Potato Skins

Crispy Potato Skins - baked russet potatoes are hallowed out into a boat-like shape, baked until crisp, filled with cheddar cheese, then finished with bacon, green onions and a herbed sour cream. In other words you know they'll be expectedly delicious with ingredients like that!

Here we've turned what may otherwise be the unwanted wasted portion of the potato into an all out comfort food classic no one can resist!

Potato skins on a white oval serving platter shown from above. Potato skins are garnished with green onions, bacon and topped with a dollop of herbed sour cream.

First of all, can you eat potato skin?

Yes of course! It's actually the most nutritious part of the russet potato and a good source of fiber. The trick is just to be sure that you've cleaned them well by scrubbing clean (with a clean scouring pad or brush) while rinsing under water to remove dirt and debris.

Is green potato skin safe to eat though? You should not eat green potato skin as it can contain a toxin called solanine, which can cause nausea and other intestinal upsets. This reaction occurs when potatoes are exposed to too much light, it also makes the potato skin taste bitter.

You can peel away green portions and still use the potato flesh that isn't green, but here if there are large areas of skin covered in green it's best to get a new batch of potatoes since we are using mostly potato skin.

Tips for the Best Potato Skins

This is my idea of the absolute best way to make potato skins! The key to the recipe is:

Keep potatoes coated with oil/fat to assist in making them crisp and flavorful.
Bake in high heat for browning and also to crispen.
Bake on a wire rack set on the baking sheet to allow heat to evenly circulate. Also use foil if you want easier clean up of the drippings.
Leave a good portion of the interior of the potato behind for better flavor, and even in doing so here you still you end up with a perfectly crisp exterior.
Season the sour cream. Otherwise it's just too boring. Think herbs and garlic, somewhat similar to the idea of ranch dressing.

Ways to Use Up the Leftover Potato

Of course there's no need to just toss the extra potato centers in the trash once you've scooped it from the interior. Instead you can make mashed potatoes, fry them up for breakfast, add to a casserole, or mix in a soup. Lots of options.

Close up photo of potato skins.