These Healthy Air Fryer Potato Skins are quick and easy to make and the perfect appetizer or snack for movie nights, game days, potlucks, or parties. You can make them using leftover baked potatoes, or make the potatoes in your air fryer. Making potato skins in the air fryer is a quick way to enjoy them while saving electricity (an air fryer uses significantly less energy than preheating a full-sized oven for just a few appetizers) and without heating up the house. The air fryer also produces a nice crispy skin!
Air Fryer Potato Skins are also healthy and WW friendly, using lighter ingredients, such as turkey bacon. This recipe was inspired by my Caesar Twice Baked Potatoes. It's especially popular during football season, but great for any time of the year!
Recipe Overview: Air Fryer Potato Skins
- Ready in: 15 minutes (using leftover potatoes) or 50 minutes (from scratch)
- Serves: 12 skins
- Calories: 42 kcal
- Main Ingredients: Russet Potatoes, Low-fat Cheddar, Turkey Bacon, Green Onions
- Dietary Info: Gluten-Free, Low-Calorie, Weight Watchers Friendly
- Weight Watchers Points: 2 Points (per skin)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Why You'll Love It: You get the "deep-fried" crunch of a restaurant appetizer with 70% less fat and zero guilt. It's the ultimate "dump and bake" snack for Game Day!
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- Recipe Overview: Air Fryer Potato Skins
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- 🥘Ingredient Notes
- 📖Variations & Substitutions
- 🔪Step-by-Step: How to Make Potato Skins in the Air Fryer
- Expert Recipe Tips
- Best Toppings for Air Fryer Potato Skins
- 🍽Equipment
- 🌡️Storage
- 🥔What to do with leftover potato flesh (insides)
- 👪 Serving Size
- 🔢WW Points
- ❔Recipe FAQ's
- Didn't find the answer you're looking for?
- More Air Fryer Recipes
- 📋 Healthy Air Fryer Potato Skins Recipe
Looking for more healthy and WW friendly appetizers? Try my Dill Deviled Eggs!
🥘Ingredient Notes
You don't need to load these potato skins with tons of bacon and cheese to taste great -you only need a little (less is more!) This also saves unnecessary calories!
- Potatoes. Russet potatoes (Idaho potatoes) are ideal for these air fryer potato skins because they are larger and have tough skins. Other potatoes have thinner skins, and although they may taste good, they don't hold up as well.
- Cheddar cheese. I use low-fat cheddar cheese.
- Turkey bacon. Turkey bacon is much lower in fat and calories than regular bacon and tastes great!
*Please see recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities
📖Variations & Substitutions
- Potatoes- You could use Yukon gold potatoes, sweet potatoes, red potatoes, or another type of potato, but their skin is thinner, so they don't hold up as well.
- Bacon - you could use regular bacon crumbles instead of turkey bacon (or bacon bits)
- Oil - The best oil to use in an air fryer is avocado or canola, as they have a high smoking point. Also, it's important to use a non- propellant spray (see Pro Tips) And you can learn more about the best types of oil to use in your air fryer HERE!
- Toppings - you can add your favorite toppings (jalapenos, black olives etc.)
🔪Step-by-Step: How to Make Potato Skins in the Air Fryer
If you are not using pre-baked potatoes, you can make air fryer baked potatoes by following these steps:
PREP
- Scrub potatoes and pat dry (make sure they are very dry or they will get soggy).
- Poke the potatoes several times with a fork.
- Add the potatoes to the air fryer basket or drawer.
- Spray the bottom of the drawer or basket with a couple of pumps of oil, then spray the potatoes with a couple of pumps of oil.
- Cook the potatoes in the air fryer at 375° F (190° C) for 25 minutes, then flip the potatoes and cook them for an additional 10-15 minutes depending on size, or until the fork easily slides through to the center.
To make the air fryer potato skins:
Slice cooled, cooked potatoes in half (lengthwise)
Use a small spoon to carefully remove the potato from the inside of the potato, leaving a ¼-inch of potato attached to the potato skin
Put potato 'insides' aside in a bowl to use for another recipe (see recipe ideas below)
Add cheese and turkey bacon bits to the inside of the potato skins
Spray the bottom of the air fryer basket or drawer with a couple pumps of oil and place the potato skins in the air fryer, skin side down, in a single layer in the air fryer.
Spray the tops of the potato skins with a couple pumps of oil spray.
Air fry for 5 minutes at 360 degrees f (182 c)
Garnish with green onions and sour cream
Expert Recipe Tips
- Do NOT use aerosol cooking spray. Spray your air fryer potato skins (and anything you put in the air fryer) with a light spray cooking oil, but do NOT use an aerosol cooking spray with propellants (like Pam). This can cause damage to the surface of your air fryer and cause the coating to flake off and potentially onto your food. *The label will tell you whether it has propellants or not
- The best oil to use in an air fryer is avocado or canola. Avocado and Canola oil both have high smoking points. Also, it's important to use a non-propellant spray. And you can learn more about the best types of oil to use in your air fryer HERE!
- The "Room Temp" Rule: If you are using leftover potatoes from the fridge, let them sit on the counter for 15 minutes before scooping. Cold potatoes are more brittle, and the skins are more likely to tear.
