato skins, topped with melty cheese, sour cream, and your favorite toppings, are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. They’re the perfect party appetizer or side dish for your next party or gathering. And they’re so easy to make! Just top with your favorite cheese, sour cream, and green onions, and you’re good to go.
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We love potatoes; our mashed potatoes are legendary, Hasselback potatoes are so stylish, and our cheesy potato casserole is divine!
But we wanted a potato recipe we could make in our air fryer, a great recipe that was easy to throw together in the football season, so we developed this for you to enjoy!
Why You’ll Love Potato Skins in the Air Fryer
- Healthier Indulgence: Enjoy the crispiness of potato skins without as much oil, thanks to the air fryer’s cooking method.
- Time-Saving: Forget about preheating the oven; an air fryer can get your potato skins crispy in a fraction of the time.
- Snack Perfection: The air fryer’s precise temperature control results in a perfectly cooked, scrumptiously crispy potato skin every time.
- Customizable Toppings: Whether you’re a fan of classic cheddar cheese or your favorite toppings, potato skins are your canvas.
- Crowd-Pleaser: It’s an easy appetizer recipe that can easily be scaled up to feed a crowd, making it ideal for parties, game day, or family gatherings.
- Versatile Sides: Pair these crispy gems with a variety of dips and sauces for a versatile snack that’ll never get boring.
Perfectly crispy on the outside, soft, delicious, and oh so cheesy on the inside, this must be one of our favorite air fryer appetizer recipes!
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below to make crispy air fryer potato skins.
How To Make Vegetarian Air Fryer Potato Skins With Step-By-Step Instructions
Making potato skins in the air fryer is easy if you follow our simple instructions.
A complete printable recipe and the measurements in both US customary and metric are available in the recipe card below.
Preheat your oven to 390°F/200°C.
Scrub your russet potatoes so that they are clean and dirt-free, then, using a fork, poke holes in four or five places around the potato skin.
Coat the potatoes with olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper, place them in your air fryer basket, and air fry for 35 – 40 minutes.
Remove the baked potatoes from the air fryer basket and set aside until they are cool enough to handle.
Once cool, cut your cooked potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out most of the baked potato flesh, leaving approximately ¼ inch of flesh in the potato skins.
Now place the potato halves in the air fryer basket, skin side up, and cook for 10 minutes; flip them, and then cook for 8 minutes; they should be turning golden brown.
Add half of the shredded cheese evenly inside the potato skins and cook until the cheese melts, approximately two minutes; they all should have the perfect crispy skin now.
Remove the crispy potato skins from the air fryer, add the remaining cheese, a generous dollop of sour cream (you could substitute with ranch dressing), or optional sliced green onions, finely chopped chives, vegetarian bacon crumbles, or vegetarian bacon bits.
Serve immediately and enjoy your air fryer potato skins!
We hope you enjoy making and eating our air fried potato skins and would love to hear how you got on with making them.
Please leave a comment below, and feel free to ask any questions.
Recipe Notes and Expert Tips
- Oil Them Up: Lightly coat the potato skins with oil for that golden, crispy finish without deep frying.
- Season Generously: Don’t skimp on the salt, pepper, and any other spices you’re using. Season both the inside and outside of the skins for maximum flavor.
- Scoop Carefully: Using a spoon is a great way to scoop out the potato flesh, leaving a small layer behind for structure. You don’t want them too thin, or they’ll become too crispy and fragile. Use the inside bit of the potato for mashed potato.
- Single Layer Only: Arrange the potato skins in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Overlapping can result in uneven cooking.
- Preheat the Air Fryer: This ensures that the skins start cooking immediately, aiding in that crisp texture you’re aiming for.
- Shake the Basket: Halfway through the cooking process, give the air fryer basket a good shake to ensure even cooking and browning.
- Load Them Up: Whether it’s cheese, bacon bits, or chives, add your toppings in the last few minutes of air frying to avoid burning them.
- Don’t Overcook: Keep an eye on your potato skins, as air fryers can vary in cooking speed. You want them crispy but not burnt.
- Test and Adjust: After your first batch, taste and adjust the seasoning or cooking time as needed. Every air fryer is a bit different, so some fine-tuning might be required.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container, keep refrigerated for up to 3 days, and freeze for up to 3 months.
How Do You Cook Frozen Potato Skins in the Air Fryer?
Cooking frozen potato skins in the air fryer is easy. Simply add between 7 – 9 minutes to the cooking time.
How To Store Leftover Air Fryer Potato Skins
Store any leftover potato skins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
You can also freeze potato skins for up to three months.
How Do You Reheat Potato Skins in an Air Fryer?
It’s easy to reheat in the air fryer; place them in the air fryer basket and heat for 2 to 3 minutes at 390°F/200°C.
More Air Fryer Recipes for You To Try at Home
Why not try these easy recipes if you enjoy our air-fried potato skins?
