The Best Stuffed Potato Skins with Sour Cream & Bacon

It’s that time of year again: the Big Game is right around the corner! This has been a strange season for every sport, but one thing hasn’t changed – I always feel that fun, indulgent, football food is one of the key elements of any game day! I created this amazing recipe, perfect for any game day party, using one of my favorite ingredients: tangy Hood Sour Cream (sponsored). This is an amazing dish to snack on for the Big Game, or any game! Get ready to treat your tastebuds to The Best Stuffed Potato Skins, with Sour Cream & Bacon!

This year is a bit different. Because of COVID restrictions, we can’t host a big to-do. Still, as you might guess, that won’t stop me from cooking enough appetizers for an army! When I sit down with my husband & boys to watch the action, we will be ready to chow down on these crispy sour cream & onion oven stuffed baked potato skins!

Why use Hood Sour Cream for this gourmet potato skins recipe?

Seriously, it’s the best! I grew up in Boston, and we always loved Hood Sour Cream. This New England staple has been a consistently delicious part of my life as long as I can remember. Smooth & tangy, this sour cream adds the perfect touch of richness to any dish. In this recipe, I used Hood Sour Cream both within the potato itself, and also as a creamy topper on these loaded baked potato bites, along with spring onions and bacon. I really like knowing that they source their milk from local dairy farms, and their ingredients are super-simple: pasteurized cream & enzymes. That’s it. That’s why the iconic taste has stayed the same through the years, and it’s a flavor that I know and love!

How do you make potato skins from scratch?

I was shocked at how simple these tangy sour cream filled appetizers were to make! About 10 medium russet potatoes, you’ll get more than enough potato skins for a family of 5. Simply wash, oil, fork prick, & oil your potatoes, then pop them on a baking tray and roast in a hot oven. Don’t have time for baking? Use the microwave to save time! There’s no shame here!

Once perfectly cooked, the insides of the potatoes are scooped out and pushed through a potato ricer. I mixed them with Hood Sour Cream, scallion, onion, and a bit of butter to create an ultra smooth & rich mashed potato. The leftover potato skins are roasted in the oven for a few minutes to get nice & crispy, and then we stuff them with the decadent mashed potato mixture. Topped with cheese, bacon and even more sour cream, this is an amazing gluten-free hot potato appetizer.

Do I really need a potato ricer for smooth mashed potatoes?

If you don’t own a potato ricer, no worries. A hand held potato masher will definitely work. BUT… a potato ricer is truly the key to get the smoothest, fluffiest, more drool-worthy mashed potatoes! A snap to use, and a fool proof way to get mashed potatoes your family will rave about, all you do is place already-cooked potatoes into this handy gadget, and squeeze. Sort of like a giant garlic press, or an old school play-dough extruder, the potatoes are forced through dozens of small holes and come out already broken down and fluffy! Add some sour cream & butter to the bowl, stir well and you’ll get heavenly mashed potatoes!

What else should I serve at my Game Day party?

I feel like this one day where I really like to indulge, and the sky’s the limit! I like to have a few hot and cold appetizers on hand for easy game day snacking. Classic Fresh Guacamole and Salsa is a must, as well as a Crispy Eggplant Caprese Salad. I like to also serve these delicious Zesty Tacos with Cilantro Lime Crema, and then serve it with cocktails. In the past, I’ve shaken up a cool & spicy Cucumber Jalapeño Margarita to sip on, but cold Frozen Melonball Cocktails are always a hit!

Of course, this year the focus point (other than the TV) will be these amazing double stuffed potato skins! If you’re looking for a hot appetizer recipe that uses potatoes and sour cream, my Stuffed Potato Skins are a winner! Don’t forget to top your potato skin starter with more creamy Hood Sour Cream, available in both tubs & in a handy squeeze bottle!

Be sure to find more Hood Sour Cream Recipes HERE!

More Recipes Using Sour Cream!

How To Make The Perfect Steak And Black Bean Nachos

Delicious and Quick Chicken Paprikash!

Double Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Easy Stuffed Potato Skins with Sour Cream & Bacon Recipe

(Sponsored by HP Hood)

makes about 14 skins

10 medium sized russet potatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

12 strips of thick cut bacon, cooked

4 scallions, green portions sliced thinly (plus more for garnish)

1 cup full fat Hood Sour Cream

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, or your favorite cheddar

kosher salt & ground black pepper

To Bake the Potatoes

Preheat your oven to 400F on the convection setting.

Reserve a large cookie or baking pan.

Wash your russet potatoes thoroughly and dry with a dish cloth. Using a fork, prick each potato several times around. This will let the potato release the pressure that builds up from its internal water steaming while baking. Place on the baking sheet.

Using one tablespoon of olive oil in a small bowl, coat the outside of each potato with you hands. Dip your fingers into the oil and rub around the potato, and then place back on the tray.

Reserve any leftover olive oil.

After oiling, sprinkle the potatoes generously with kosher salt. this will add flavor, and also help the skins get crispy!

Place in the hot oven and bake for about 50 minutes (longer if you are using a conventional, rather than convection, oven), or until a knife goes through the center of a potato easily.

Don’t turn the oven off yet!

