Ingredients
4 russet potatoes, scrubbed and dried thoroughly
extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt
4 oz. bacon, cut into 1/4" pieces
1 c. shredded Cheddar
1/2 c. sour cream
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Preparation
Step 1Preheat oven to 425º. Place potatoes in a dish and prick all over with a fork. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Transfer potatoes to a rimmed sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush potatoes with olive oil and season with salt. Bake until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 2Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp. Transfer bacon to a plate and reserve fat.
Step 3When potatoes are cool, cut in half lengthwise. Using an ice cream scooper or spoon, remove middle, leaving a 1/4" thick shell. Add skins back to the sheet pan and brush with bacon fat all over top and bottom. Bake until golden and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
Step 4Reduce oven temperature to 375º. Sprinkle cheddar over potatoes and bake until cheese is melty. Top with bacon, a spoonful of sour cream, and green onions. Serve immediately.
So, what exactly qualifies as “loaded”? Well, in our kitchen at least, if it’s topped with cheddar, sour cream, bacon, and scallions (or chives), it’s loaded. Examples include (but are CERTAINLY not limited to): loaded mashed potatoes, loaded pickle chips, and loaded zucchini skins. Can I make potato skins in advance? At least in part, yes! You can boil the potatoes and scoop them out up to 2 days in advance. Then, when you cook your bacon day-of, you can brush the bacon fat all over and crisp the potatoes up in the oven. You can even shred the cheese in advance! Everything else should be left until day-of for optimized freshness. What do I do with the scooped-out part of the potato? Well, maybe this is too obvious, but you could make mashed potatoes! If you want to get more creative, you could make these fried mashed potato balls—they also make great party apps!
