Description
This Mexican Potato Skins recipe features crispy baked baby Yukon potatoes loaded with seasoned beef, cheddar cheese, and fresh toppings like black olives, diced Roma tomatoes, and green onions. Finished under the broiler for a perfect golden crisp, these flavorful potato skins make a delicious appetizer or party snack that’s easy to prepare and sure to please a crowd.
Ingredients
Scale
Potatoes
- 3 pounds baby Yukon potatoes (about 12)
Butter and Seasoning
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Coarse sea salt, to taste
Fillings and Toppings
- 1/3 cup cooked beef crumbles (taco seasoned)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup black olives, finely diced
- 1 Roma tomato, finely diced
- 1/4 cup green onions, sliced (including green tops)
- Sour cream (optional)
- Salsa (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Potatoes: Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Clean the baby Yukon potatoes thoroughly and pierce each potato several times with a fork to allow steam to escape during baking.
- Bake the Potatoes: Place the potatoes directly on the middle oven rack and bake for 35-45 minutes until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes until they are cool enough to handle.
- Preheat the Broiler: Set your oven broiler to 500°F (260°C) or the highest setting to prepare for crisping the potato skins.
- Prepare the Potato Skins: Slice each potato lengthwise in half. Carefully scoop out the inner flesh from each half, leaving a thin layer of potato close to the skin to ensure sturdiness. Save the scooped-out potato flesh for another use, such as mashed potatoes.
- Butter and Crisp the Skins: Brush both sides of each potato skin with the melted butter and sprinkle generously with coarse sea salt. Place the skins cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet and broil for 6-7 minutes, watching closely until the skins turn golden and crispy but do not burn.
- Add the Fillings: Turn the potato skins cut-side up and fill each with a spoonful of taco-seasoned beef crumbles. Top evenly with shredded cheddar cheese. Return the skins to the broiler for another 4-5 minutes until the cheese melts fully and starts turning golden.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from the broiler and sprinkle the potato skins with diced black olives, diced Roma tomato, and sliced green onions. Optionally, add dollops of sour cream and salsa on top. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Be careful not to burn the potato skins when broiling; keep a close eye as they can brown quickly.
- Taco seasoning can be homemade or store-bought for the beef crumbles.
- The scooped out potato can be reserved for mashed potatoes or another recipe to reduce waste.
- For extra crispiness, you can broil the skins a bit longer if needed but watch carefully.
- Optional toppings like sour cream and salsa add creaminess and a fresh kick, but can be omitted for a lighter snack.
