Why you’ll love these crispy potato skins
A few weeks ago, I was stuck trying to figure out what to make for my friends that were coming over. So I scoured through recipe lists on my favorite blogs, but I couldn’t decide on anything. Then I saw this delicious-looking recipe for nacho loaded potato skins. I really wanted to make them, but it’s kind of hard to find refried beans here – and I was not about to make my own just for the recipe. So I opted for classic potato skins instead.
Making your own potato skins is definitely time-consuming, but well worth the effort. And besides the amount of time it takes, the process is fairly simple. Start with about 8 small/medium potatoes. Scrub them thoroughly and then brush the skins with olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. I use more salt and pepper than I would normally want because a bit of it comes off as you go.
If you like this recipe, you have to try this healthy buffalo chicken dip, and these hot honey lemon pepper chicken wings and these smoked deviled eggs.
Searching for more potato recipes? the BEST dairy free mashed potatoes / roasted duck fat potatoes / dairy free cheesy potatoes / vegan scalloped potatoes
Ingredient notes:
- Potatoes – Go for russet potatoes for this recipe—they have a thick skin that crisps up nicely, and their fluffy insides scoop out easily. Look for small to medium-sized potatoes since they’re easier to handle and serve, and make sure to scrub them clean before baking since you’ll be eating the skin.
- Vegan cheddar shreds – You can use your favorite dairy free or plant-based cheddar alternative. We love to use Daiya Dairy-Free Cheddar Shreds for recipes like this.
- Coconut yogurt – Make sure to opt for plain, unsweetened coconut yogurt, or choose your favorite plant-based sour cream. Our favorite unsweetened yogurt is So Delicious Dairy Free – the green one!
- Malt vinegar – If you need to make this recipe gluten-free, be sure to check your vinegar label—most malt vinegars are made from barley and may contain gluten, but gluten-free versions are available. If you can’t find one, you can substitute with apple cider or rice vinegar.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
More dairy free appetizer recipes: fried pickle dip / air fryer crab cakes / bacon wrapped water chestnuts / beer battered onion rings
Ingredients
- 12 small-medium-ish baking potatoes
- 1 cup vegan cheddar shreds
- 1/2 pound cooked bacon - about 1 cup
- 3 green onions - thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup unsweetened, plain coconut yogurt - or vegan sour cream
- 1/4 cup malt vinegar
- 1 clove garlic - minced
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Salt & pepper - to taste (used a pinch of coarse salt)
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pierce the potatoes with a fork. Then, rub with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper.
- Bake the potatoes. Place the potatoes on your baking sheet and bake for about 1 hour. When the potatoes are tender, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool.Then, turn up the oven's heat to 400°F (200°C).
- Make the aioli. While the potatoes are baking, combine the aioli ingredients in a small bowl, whisk until smooth and creamy. Set aside until you're ready to serve. Refrigerate if not serving within the hour.
- Scoop and bake. Carefully cut each potato in half lengthwise and use a spoon to gently scoop the potato out of the skins – the potato skins will rip if you are too rough with them. Leave a little bit of the potato to keep the skins strong.On the same parchment-lined baking sheet, line up the skins and top them with the bacon pieces and the vegan cheddar shreds. Pop the potato skins back in the oven for about 15 minutes or until they're nice and crispy and the cheese has fully melted.
- Garnish and serve. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool for about 5 minutes or so. Them, drizzle with malt vinegar aioli and top with sliced green onions before serving.