Scoop the potatoes

While the potatoes bake, cook your bacon and slice the scallions.

After roasting, set the baking tray on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.

Next, reserve a large bowl, spoon, and if using, an old school potato masher.

After cooling a bit, use a sharp knife and cut the potatoes in half the long way. Take a large spoon and very carefully, scoop out the cooked potato into the large bowl. You want about 1/4 inch of potato left on the inside of the skins. Some skins will tear, but no worries! That’s why we cooked a few extra!

Crisping up the potato skins

Once the potatoes are all scooped, place the reserved potato skins face up on a baking tray. Brush the insides of each potato with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Flip them face down on the baking tray and pop back into the oven to roast for 5 minutes at the same temperature (400F)

Making the sour cream & scallion potato filling

Take another large bowl and ‘rice’ the cooked potatoes through a potato rice. You can mash with a potato masher as an alternative.

Next, melt your butter and add to the potatoes.

Now add the tangy sour cream, 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Mix thoroughly.

Add the sliced scallions and 3 pieces of cooked bacon, roughly chopped.

Mix completely and adjust the salt and pepper to taste.

To fill and finish

After the potato skins have crisped up, remove from the oven and place the pan on a cook rack.

Flip the skins over and fill each potato skin generously with the mashed potato filling, rounding the tops. Sprinkle with a bit of cheddar cheese and half a strip of bacon.

After filling, place back under the broiler on high, keeping an eye on the potatoes (and bacon) so they don’t burn. Everything is cooked – you just want to broil until the cheese is melted.

Remove from the broiler and place the finished stuffed pot skins on a large platter.

Garnish with a generous dollop of Hood Sour Cream and sliced scallions.

Print Recipe

5 from 22 votes

The Best Stuffed Potato Skins with Sour Cream & Bacon

It’s that time of year again: the Big Game is right around the corner! I created this amazing recipe, perfect for any game day party, using one of my favorite ingredients: tangy sour cream! I used sour cream both within the potato itself, and also as a creamy topper on these loaded baked potato bites, along with spring onions and bacon. Crispy potato skins, stuffed with a creamy-bacon-sour cream mix, these stuffed potato skins will be a hit!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Servings: 14 servings

Equipment

• potato ricer

Ingredients

• 10 medium sized russet potatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 12 strips of thick cut bacon cooked
• 4 scallions green portions sliced thinly (plus more for garnish)
• 1 cup full fat Hood Sour Cream
• 1/2 cup butter melted
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese or your favorite cheddar
• kosher salt & ground black pepper

Instructions

TO BAKE THE POTATOES

• Preheat your oven to 400F on the convection setting.
• Reserve a large cookie or baking pan.
• Wash your russet potatoes thoroughly and dry with a dish cloth. Using a fork, prick each potato several times around. This will let the potato release the pressure that builds up from its internal water steaming while baking. Place on the baking sheet.
• Using one tablespoon of olive oil in a small bowl, coat the outside of each potato with you hands. Dip your fingers into the oil and rub around the potato, and then place back on the tray.
• Reserve any leftover olive oil.
• After oiling, sprinkle the potatoes generously with kosher salt. this will add flavor, and also help the skins get crispy!
• Place in the hot oven and bake for about 50 minutes (longer if you are using a conventional, rather than convection, oven), or until a knife goes through the center of a potato easily.
• Don’t turn the oven off yet!

SCOOP THE POTATOES

• While the potatoes bake, cook your bacon and slice the scallions.
• After roasting, set the baking tray on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.
• Next, reserve a large bowl, spoon, and if using, an old school potato masher.
• After cooling a bit, use a sharp knife and cut the potatoes in half the long way. Take a large spoon and very carefully, scoop out the cooked potato into the large bowl. You want about 1/4 inch of potato left on the inside of the skins. Some skins will tear, but no worries! That’s why we cooked a few extra!

CRISPING UP THE POTATO SKINS

• Once the potatoes are all scooped, place the reserved potato skins face up on a baking tray. Brush the insides of each potato with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
• Flip them face down on the baking tray and pop back into the oven to roast for 5 minutes at the same temperature (400F).

MAKING THE SOUR CREAM & SCALLION POTATO FILLING

• Take another large bowl and ‘rice’ the cooked potatoes through a potato rice. You can mash with a potato masher as an alternative.
• Next, melt your butter and add to the potatoes.
• Now add the tangy sour cream, 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Mix thoroughly.
• Add the sliced scallions and 3 pieces of cooked bacon, roughly chopped.
• Mix completely and adjust the salt and pepper to taste.

TO FILL AND FINISH

• After the potato skins have crisped up, remove from the oven and place the pan on a cook rack.
• Flip the skins over and fill each potato skin generously with the mashed potato filling, rounding the tops. Sprinkle with a bit of cheddar cheese and half a strip of bacon.
• After filling, place back under the broiler on high, keeping an eye on the potatoes (and bacon) so they don’t burn. Everything is cooked – you just want to broil until the cheese is melted.
• Remove from the broiler and place the finished stuffed pot skins on a large platter.
• Garnish with a generous dollop of Hood Sour Cream and sliced scallions.