“I’m actually just going to order a couple of appetizers instead of an entrée, but can they come out when everybody else’s food does, please?” Raise your hand if you’ve done that. I’m excited for you to dig deeper into my TGI Fridays Potato skins recipe.
Because especially at a place like TGI Fridays, that is a perfectly reasonable decision. Try it. You’ll get to feel like a total rebel against menu placement, and also it’s delicious.
And how many times has your table ordered an appetizer sampler (TGI Fridays calls it the “classic combo” on their menu if you’re looking for it) and watched the potato skins disappear first?
When you were young, did you think the skin of a baked potato was sort of like an apple core? Attached to the food part, but not really edible. Somewhere along the way, it turned out that we were correct about apple cores, but potato skins can be delicious. And then TGI Fridays taught us that to use them to their full potential, they should be treated as vessels for cheese and bacon. What could be better than that?
How to Make TGI Fridays Potato Skins
These potato skins make a very special treat for a family celebration dinner, and they’re great for a party or football night. This recipe doubles or even triples easily, making it a great choice for a crowd. And there are a ton of variations you can play with—some suggestions are offered after the recipe.
Little crispy, potato-y cheesy, bacon-y boats of deliciousness. Yes, please.
Directions
- Bake Potatoes: Start by baking russet potatoes until tender.
- Prepare Skins: Once cooled, cut them in half and scoop out most of the flesh, leaving a small layer inside the skin.
- Butter Application: Brush the inside and outside of the skins with melted butter.
- Crisp Up: Bake again until they’re crispy.
- Cheese and Bacon Topping: Sprinkle shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese, along with crumbled bacon, inside the skins.
- Final Bake: Bake until the cheese melts.
- Serve and Enjoy: Serve these delicious potato skins with sour cream and chopped green onions for a classic appetizer experience.
Ingredients
Russet Potatoes: These are the base of the dish. Russet potatoes are ideal for their size and texture, making them perfect for creating potato skins.
Olive Oil: Used to rub the potatoes before baking, which helps in crisping the skin.
Melted Butter: Applied to the scooped-out potato skins before the final baking, adding flavor and aiding in crisping the skin.
Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Provides a rich and tangy flavor when melted over the potato skins.
Mozzarella: Adds a creamy texture and mild flavor to the potato skins.
Fried Bacon: Offers a crispy, savory element that complements the cheese and potato.
Salt and Pepper: Used for seasoning the potatoes before baking.
Sour Cream: Served as a dip or topping, adding a cool and creamy contrast to the warm and crispy potato skins.
Chopped Green Onion (for serving): Adds a fresh and slightly sharp flavor, enhancing the overall taste and presentation.
TGI Friday’s Potato Skins Recipe
Course: AppetizersCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutes1
hour25
minutesIf only every day allowed me to have these copycat TGI Fridays potato skins then I’d be a happy lady. It’s almost impossible to stay away from ordering this recipe.
Ingredients
4 small 4 russet potatoes
1 tablespoon 1 of olive oil
1 tablespoon 1 of melted butter
1/2 cup 1/2 sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 cup 1/4 mozzarella, shredded
1/2 cup 1/2 fried bacon, crumbled
Salt and pepper
- To serve:
1 cup 1 sour cream
1 chopped green onion
Directions
- Bake the potatoes:
- Preheat your oven to 425
- Scrub the potatoes thoroughly, and allow them to dry
- Pierce each potato 4-5 time with a fork
- Rub potatoes with olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper to taste
- Bake on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper for 1 hour
- Allow the potatoes to cool
- When potatoes are cooled:
- Set your oven to 375.
- Cut each potato in half lengthwise.
- Using a spoon, gently scoop out most (but not all) of the white inside from each potato. You should aim to leave about 1/4 inch in each skin. The rest of the scooped-out potato can be set aside and used for another dish.
- Melt the butter and brush the insides of the potato skins. Bake them hollow-side down for about 10 minutes.
- Remove the potatoes, brush the outside of the skins with butter, and gently turn them over (hollow-side up). Bake for another 15 minutes, or until the skin gets crispy and the edges start to brown.
- Sprinkle the cheese and bacon over the potato skins and return then to the oven for a few minutes until melted and bubbling.
- Serve with sour cream and green onion!
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Tips & Tricks
- Choosing Potatoes: I always go for russet potatoes. They’re the best for this recipe because their size and texture hold up well. Smaller or thinner-skinned potatoes just don’t keep their shape as nicely.
- Cheese Matters: It’s worth the extra few minutes to grate your own mozzarella and cheddar. I’ve found that pre-packaged shredded cheese, while convenient, isn’t as flavorful and can be pricier. Plus, it often has additives that affect how well it melts.
- Scooping Technique: Be careful when scooping out the potato. Leaving about a quarter-inch of potato flesh is crucial. It’s the support structure for your potato skins, so they don’t fall apart.
- Use the Leftovers: Don’t toss the scooped-out potato! It’s perfect for another dish. I like to have a plan for using it, maybe in a mash or a potato salad. If you’re not using it right away, it stores well in the fridge.
- Handling Large Potatoes: If your potatoes are on the larger side, slice them into thirds and use the middle section for something else. This keeps your potato skins from being too deep and hard to eat.
- Microwave Shortcut: If you’re short on time, you can start the potatoes in the microwave. Cook them for about 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally. They won’t be quite as crispy as oven-baked, but it’s a great time-saver.
- Prep Ahead: You can also prep these potato skins ahead of time. After crisping the skins, let them cool, then add your toppings and refrigerate. Just pop them in the oven when you’re ready to serve.
Variations
Spicy Tex-Mex potato skins: pile the skins with pepper jack and jalapenos, and serve with salsa
Pizza potato skins: fill the potato skins with mozzarella and chopped up pepperoni, and serve with marinara to dip in
Roasted garlic potato skins: about halfway through the initial potato-baking, throw a few whole heads of garlic into a shallow dish; trimmed, drizzled with olive oil, and bundled upright in foil. Roast them until the garlic is soft, spreadable and fragrant. Fill the potato skins with garlic, mozzarella, and parmesan and bake.
Or if you want to go the extra mile and really mimic TGI Fridays Potato Skins, the restaurant serves their potato skins with a ranch-flavored sour cream on the side. Simply use a powdered ranch salad seasoning mix, and mix into the sour cream a little bit at a time, tasting as you go, until you’re happy with the flavor.
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Conclusion
After making these TGI Friday’s Potato Skins in my kitchen, I’ve got to say, they’re an absolute game-changer for appetizer night. There’s something incredibly satisfying about transforming humble russet potatoes into these crispy, cheesy delights. The combination of sharp cheddar and creamy mozzarella, topped with that irresistible crunch of bacon, just takes it over the top. Whether it’s game day or a casual get-together, these potato skins never fail to impress my guests and leave me feeling like a kitchen rockstar!
These look like they’d be a huge hit at a party! Have a safe and healthy week.
These were a big hit!
Glad you liked them Gloria!
I’ve not tried these yet but will be tomorrow for my husband’s quarantine/lockdown party (all 5 of us!). Can you tell me where you buy Ranch Salad seasoning mix? I’m guessing like me, you are UK based?