Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes

this recipe!

Our favorite way to enjoy baked potoates is cooked in the air fryer! We recently discovered how easy twice-baked potatoes were to make in the air fryer and they are deeee-licious.

If you love creamy mashed potatoes, try my boursin cheese mashed potatoes next. Creamy herb and garlic cream cheese is mashed into the potatoes. Yum-my!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• it’s an easy side dish recipe that is always a crowd-pleaser.
• you can easily freeze them for later and pop them into the air fryer when you need a side dish for a meal.
• Air fryer twice baked potatoes are also versatile, as you can customize the filling with your favorite ingredients, such as bacon, chives, or sour cream.

What are twice baked potatoes?

Twice baked potatoes are a delicious side dish made by baking potatoes twice. First, the potatoes are baked until they become soft and tender. Then, the insides of the potatoes are scooped out and combined with other ingredients like cheese, and sour cream to make a flavorful filling. This filling is then placed back into the potato skins and baked again until the exterior is crispy and golden brown. They can be enjoyed as a comfort food or side dish for a fancy dinner.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Russet potatoes – we prefer Russet potatoes for this loaded baked potato recipe or you can also use Yukon gold potatoes as a substitute.
• Olive oil
• Butter – you can use salted or unsalted butter.
• Sour cream – we used full fat sour cream or you can substitute with low-fat sour cream.
• Cheddar cheese – you can use sharp or mild cheddar
• Bacon – you can substitute bacon bits for the home-cooked bacon.
• Salt & pepper
• Chives, parsley (optional)

Variations

For garlic mashed potato flavors, add one to two cloves of roasted garlic or 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder to the mixture.

Step by step instructions

You can find a full printable recipe card with instructions at the bottom of this page. I’ve lincluded some step by step photos to provide a visual aid for what to expect when making this recipe.

Scrub potatoes under cold running water then thoroughly dry with a towel.

Poke the top of the potato five or six times with a sharp paring knife.  Rub with oil and sprinkle all over with salt. ( I like to give them a sprinkle of pepper too).

Working with clean hands to rub the oil all over the potatoes is an easy way to ensure an even coverage, resulting in a nice crispy skin on the baked potatoes.

Add the potatoes to the air fryer basket, leaving space between them. We used the Ninja XL air fryer but you can use any brand. Cooking times may vary a little. 

Cook the potatoes in air fryer  at 400°F for 40 to 50 minutes, rotating after 30 minutes. Test them with a fork. The fork should easily slide through to the center.  Small potatoes will take less time and larger potatoes may take longer.

Once the potatoes are done cooking, place them on a cutting board and allow them to cool for five minutes. They’re going to be hot to handle!

Use a sharp knife to cut around the top of the potato, then peel off the layer of potato skin. Use a large spoon to scoop out the potato and place it in large bowl. Leave about a quarter of an inch of the potato in the potato skin.

Add the sour cream, cream, butter, salt, pepper and 3/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese to the potato mixture and mash with potato masher until well combined.

Taste and adjust the seasoning, then scoop the mashed potato filling back into the potatoes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Place the potatoes back in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry at 400°F for 5 to 7 minutes until heated through and cheese is melted.

Sprinkle with cooked bacon, a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of parsley, fresh chives or chopped green onions.

Storage, freezing & reheating instructions

Storage: Let the potatoes cool down completely to room temperature. Wrap the potatoes in plastic wrap or aluminum foil , or place them in an airtight container. Refrigerate for three to four days.

To reheat, place in single layer in air fryer for 5 to 10 minutes at 350°F.

Freezing: Wrap cooled potatoes in plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil or place in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months.

To reheat frozen twice baked potatoes,  I suggest about 25 to 27 minutes at about 360°F .