Classic Loaded Potato Skins
Crispy baked potato skins brushed with garlic butter, then loaded with melted cheddar and smoky bacon and finished with cool sour cream and fresh green onions. A classic party appetizer that's always a crowd-pleaser.
Prep time
15 min
Cook time
55–65 min
Serves
Ingredients
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- 6 small-to-mediumrusset potatoes, scrubbed and dried
- 1 tbspolive oil
- 3 tbspbutter, melted
- ½ tspgarlic powder
- ½ tspfine sea salt, divided
- ¼ tspfreshly ground black pepper
- 1½ cupssharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- 6 slicesbacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
- ½ cupsour cream, for serving
- 3green onions, thinly sliced
Ingredients
- 6 small-to-mediumrusset potatoes, scrubbed and dried
- 1 tbspolive oil
- 3 tbspbutter, melted
- ½ tspgarlic powder
- ½ tspfine sea salt, divided
- ¼ tspfreshly ground black pepper
- 1½ cupssharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- 6 slicesbacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
- ½ cupsour cream, for serving
- 3green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- 2
Rub the potatoes lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with a little of the salt. Place directly on a baking sheet and bake for 40–50 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Let cool just until they're comfortable enough to handle.
- 3
Cut each potato in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, carefully scoop out the centre, leaving approximately ¼ inch of potato attached to the skin. Save the scooped-out potato for another use.
- 4
In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, garlic powder, remaining salt and black pepper.
- 5
Brush the inside and outside of each potato skin with the seasoned melted butter.
- 6
Arrange the potato skins cut-side down on the baking sheet. Return to the oven for 7–8 minutes.
- 7
Flip the skins over and bake for another 5–7 minutes, until the edges are golden and the skins are crisp.
- 8
Divide the grated cheddar and crumbled bacon evenly among the potato skins.
- 9
Return to the oven for 3–5 minutes, just until the cheese is hot and melted.
- 10
Transfer to a serving platter and finish each potato skin with a dollop of sour cream and sliced green onions. Serve immediately while hot and crisp.
Melissa's Notes
Don't scoop the potatoes completely clean. Leaving about ¼ inch of potato behind gives the skins enough structure to hold the filling and gives you that fluffy potato layer underneath the crispy shell.
Make Ahead: Bake and scoop the potatoes earlier in the day, then refrigerate the empty shells. Before serving, brush them with the seasoned butter and crisp them in the oven before adding the cheddar and bacon. Add the sour cream and green onions only after baking.
Nutrition Information
Per serving (2 potato skins) — based on 6 servings
Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary depending on the ingredients and brands used.
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