Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes – crispy potato skins packed with creamy, cheesy mashed potatoes with sour cream, bacon, cheddar cheese and green onions. Faster than oven-baked!
Twice baked potatoes are often reserved for fancy dinners, but Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes are so quick and easy you can enjoy them anytime!
The skins are obviously edible but let’s face it – the best part of a Twice Baked Potato is what’s inside – creamy mashed potato with melty cheese, crispy bacon, sour cream and a sprinkle of green onions.
What I love about baked potatoes in the air fryer:
Ingredients needed to make Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes:
- Air fryer
- tongs
For the Baked Potatoes:
- russet potatoes
- olive oil
- salt
Loaded Filling:
- butter
- sour cream
- shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- salt and black pepper
- milk, half and half or heavy cream (use what you have on hand)
- crispy cooked bacon or bacon bits
- thinly sliced green onions
How to make Air Fryer Baked Potatoes:
Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees. Give the potatoes a good scrub and dry really well with a paper towel. Poke holes in the potatoes using a fork or sharp knife then rub with olive oil all and a sprinkle of salt.
Place the potatoes in the air fryer and cook for 35 minutes or until fork tender and soft to the touch when gently squeezed. Turn the potatoes over halfway through the cooking time. NOTE: (cook times will vary with the size of your air fryer and potatoes).
Transfer cooked potatoes to a wire rack or baking sheet when they’re finished cooking for about 5 minutes or until they’re cool enough to handle.
How to make Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes:
Cut cooked potatoes lengthwise and carefully scoop out the potato insides leaving a thin layer of potato border (1/8 to 1/4″).
Place butter in a medium bowl then add the scooped potato over the butter allowing it to melt.
Add sour cream, salt, pepper and milk (slowly to desired consistency) blending until smooth using a potato masher or hand mixer. TIP: don’t overmix – you’re looking for a nice creamy consistency.
Stir in 3/4 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese and most of the cooked bacon pieces. Fill the potato shells and top with the remaining additional cheese and bacon. Return to the air fryer basket for 3-4 minutes or until the cheese is melty.
Garnish with thinly sliced green onions (and *optional* another dollop of sour cream) then serve right away.
Storage and reheating:
Cool completely then store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days. Reheat slowly in the microwave until heated through.
Best main dishes with Twice Baked Potatoes:
Twice baked potatoes are the perfect addition to any meal and an easy side dish to practically everything. They also make a great main dish or pair with some easy recipes below:
Grilled Flank Steak – tender, juicy and loaded with flavor every time! Grills in under 10 minutes!
Juiciest Grilled Bone-In BBQ Chicken – the secret to grilling JUICY bone-in chicken in 5 easy steps.
Grilled Spicy BBQ Chicken Wings – dry rubbed, grilled, tossed in spicy Jack Daniels BBQ sauce.
Air Fryer Parmesan Chicken Breasts – crispy parmesan cheese breading, juicy white meat inside.
Think outside the box – pair your twice baked potatoes with Creamy Tomato or my family’s favorite Broccoli Cheddar Soup.
Tips and FAQ:
How do you reheat twice baked potatoes in an air fryer? Preheat the air fryer to 350°. Remove cold toppings (like sour cream). Add a little extra cheese then air fry 4-5 minutes until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are warm.
How long do potatoes take to cook in an air fryer? The average size russet will air fry in 30-35 minutes at 400°. Times vary with air fryers and the exact size of the potatoes. Cook until they can easily be pierced with a fork. Undercooked potatoes are tough to mash.
Why are my twice baked potatoes gummy? Overmixing the mashed potato mixture can cause them to be gummy.
Subs and variations to this recipe:
- Use russet potatoes. You won’t get the same delicious results from other potatoes.
- Plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream.
- Precooked bacon bits for a quick sub instead of frying your own bacon.
- Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, onion powder or paprika into the mashed potato mixture.
- Blue cheese in place of cheddar cheese.
- Chives instead of green onions.
- Sweet potatoes instead of russet potatoes.
More popular air fryer recipes:
“Fried” Oreos – warm Oreo cookies wrapped in dough, air fried until golden then dusted with powdered sugar. Whip up this simple fair favorite at home without oil.
Crispy Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower – Boldly delicious air fried in minutes! Easy, healthy perfect appetizer or side dish.
Quick and Easy Butternut Squash – delicious healthy side dish from minimal ingredients. Air fries way faster than oven roasting!
The Best Homemade French Fries – hand cut, fresh potato French fries air fried crisp outside, fluffy potatoes inside.
Ready to make this Air Fryer Twice Baked Potato recipe?
The full recipe is in the recipe card below. Enjoy!
Easy Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes
Equipment
- Air fryer
Ingredients
For the Potatoes:
- 2 russet potatoes
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 sprinkle salt
For the Filling:
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 pinch black pepper or to taste
- 1/4 cup milk, half and half or heavy cream use whatever you have on hand
- 2 slices bacon cooked to crisp or bacon bits
- 1-2 green onions very thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees.
- Wash and dry the potatoes well. Poke holes in the potatoes using a fork or sharp knife then rub with olive oil all and a sprinkle of salt (some of the salt will stick, some won’t).
- Place the potatoes in the air fryer and cook 30-35 minutes or until fork tender and soft to the touch when gently squeezed. Turn the potatoes over halfway through the cooking time.
- Transfer the cooked potatoes to a wire rack or baking sheet for about 5 minutes or until they’re cool enough to handle.
- While the potatoes are cooking, cook the bacon until crisp (skip this step if you’re using packaged bacon bits) then drain and chop or crumble.
- Cut the cooked potatoes lengthwise and carefully scoop out the inside flesh (I like to use a teaspoon) leaving a thin layer of potato border (about a 1/4″).
- Place the butter in a medium bowl then add the scooped potato over the butter allowing it to melt.
- Add sour cream, salt, pepper and milk (add slowly to desired consistency) to the scooped potato mixture, blending until smooth using a potato masher or hand mixer. NOTE: don’t overmix or they may be gluey or gummy. You’re looking for a nice creamy consistency.
- Add 3/4 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese and most of the cooked bacon pieces to the mashed potato filling stirring by hand until it’s incorporated.
- Fill the potato shells, top with the remaining cheese and bacon then return to the air fryer basket for 4-5 minutes or until the cheese is melty. Garnish with sliced green onions and *optional* another dollop of sour cream) then serve right away.
Did you make this recipe?
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