Crispy cheese and bacon potato skins made extra tasty by brushing them with bacon drippings. And crammed to the max with extra bacon inside the potato skins – not just on top!!
This week has been a landmark in the history of RecipeTin Eats because I shared TWO meat-free-cheese-free recipes in a row. Absolutely unheard of.
So my twisted logic tells me I have calorie credits. So today, I’m sharing something a little indulgent – these crispy potato skins, with double bacon flavour, topped with plenty of cheese.
Here’s a nice close up for you, along with the pudgy little fingers of my Baby Hands. Do I hear you laughing…..???!!! Hey! I blame my MUM for my Baby Hands!!
I make my potato skins a little differently to the usual. The key difference being that I like to brush the potato skins with bacon fat rather than butter. Extra bacon flavour, extra crispy, and no wastage. 🙂
What I do is chop up the bacon into little pieces, then bake them for a bit to cook them and make the fat melt. Then I remove the bacon and place the potato skins upside down on the baking tray then use the fat on the tray to brush the potato skins.
Bake them until the skin is crispy, THEN turn them over, fill them with bacon, cheese then top with bacon, and bake again.
Extra crispy, extra tasty potato skins. You see the beautiful dark golden brown edges on the skins?? You won’t achieve THAT unless you bake them upside down for a spell!
I literally have to wipe my chin every time I look at these photos. I mean, we’re talking about the holy trinity of food (in my books) here. Potato. Bacon. Cheese.
I guarantee if you make these for a gathering, you will be THE most popular person there. – Nagi x
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Cheese and Bacon Potato Skins
Ingredients
- 2 lb / 1 kg (about 8-10) medium potatoes , scrubbed clean (Note 1)
- 10 oz / 300 g streaky fatty bacon , diced (Note 2)
- 1 1/2 cups grated cheese (tasty, cheddar, gruyere, Monterey Jack)
- Salt and pepper
To serve
- Sour cream
- 1 scallion/shallot stem , finely sliced (green party only)
Instructions
Prepare Potato Skins
- Prick each potato 4 times with a fork, then place them on the outer edge of the microwave turntable. Microwave on high for 8 minutes, then turn the potatoes and microwave on high for another 8 minutes.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the potatoes in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the potato, leaving a thin skin about 1/2cm/ 1/6" thick.
Bacon
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- Spread bacon on a tray and bake for 8 minutes, or until LIGHT golden and the fat has melted.
- Remove bacon onto a paper towel lined plate using a slotting spoon. RESERVE bacon fat on tray.
Crisp Potato Skins
- Place potato skins upside down on the tray. Use a brush to brush the bacon fat on the tray onto the potato skin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the skin is quite crispy.
Fill Potato Skins
- Remove baking tray from the oven and turn the potato skins over.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fill the potato skins with 2/3 of the bacon, then top with cheese.
- Top with remaining bacon.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
To serve
- Serve with sour cream, sprinkled with scallions.
Recipe Notes:
PS This is what I do with the scooped out potato – turn them into mashed potato bites! I just pop them in the oven at the same time as the potatoes. 🙂 So here’s a bonus little recipe for you! These are like little soft potato clouds. Cheesy ones!
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Cheesy Leftover Mashed Potato Bites
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 - 2 cups (packed) mashed potato (scooped out from potato skins)
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1/4 cup plain flour (plus more as required)
- 3/4 cup grated cheese (I used cheddar)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Mash the potato scooped out from the potato skins.
- Add egg, milk, flour, salt and pepper. Mix until just combined. Add cheese and mix.
- Dollop heaped spoonfuls on a parchment paper (baking paper) lined tray (I use oil spray to stop the paper from sliding on the tray).
- Spray (generously!) with oil and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
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Baby potatoes are the perfect size for party food, then using a melon baller to scoop out the flesh makes it heaps easier than a knife and it makes a perfect hollow in the potato.
I have made these potato skins at least 30 times and hope to be able to make another 30. These are the cat’s meow IMHO.
Can you tell me please if it’s ok to freeze these?
Absolutely sensational! I can see these becoming a “thing” on movie night.
LOVE LOVE LOVE these skins. I’m getting requests for them over and over. They reheat in oven really really well too.
Hi Nagi, Can you make the potato skins ahead of time and keep them crispy? Thanks
Hi Nikki, I would prep all the ingredients and potatoes – then head to the step of “CRISP POTATO SKINS” when ready to cook & serve. N x
Thanks for this recipe the whole family enjoyed
Hi Nagi, I’m a fun of potato skins but I dun own a microwave. How should I prep the potatoes? Tks!