- Air-fried asparagus
- Air-fried Brussels sprouts
- Air-fried frozen onion rings
- Air-fried broccoli
- Air-fried green beans
- Smashed potatoes in the air fryer
Crispy Air Fryer Potato Skins Recipe
Utensils
Ingredients
- 4 Russet poatoes
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup Cheddar cheese divided in half and grated
- ½ cup Sour cream
- Green onions optional
- Chives chopped optional
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 390°F/200°C
- Scrub your russet potatoes so that they are clean and dirt free, then, using a fork, poke holes in four or five places around the potato skin. Coat the potatoes with olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper, place them in your air fryer basket, and air fry for 35 – 40 minutes4 Russet poatoes, 1 tbsp Olive oil, Salt and pepper
- Remove the baked potatoes from the air fryer basket and set aside until they are cool enough to handle. Once cool, cut your potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out most of the baked potato flesh, leaving approximately ¼ inch of flesh in the potato skins
- Now place the potato skins in the air fryer basket, skin side up, and cook for 10 minutes, flip them and then cook for 8 minutes. Add half of the shredded cheese evenly inside the potato skins and cook until the cheese melts approximately two minutes½ cup Cheddar cheese
- Remove the potato skins from the air fryer, add the remaining cheese, and a generous dollop of sour cream, or optional sliced green onions, finely chopped chives, vegetarian bacon crumbles, or vegetarian bacon bits. Serve immediately and enjoy your air fryer potato skins!½ cup Sour cream, Green onions, Chives chopped
Notes
- Oil Them Up: Lightly coat the potato skins with oil for that golden, crispy finish without deep frying.
- Season Generously: Don’t skimp on the salt, pepper, and any other spices you’re using. Season both the inside and outside of the skins for maximum flavor.
- Scoop Carefully: Using a spoon is a great way to scoop out the potato flesh, leaving a small layer behind for structure. You don’t want them too thin, or they’ll become too crispy and fragile. Use the inside bit of the potato for mashed potato.
- Single Layer Only: Arrange the potato skins in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Overlapping can result in uneven cooking.
- Preheat the Air Fryer: This ensures that the skins start cooking immediately, aiding in that crisp texture you’re aiming for.
- Shake the Basket: Halfway through the cooking process, give the air fryer basket a good shake to ensure even cooking and browning.
- Load Them Up: Whether it’s cheese, bacon bits, or chives, add your toppings in the last few minutes of air frying to avoid burning them.
- Don’t Overcook: Keep an eye on your potato skins, as air fryers can vary in cooking speed. You want them crispy but not burnt.
- Test and Adjust: After your first batch, taste and adjust the seasoning or cooking time as needed. Every air fryer is a bit different, so some fine-tuning might be required.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container, keep refrigerated for up to 3 days, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Please note that nutrient values are estimates only. Variations can occur due to product availability and manner of food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of origin, preparation, freshness of ingredients, and other factors.
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Vladka says
I love to add rosemary, but I have never tried it in the air fryer. Something new to learn every time I am on your site.
Mandy from Splash of Taste says
Rosemary would be the perfect addition!
Lara says
These came out so good! The whole family loved them.
Mandy from Splash of Taste says
Really pleased your family loved them!
Lisa says
I was floored by how easy it was to make these in the air fryer. So much faster and crispier than baked ones!
Mandy from Splash of Taste says
Delighted they turned out so good for you!
Relle says
Ooh I love my air fryer and especially how it crisps up these potato skins. So so good.
Mandy from Splash of Taste says
You can’t beat the crispy skins!
Rosanna Stevens says
We made these for a party and everyone loved them. We are new to air frying and your recipes are all great!
Mandy from Splash of Taste says
We’re so pleased that everyone loved them; we always serve them at parties too!
Kima says
It’s been way too hot to turn on the oven lately, so I was excited to come across these potato skins. They came out just perfect! Even better than the ones I get at our local restaurant. All the tips were super helpful. Thanks so much!
Mandy from Splash of Taste says
I totally agree, it’s been far too hot! Really pleased they turned out good 🙂
Savannah says
Oh my goodness, I brought these to our Sunday Football tailgate and they were the first appetizer gone!! The cheesy, sour cream topping was perfection on a golden potato skin. Everyone asked me for the recipe after. A winner!
Mandy from Splash of Taste says
Oh I am so pleased to hear this, they are great for tailgating!
Zara says
Made these for a big group get together to watch football and they were a complete hit! Made the sports tolerable for me too! 😉 Those crispy edges are to die for!
Mandy from Splash of Taste says
They are aren’t they!
Coco says
I am a potato skin connoisseur, and these are the best I’ve ever had. The crispiness is perfect—not too crunchy, but not too soft or soggy either. The cheese is melted just right and the sour cream is creamy without being greasy. The potatoes themselves are perfectly baked, so they’re soft on the inside but still have some bite and don’t fall apart when you bite into them.
Mandy from Splash of Taste says
I’m so pleased you like them, you can’t beat that melty cheese eh?