Baked Potato Skins Recipe | Moms Need To Know ™ (2024)

by Mindi Cherry

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We love potato skins, but most restaurants fry them first, which isn't very healthy. This baked potato skins recipe rivals any you can find in a restaurant

Baked Potato Skins Recipe | Moms Need To Know ™ (1)

If there is one snack or appetizer that I always like to order at a restaurant or see on a table at a football party, it's potato skins. There is just something about the combination of potato, bacon and cheese that just tastes so good! Add a dollop of sour cream and I am in heaven! Put them out on a buffet next to some baked mozzarella sticks and bacon-wrapped smokies and you have the ULTIMATE football spread (although it won't be the best for your thighs!)

I have tried to make them at home so many times and they just never turned out right. The skin of the potato was never crispy enough and they just were never as good as the ones at the restaurants. Of course, I later figured out that it was because most restaurants, if they don't buy them pre-made, will deep fry to potato skin before filling it with bacon and cheese.

I am not a fan of deep-fat frying for 2 reasons:

  1. The added fat and calories that it adds to the food
  2. The lingering smell of the grease in my house for days after we use the deep fat fryer.

Of course, we get around the "smell issue" in the warmer months by doing any frying (my husband would deep fry a chocolate bar if he could) out on the back patio...but that isn't going to help you for the 2nd half of football season when it is 10 degrees outside....and then you still have the issue of all those extra calories!

So how do you get the crispy skin without frying them? The answer is simple: aluminum foil and olive oil...and butter! instead of baking the potatoes plain in the oven on the rack, rub them with some olive oil and salt and then bake them on a foil-lined sheet. This will start the crisping process. Then, before you fill them, you want to brush them with butter and stick them back in the oven for a little bit. Doing that will crisp up the skin and give you almost the exact same results as the potato skins restaurants!

My favorite potato skins are the ones from TGI Fridays and considering that they sell them at the supermarket, I must not be alone in the preference! The problem with buying them frozen? Aside from all the extra preservatives and chemicals in them, you end up paying WAY too much for them. Even if you can get them on sale, it ends up being about $2.50 for the equivalent of 2 or 3 potatoes and about ¼ cup of cheese and a few tablespoons of bacon!

I really do think that this baked potato skins recipe is just as good and WAY cheaper!

Baked Potato Skins Recipe | Moms Need To Know ™ (2)

Baked Potato Skins Recipe

We love potato skins, but most restaurants fry them first, which isn't very healthy. This baked potato skins recipe rivals any you can find in a restaurant

Print Pin

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Author: Mindi

Ingredients

  • 4 Russet Potatoes
  • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon melted Butter
  • ¾ cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
  • ½ cup Chopped Crispy Fried Bacon you can also use bacon bits, but they won't be as good

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425.

  • Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

  • Wash, scrub and dry potatoes.

  • Pierce each potato multiple times with a fork.

  • Rub with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

  • Bake for 1 hour.

  • Allow to cool.

  • Preheat oven to 375.

  • Cut each potato lengthwise into thirds (if your potatoes aren't that large or you don't mind having a "deep well" in your potato skins, you can skip this step)

  • Use a spoon to scoop out white potato of each remaining slice, leaving about ¼" thickness of potato in each.

  • Brush potato skins with melted butter and bake for 25 minutes until crisp.

  • Sprinkle with cheese and bacon and return to oven until the cheese is melted.

  • Serve with sour cream and sliced green onions.

Baked Potato Skins Recipe | Moms Need To Know ™ (3)

Baked Potato Skins Recipe

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Michelle

    These sound great, I will have to give your recipe a try! Thanks for sharing 🙂

  2. Lindsay

    These look delicious! Thanks so much for sharing with us at #merrymonday!

  3. angie

    thanks so much for sharing this recipe my family loves thema s well love that we can make them at home now
    come see us at http://shopannies.blogspot.com

Baked Potato Skins Recipe | Moms Need To Know ™ (2024)

FAQs

Why is my baked potato skin not crispy? ›

Skip rubbing your potatoes in oil and salt until the end of the cooking time. That's when they'll deliver the most texture and flavor benefit for the spuds. If you oil them up early, the skins may not turn crispy. The salt, too, can run off the potatoes in the heat.

Are baked potato skins healthy to eat? ›

Baked potato skin is a great source of potassium and magnesium. When you don't have enough potassium in your diet, your body retains extra sodium, and too much sodium raises your blood pressure. A potassium-rich diet can help decrease blood pressure, protecting the heart and reducing the risk of stroke.