Hi Joycelyn, do you own a steamer set that you can cook over the stove? N x
wow. Great. Wonderful.
Hi Nagi, I’m loving all of your recipes! How would these go if made the day before and reheated? I’m having a kids party and the oven will be on overload!!! Thank you 🙏
Oh my gosh, Nagi! These are delicious! My mother came across your website and found these delicious potato skins. She insisted we make them right away. I must say, no regrets on not waiting because they were to die for.
Though, we did a minor change of adding the sour cream onto skins and baking them all together instead of adding the sour cream on top afterwards once they were out of the oven and done. We will totally be making these again! 😀
I am into food photography so I decided to photograph the delicious creation and share the picture along with you: http://fav.me/dcayahr
Thanks for this recipe the whole family enjoyed
That’s great to hear Livia! So pleased you enjoyed this. And your photo! WOW!! N xx
NAGI!! OMGosh!
So, the spouse is a FREAK about his potato skins….actually he’s a freak about all things potato. He loves his potatoes. You have elevated yourself to goddess status in our home now. These are so crisp, so delicious, & incredibly versatile. I added yellow onion to some (with the bacon & cheese to bake), I put guacamole on some instead of sour cream, then on the others I used that sauce you gave with the potato wedges (sour cream & sweet chili). They are freakin’ AMAZING!!
The family is going to collapse with joy. When I opened the oven I’m pretty sure I heard angels sing.
BA HA HA! I adore the enthusiasm with which you describe your family’s response to your food!! 🙂 Tell hubby that he and I are two peas in a pod – my family called me “Potato Girl” growing up and for joke Christmas presents, I get potato cookbooks!! N x
Nagios I made thsee last week and they are amazing. .. making again tonight. The bacon on the skin is a wonderful touch and really makes them crisp…. Delicious. ..
WOO HOO!! SO GLAD you enjoyed it Donna, thank you for letting me know! N x
Sorry. I meant to say Nagi… stupid automatic text corrections. …
Hi Nagi, love your recipes and also the photos and notes that are such a part of your dishes. I’m in the UK and will make these skins as a nice winter warmer this evening. One thing – did you mean two golf balls? I’m not sure of the size of gold balls. Keep up the good work, I really look forward to your recipes. Love Linda
Golf balls!! Yes, golf, not GOLD! Thank you for your lovely message and picking up that silly mistake!! 😉 N x
Nagi…
I made these this weekend. They disappeared before my very eyes. Excellent Football snacks.
Great job on the recipe.
Thank you and hello from California.
WOO HOO!!! SO GLAD you enjoyed it Julia!! Thank you so much for letting me know!!
I’m going to swoon! That is all I have to say about this recipe 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
I swoon when these are in front of me too…… 😉
Hi Nagi, Thank you for always leaving such encouraging comments on my blog. Appreciate it! You have a beautiful blog. 🙂 -Yen
Thanks for your kind words Yen!! 🙂
I love potato skins but have never made them. I love how crispy yours are, bacon grease and turning them upside down…Great tips. Love the extra recipe for the mashed potato puffs. Do you think the puffs would reheat well? Probably wouldn’t eat them the same day.
Gosh, I have to confess, it was a last minute thing, and they disappeared in minutes!! So I don’t know! But I think that if you freeze them then reheat in a stinking hot oven, they will reheat just fine (with a spray of oil) 🙂
I’ve been in Hong Kong for a week, and this is the first email I’ve opened since returning. Yum yum yum!!! I’ll be making these for our Australia Day BBQ with friends – how amazing do they look!?!
OK, so I have to tell you….I made THREE batches of RIBS to share pursuant to YOUR REQUEST!! 😉 The recipe is coming SOON!!!!!
You’ve done what?! Oh my goodness, I can’t wait!!! Woo hoo!
And now I’m drooling… ribs… a la Homer Simpson drooling…
Just posted it!! And just tagged you on IG!!! <3
Nagi these look absolutely delicious! I would brush everything with bacon fat if I could lol.
ME TOO!! <3
Hey Nagi! I love how you can make simple dishes look so elegant. It’s past 10am and I didn’t have breakfast yet, just looking at your clicks and dreaming 🙂
Thanks Muna, you’re so sweet!!