Fully Loaded Crispy Potato Skins
These Fully Loaded Crispy Potato Skins are a delicious appetizer or side dish recipe. The flavorful seasoning, fluffy potato, crispy skins - and you can’t forget the cheese - make this a recipe that will quickly become a family favorite!
Servings 4 servings
Ingredients
- 4 medium sized potatoes
- Olive oil for rubbing potatoes before baking
- Salt and pepper for sprinkling on potatoes before baking
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups shredded taco, shredded
- chives to garnish, optional
- Sour cream, optional
- ½ cup diced cooked bacon
Instructions
- Wash the potatoes.4 medium sized potatoes
- Prick the potatoes with a fork several times. Rub olive oil over the potato and sprinkle with salt and pepper.Olive oil for rubbing potatoes before baking, Salt and pepper for sprinkling on potatoes before baking
- Bake the potatoes in either the oven or microwave. If using the oven, preheat the oven to 425°. Cook 45 - 60 minutes in the oven. If using the microwave, cook on full power for five minutes. Flip them over and cook another five minutes.
- Let the potatoes cool slightly.
- Adjust or preheat the oven temperature to 475° to cook the potato skins.
- Combine the 3 tablespoons olive oil, Parmesan cheese, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and pepper in a small bowl.3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon paprika, ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- Cover baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
- Cut each potato in half lengthwise and scoop out the middles leaving about ¼” edge. Place the scooped out potato into a bowl and set aside.
- Spread about one teaspoon of the seasoned mixture over each side of the potato, starting with the inside of the potato first. Place the potatoes, skin side up, onto baking sheet.
- Bake for eight minutes. Turn them over and bake another eight minutes.
- Add the cheese (and bacon if using) to each potato, filling them right to the edges. Bake two more minutes.2 cups shredded taco, shredded
- Garnish with fresh chives, if desired. Serve with sour cream (optional).chives to garnish, optional, Sour cream, optional
Notes
Recipe Tips:
- Russet potatoes are a great potato choice for making potato skins because they hold up well and won’t fall apart when baked and scooped.
- If you can’t find taco cheese, cheddar cheese is a great substitute.
- Hold the potato firmly on the counter or table when pricking it with the fork. This will help prevent the potato from slipping as you poke holes and will prevent you from stabbing yourself with a fork.
- The extra potato that you scoop out can be used as mashed potatoes for another dinner. (Mix them with butter, heavy cream, garlic powder, salt, & pepper. Yum!) They should be used within 2 - 3 days. Otherwise, the extra potato can be discarded.