Bacon and cheese stuffed potato skins are loaded with your favorite toppings and baked creating mini potato skins. A bite size appetizer that’s the perfect finger food for game day or any gathering.
Who doesn’t love crispy potato skins with all the fixings. However, sometimes, they’re so big that you can’t eat anything else. These bacon and cheese stuffed potato skins are mini so you get that great crispy taste in a smaller version.
By using baby Dutch or fingerling potatoes, you can get these even crispier then a full size potato. They are super easy and if you’re having friends over, you can do all the prep work ahead of time and then pop them in the oven when you’re ready to serve.
Top with some sour cream and chives and you’ll have a bite size appetizer that’s hard to resist.
While I love fancy appetizers, like mini croque monsieurs, the classics like sausage balls and potato skins are a great addition when you’re having a party. For those guests that are less adventurous, I find it nice to have something familiar.
Most folks around here have had a loaded potato skins before so, while better than the traditional version, these have all the great flavors and a crispier exterior that are sure to be a hit.
Why you’ll love stuffed potato skins
- Finger food is always a winner for parties or for game day!
- Mini potatoes loaded with toppings are delicious and can be served with different toppings to fit the crowd.
- You can prepare these ahead and heat them up when ready to serve.
- The mini potatoes are small enough that you have room for more appetizers.
What you’ll need
- Baby Dutch yellow potatoes – Dutch potatoes are small round potatoes with a golden yellow skin and soft flesh. You can also use fingerling potatoes.
- Sharp cheddar cheese – shred the cheese yourself, it will melt better than pre-shredded cheese.
- Bacon – cook it nice and crispy for this recipe, try applewood smoked or pepper bacon.
- Garnish – fresh chives and sour cream.
Pro tip: To get crispy bacon, try cooking it with flour, it’s one of my favorite kitchen hacks.
What is it about chives and potato skins, you can’t have one without the other. Chives are actually not green onions, but you can easily substitute green onions for chives. Don’t do what I did and plant one very small chive plant in a pot on my patio. My back yard is now full of chives and I can’t get rid of them.
How do you make bacon and cheese stuffed potato skins
Step 1
Place whole potatoes in a bowl and toss with olive oil. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake until tender about 15-20 minutes. Remove and let cool completely on the baking sheet, about 30 minutes.
Step 2
Slice cool potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out most of the potato, leaving enough to hold it together. Place upside down on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Turn potatoes over and bake until crispy, about 8-10 minutes.
Step 3
Fill with cheese and cooked bacon and return to the oven just until cheese melts. Remove and top with sour cream and chives.
Recipe notes
- Sprinkle a teaspoon of red pepper flakes over the potato skins to give them a spicy kick!
- Plain Greek yogurt can be subbed for sour cream.
- Try topping with pulled pork instead of bacon.
- When you remove the inside of the potato to create the potato skins, you can cream up all the potatoes and mash it together with some butter, salt and pepper and enjoy it as a side to a lunch.
- You can cream the potato filling and add it back to the potato skins to make them traditional twice baked potatoes and stir the bacon and chives into the filling. Then use a piping bag to fill each potato skin.
- Finish the potatoes with a dusting of smoked paprika. The smoky flavor will go great with the bacon.
Perfect loaded potato skins that are crispy and bite size and better than you can find in the freezer section. Nothing is better for watching your favorite game or hanging out with friends and it just takes a little bit of pre planning. So worth it!
FAQs and tips
You can freeze potato skins, just prepare as directed and when they are cooked, cool completely, do not add garnishments. Place the potato skins in a freezer safe ziploc or airtight container. When ready to use, allow potato skins to thaw, then reheat at 350 for 10-15 minutes.
If you wanted to make them vegetarian, you can omit the bacon and add a second variety of cheese and some jalapenos.
Once you have prepared and baked your potatoes, they will keep in the refrigerator up to 5 days. They should be refrigerated if not served right away.
The skins of a potato have lots of fiber and nutrients, so eat away!
Chives are not the same as green onions but they can be substituted in most recipes. Chives do not have a bulb like onions, they have long slender leaves and are not as strong as a green onion.
Need more appetizers ideas?
Enjoy more potatoes recipes
Bacon and Cheese Stuffed Potato Skins Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs baby Dutch yellow potatoes 2 inch potatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese 1 cup
- 6 slices bacon cooked and chopped
- sour cream for topping
- fresh chives/green onions chopped, for garnishing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425º. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place whole potatoes in a bowl and toss with olive oil. Place in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until tender about 15-20 minutes depending on the size. Remove and let cool completely on the baking sheet, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 450º. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice cool potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out most of the potato, leaving enough to hold it together. Place upside down on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Turn potatoes over and bake until crispy, about 10 minutes.
- Fill with cheese and bacon and return to the oven just until cheese melts. Remove and top with sour cream and chives.
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- Fingerling or baby Dutch potatoes work great for this recipe. If using a larger potato, they will take longer to cook.
- Use a small spoon to remove the flesh from the cut potatoes.
- Try topping with pulled pork instead of bacon.
- You can use greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
- You can use the green part of green onions instead of chives.
Nutrition
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