- Don't Overcrowd: Air fryers work by circulating hot air. Leave at least a half-inch of space between each skin so the sides get crispy, not soggy.
- Dry is King: If you just washed your potatoes to bake them, ensure they are bone-dry before oiling. Any moisture on the skin will create steam, which prevents that potato-chip-like crunch.
Best Toppings for Air Fryer Potato Skins
- green onions
- chives
- low-fat cheese
- bacon bits (or turkey bacon bits)
- low-fat parmesan cheese
- low-fat sour cream
- Greek yogurt (non-fat)
🍽Equipment
Obviously, you will need an air fryer to make potato skins in the air fryer. If you don't have one, are on the fence about purchasing one, or looking for a new one, I recommend you read my What to Look for in an Air Fryer post. I have a Ninja Dual Drawer and love it! A pair of silicone tongs (affiliate links) also comes in handy, so you don't damage the finish on your air fryer when you take out your food.
🌡️Storage
Store leftover potato skins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
These do not stand up well to freezing.
🥔What to do with leftover potato flesh (insides)
Instead of wasting the insides of the potatoes, use them to make another recipe!
- Healthy Perogy Zucchini Boats
- Easy Pierogi Stuffed Mushrooms (shown)
- Serve Stovetop Chili over the leftover potatoes!
👪 Serving Size
This potato skin recipe makes 12 servings. However, you can half, double, or triple the recipe by clicking on the serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust. 1 serving = 1 potato skin (half a potato).
🔢WW Points
This healthy potato skins recipe is Weight Watchers friendly @ 2 WW points per potato skin and 3 WW points if you use a dollop of low-fat sour cream.
However, if you use fat-free sour cream or non-fat Greek yogurt and cheddar cheese, you can lower the points even more.
❔Recipe FAQ's
They get crispier than in the oven in half the time).
Most likely you did not dry them thoroughly enough after washing them. Moisture will create steam and make potato skins soggy.
Yes! You can scoop the potatoes and have the "empty shells" ready in the fridge up to 2 days in advance. Just add the cheese and bacon and air fry right before serving.
Yes! If you are using frozen pre-made skins (like TGI Fridays brand), do not thaw them. Place them in the air fryer at 400°F (204°C) for 8-10 minutes.
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If you're looking for a delicious and healthy snack or appetizer, you'll love these WW friendly air-fried potato skins!
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📋 Healthy Air Fryer Potato Skins Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 whole baked potatoes
- 1 cup low-fat cheddar cheese
- ½ cup turkey bacon
- ½ cup chopped green onion
- ½ tablespoon oil spray
Garnish
- ¼ cup low-fat sour cream
Instructions
- Slice cooled baked potatoes in half (lengthwise)
- Use a small spoon to carefully remove the potato flesh from the inside, leaving a ¼-inch of potato attached to the potato skin
- Put potato 'insides' aside in a bowl to use for another recipe (see recipe ideas for leftovers in post)
- Add cheese and turkey bacon bits to inside of potato skins, dividing evenly between all the potato skins.
- Spray the bottom of the air fryer with a couple pumps of oil and place the potato skins in the air fryer, skin side down, in a single layer in the air fryer.
- Spray the tops of the potato skins with a couple pumps of oil spray. Air fry for 5 minutes at 360°F (or 182 C)
Garnish
- Garnish with additional green onions and sour cream, if desired.
Notes
- Scrub potatoes and pat dry (make sure they are very dry or they will get soggy).
- Poke the potatoes several times with a fork.
- Add the potatoes to the air fryer basket or drawer.
- Spray the bottom of the drawer or basket with a couple pumps of oil, then spray the potatoes with a couple of pumps of oil.
- Cook the potatoes on air fry at 375° F (190° C) for 25 minutes, then flip the potatoes and cook them for an additional 10-15 minutes depending on size, or until the fork easily slides through to the center.
-
- Do NOT use aerosol cooking spray. Spray your air fryer potato skins (and anything you put in the air fryer) with a light spray cooking oil, but do NOT use an aerosol cooking spray with propellants (like Pam). This can cause damage to the surface of your air fryer and cause the coating to flake off and potentially onto your food. *The label will tell you whether it has propellants or not
-
- The best oil to use in an air fryer is avocado or canola. Avocado and Canola oil both have high smoking points. Also, it's important to use a non-propellant spray. And you can learn more about the best types of oil to use in your air fryer HERE!
- The "Room Temp" Rule: If you are using leftover potatoes from the fridge, let them sit on the counter for 15 minutes before scooping. Cold potatoes are more brittle, and the skins are more likely to tear.
- Dry is King: If you just washed your potatoes to bake them, ensure they are bone-dry before oiling. Any moisture on the skin will create steam, which prevents that potato-chip-like crunch.
- Don't Overcrowd: Air fryers work by circulating hot air. Leave at least a half-inch of space between each skin so the sides get crispy, not soggy.
Terri Gilson says
These Air Fryer Potato Skins are a real winner in our house. I love how crispy the skin gets in the air fryer, and it's so much quicker than using the oven. We make them year-round, but they're especially great for football season. I've found you don't need to pile on the toppings - just a touch of bacon and cheese gives you all the flavor without going overboard on calories.