Loaded Potato Skins with Bacon and Cheese
These Loaded Potato Skins with Bacon and Cheese are an all-time American favorite. They are crispy and tender, and loaded with lots of cheese, bacon, sour cream, and green onions. This recipe makes 8 potato skins.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
Total Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 215kcal
- 4 medium russet potatoes
- Olive oil
- Melted unsalted butter optional
- 1 to 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese to taste
- ⅓ cup chopped cooked bacon from about 6 strips of bacon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Sour cream to taste
- Thinly sliced green onions or chives to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Poke the potatoes several times with a fork. Rub all over with some olive oil. Arrange on a baking dish and bake for 1 hour, until cooked through and tender in the center. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise (from top to bottom). Using a spoon, scoop out the flesh, leaving about ¼ inch around the skin. Arrange the scooped out shells on an aluminum baking sheet.
Brush the potato shells all over with olive oil (or melted unsalted butter), and season the interior with salt and pepper to taste.
Return to oven and bake at 425 degrees F for about 8-10 minutes per side, until crispy and golden brown around the edges. Tip: I bake them cut side up first to allow the oil and seasoning to absorb into the potatoes, then I flip them facing down to bake the other side.
Top each potato shell with shredded cheese and bacon generously, depending on how “loaded” you want them. Return to oven and bake for 2-4 minutes again until melted, being careful not to burn them.
Serve with dollops of sour cream and thinly sliced green onions. Enjoy warm!
- Use Russet potatoes: They have thick skin and crisp up really well. They are longer and larger than other potatoes, making it a great choice to hold the toppings. Additionally, they are fluffy and starchy, ideal to absorb flavors and incorporate the toppings.
- Pick medium sized Russets so that they don’t take too long to bake.
- Be generous with the cheese topping - it will melt into a thin layer. You can use either pre-shredded or hand grated cheddar.
- Make ahead: Make the baked empty shells up until step 4 in the recipe card. When ready to make, top with cheese and bacon and bake according to direction, plus a few extra minutes as needed. Additionally, the bacon can be cooked up to 3 days ahead.
- Freeze: It’s best to freeze the empty shells and top them when ready to bake, as the quality of cheese can go down after it’s been frozen. Freeze the empty shells for 2 months. When ready to bake (no need to thaw), season and top with cheese and cooked bacon and bake at 425 degrees until melted and warmed.
Substitutions and variations:
- Cheese: Monterey Jack, Mexican blend, or similar. Pre-shredded cheese is fine.
- Bacon: Turkey bacon.
- Do not substitute the potatoes. Use medium Russet potatoes for best results.
Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.
Serving: 1piece | Calories: 215kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 240mg | Potassium: 468mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 229IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 1mg