Loaded Potato Skins

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Loaded potato skins with crispy bacon, melted cheddar, and scallions.

These loaded potato skins recipe are the ones I make when I want something everyone fights over at the table. Crispy on the outside, loaded with melted cheddar and crispy bacon, finished with fresh scallions — they disappear faster than almost anything else I put out. The trick is baking the potatoes low and slow first so the skins actually crisp up once they go back in the oven loaded.

I bake these on a wire rack set inside a sheet pan — it lets air circulate around the potato for a crispier skin instead of a soggy bottom.

You may also like: French Dip Sliders, Pulled Pork Nachos, Cheesy Garlic Flatbread, Game Day Stromboli

Loaded potato skins with crispy bacon, melted cheddar, and scallions.

Loaded Potato Skins

Crispy potato skins loaded with melted cheddar, crispy bacon, and scallions. A classic app that always disappears fast.
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Ingredients Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 baking potatoes russet
  • 2 tbsp oil for rubbing
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 pack thick cut bacon 12-16 oz
  • 3 scallions sliced
  • 1 bag shredded cheddar cheese
  • Sour cream optional, for serving

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Wash potatoes thoroughly and pat dry. Rub with oil and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Bake until fork-tender, about 45-50 minutes.
  3. While the potatoes bake, dice the bacon and cook until crispy. Slice the scallions.
  4. Remove potatoes from the oven and let cool enough to handle. Cut in half and use a spoon to scoop out some of the flesh, creating a well for toppings.
  5. Fill the well with shredded cheddar and return to the oven until melted ~3-5 minutes.
  6. While the cheese is still melted, sprinkle the cooked bacon on top so it sticks.
  7. Top with scallions and serve with sour cream, if using.

Notes

If you want to make ahead, bake the potatoes and top with cheese, then reserve the bacon and other toppings for later. Reheat in the air fryer or oven until warm before adding bacon, scallions, and sour cream.

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