What can be made from potato skins? ›

Serve Potato Skins
  1. Jalapeno Popper Wontons.
  2. Buffalo Chicken Dip.
  3. Spinach and Artichoke Dip.
  4. Bacon Cheddar Jalapeno Pinwheels.
  5. Bacon Wrapped Steak Bites.
  6. Garlic Bread Meatball Subs.
Sep 27, 2023

What are the directions for frozen potato skins? ›

To heat and serve: Defrost the potato skins before using. Place them on a baking tray and cook in a preheated 450 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, until they're slightly crisp and heated all the way through.

What is the best temperature to bake potatoes? ›

Potato baking temperatures range from 350˚ to 450˚F. The sweet spot seems to be at 400˚F, a temperature that cooks the potato all the way through and crisps the skin without singeing it. That said, you don't need to strictly adhere to a certain temperature every time you bake a potato.

Is it better to bake a potato at 350 or 400? ›

We recommend baking potatoes at 400 degrees F for about an hour. Smaller spuds might take a little less time, while larger baking potatoes over 1 pound might take a little more. For a fully baked Idaho Russet Burbank, the internal temperature should be right at 210 degrees F.

Why you should not eat the skin of potato? ›

Glycoalkaloids occur naturally in potatoes and are toxic to humans at high levels. Glycoalkaloids are concentrated in the peel and prolonged exposure of tubers to light will stimulate the formation of glycoalkaloids near the surface of the potato tuber. Glycoalkaloids are not broken down by cooking or frying.

Can you eat too much potato skin? ›

Potato skins are generally safe to eat and actually contain beneficial nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals. However, they can also contain trace amounts of natural compounds like solanine and glycoalkaloids, especially in green or sprouted areas, which might be harmful in large quantities.

Why did my potato skin turn green? ›

The green is nothing more than chlorophyll, a harmless compound found in all green plants. However, when potato tubers turn green there is usually an increase in a glycoalkoloid compound called solanine. Consequently, it is important to store potatoes in the absence of light to prevent greening.

What's good to eat with potato skins? ›

What to Serve with Cheesy Potato Skins
  • Chicken. From Korean Air Fryer Chicken Wings to Grilled Chicken Tenders, almost any chicken recipe goes with potato skins.
  • Dips. The Best Guacamole Recipe and Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip (my healthier version of ranch dressing) would both be scrumptious.
  • Sandwich. ...
  • Drinks.
Mar 20, 2024

What can I do with old potato skins? ›

Toss the peels with oil and seasonings: I used a light drizzle of olive oil, and some pepper and smoked salt. Toss so that the peels are thoroughly coated. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring once: Stir halfway through roasting, and remove them once they're done to your liking. Sprinkle with cheese and scallions!

Can dogs eat potato skins? ›

Can Dogs Eat Potato Skins? A little potato skin is ok, but it's better to share potatoes with the skin removed. Potato skins are high in oxalates, and if your dog gets a lot of oxalates (like if he eats half his weight in skin-on potatoes–which is a lot!) that might cause some kidney problems.

Should I thaw frozen potatoes before baking? ›

The best thing about cooking with frozen potatoes is that you don't generally need to defrost them before using: spontaneous home-cooked chips, quick-as-a-flash mash and easy-peasy baked potatoes are all within your reach. Need some inspiration for your frozen spuds?

What temperature do you bake frozen potato skins? ›

Conventional Oven

Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange product in a single layer on baking sheet and place on middle rack of oven. Bake for 14-16 minutes (half of box) or 16-18 minutes (full box).

Do you eat the skin on potato skins? ›

Eat the skin to capture all the russet potatoes nutrition. The potato skin has more nutrients than the interior of the potato. It has lots of fiber, about half of a medium potato's fiber is from the skin. Baked Idaho® Potato with salsa makes for a low calorie healthy lunch, try it!

Why is my baked potato still hard after cooking? ›

You don't check the temperature

A temperature between 205F to 212F inside the potatoes mean that they are cooked. If the temperature is below that, the potato may be too hard still inside, and if you go above it, they may become gummy.

Why won't my potatoes crisp up? ›

You might not be baking it for long enough. A baked potato needs to be cooked for at least 45 minutes to an hour at a high temperature (around 400-425 degrees Fahrenheit) to become crispy on the outside. You might not be using enough oil.

Why are my potatoes still hard after baking? ›

Firstly, ensure you've baked it at a sufficiently high temperature (around 400°F/200°C). Secondly, make sure you've allowed enough time for baking—large potatoes may take longer. Lastly, check if your oven is calibrated accurately; an incorrect temperature setting can affect cooking.

Why is my baked potato skin hard? ›

If the potato is hard, bake it a little longer. Don't exceed the recommended cooking time because potatoes will continue to cook after they're removed from the oven and the skin will get dry. "Another common mistake is letting the potato rest or cool before cutting.

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