The best potato skins are crispy, flavorful, and easy to make. This vegetarian recipe is all of that, and more. This delicious and easy potato skins recipe will be your new go-to appetizer! Potato skins are baked until crispy, then topped with sharp cheddar cheese and green onions. They’re the perfect bite-sized snack for your next party or gathering!
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You can never have too many appetizers – right? These potato skins are awesome and if you want to know an even easier way to make potato skins, then check out our air fried potato skins!
Why you’ll love these delicious baked potato skins
- They are the perfect appetizer for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
- Cheap and easy to make, you can make them ahead of time, leaving you more time with your guests.
- A real crowd pleaser both young and old alike love potato skins!
- All the ingredients are 100% vegetarian.
Ingredients you’ll need
You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.
How to make our homemade potato skins recipe with step by step instructions
Making our crispy potato skins recipe is easy if you follow our simple instructions.
A full printable recipe and the measurements in both US customary and metric are available in the recipe card below.
Preheat your oven to 400°F/205°C.
Scrub your russet potatoes so that they are both clean and dirt free.
Using a fork, prick holes in four or five places around the potato skin,
Coat the potatoes with olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and then put them in on the middle shelf of your oven and bake for 50 – 60 minutes.
Remove your potatoes from the oven and let them cool until you are able to handle them.
When you can handle them, cut the cooked potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out most of the potato flesh, leaving approximately ¼ inch of flesh in the potato skins.
Now, place the scooped out potato skins on a baking sheet, skin side up and bake for 10 minutes, then flip them and cook them for a further 10 minutes.
Remove them from the oven and add the shredded cheddar cheese (keep a little back for garnish) and cook until the cheese has fully melted approximately two minutes.
Remove the potato skins from the oven and load up the cheese, sour cream, optional green onions, or fresh chives.
Enjoy your classic potato skins!
Recipe notes and expert tips
- Sharp cheddar
We recommend using sharp cheddar as it has the best flavor to complement the potatoes.
- Don’t have any sour cream?
Use Greek yogurt or just double up on the cheese.
- Storage
Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months (but not with the sour cream on them).
How to store leftover potato skins
Potato skins will store for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. If possible, we recommend not loading with sour cream as this tends to make potato skins a little soft if stored over time.
Can you freeze potato skins?
Yes, potato skins freeze well.
Flash freeze the skins and then store them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
However, you must think about your fillings, for this recipe, you could freeze with melted cheese, but wouldn’t want to add the sour cream and chives.
What to do with leftover potato flesh?
The flesh that you scooped out of your potatoes is too good to throw away – right?
Here are three tasty ideas for you to use up the flesh and grab an extra dish out of them.
The most delicious creamy mashed potatoes, potato pancakes, or spicy mashed potato fritters!
Miss cheese and bacon potato skins?
If you’re a vegetarian who misses potato skins topped with cheese and bacon, then don’t worry, you can still have them, well, a version of them!
Use vegetarian bacon bits, you can usually find them in most grocery stores.
You can even recreate another meaty favorite which is loaded potato skins with taco seasoned ground beef, using vegetarian beef bits, there’s absolutely no reason for you to miss out!
More easy appetizer recipes for you to try at home
If you love our potato skin recipe, then why not try these delicious recipes?
- Baked Brie – oozy cheesy brie goodness that you can scoop up with a piece of bread – YUM!
- Caprese bites – crostini with mozzarella cheese, tomato, basil, and a drizzling of delicious balsamic glaze!
- Cheesy Brussels sprouts bites – Brussels sprouts like you’ve never had them before!
- Mini goat cheese balls – they not only look incredible, they taste incredible too!
- Cheese ball – the savory cheese ball that everyone LOVES! A real crowd pleaser!
Vegetarian potato skins recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Russet potatoes
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup Cheddar cheese shredded, keep a sprinkling back for garnish once cooked
- ½ cup Sour cream
- Green onions optional
- Chives chopped optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven 400°F/205°C
- Scrub your potatoes so that they are clean and dirt free. Using a fork, poke holes in 4 or 5 places around each potato. Coat the potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Now, place the potatoes on the middle rack of your oven and bake for 50-60 minutes or until softened. Remove from the oven and leave to cool until you can handle them.1 tbsp Olive oil, Salt and pepper
- Cut your cooked potatoes in half and scoop out most of the flesh, leaving approximately ¼ inch of flesh in the potatoes. See blog post for ideas of what to do with left over potato flesh.2 Russet potatoes
- Now, place the potato skins on a baking sheet, skin side up and bake for 10 minutes, then flip them, and cook for a further 10 minutes. Then add the cheese and cook until the cheese has fully melted approximately 2 minutes½ cup Cheddar cheese
- Remove the skins from the oven and load up with sour cream and a sprinkling of shredded cheese, optional green onions, or chives½ cup Cheddar cheese, ½ cup Sour cream, Green onions, Chives chopped
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
We recommend using sharp cheddar as it has the best flavor to complement the potatoes. Don’t have any sour cream?
Use Greek yogurt or just double up on the cheese. Storage
Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months (but not with the sour cream on them).
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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