Crispy potato skins, creamy mashed potato filling, taco meat. (optional), and cheese.. doesn’t get much better than that! Busy weeknights meet their match with these twice baked potatoes. Made in the oven, or even quicker in the air fryer, these potatoes make a great healthy lunch, dinner, or side dish and can be made vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and high protein! Were putting a fun taco spin on them today, but you can always make them like the classic as well!
I am a sucker for a potato, in any form – baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, smashed potatoes, potato salad, german potato salad, grilled potatoes, roasted potatoes with whipped feta.. you get the point. But, twice baked potatoes may top my list. They are just way more fun, look a little fancier, are so versatile, and packed with flavor!
Most twice baked potatoes are made with sour cream and cheese, but some of us cannot have dairy. So the great part about these potatoes, is that they can be made without dairy, sour cream, or cheese. The products you use are totally up to you – they are so versatile!
I love fiesta potatoes and Mexican potatoes, so I knew I wanted to put a fun taco spin on the classic twice baked potato. This version has taco meat mixed into mashed potato filling and at the end, they’re topped with dairy-free sour cream, salsa, and fresh cilantro!
Don’t want to make these with a taco spin? Simply skip the taco meat part. You can instead add in cooked bacon crumbles, green onions, caramelized onions, etc.
Why you’ll love these air fryer twice baked potatoes
- Potatoes are filling, inexpensive and delicious.
- They make an amazing side dish, main course, or quick and delicious lunch!
- They can be made with an airy fryer or in the oven.
- Twice baked potatoes can be made dairy free, gluten free, and grain free!
- They are quick and easy, making the perfect busy weeknight meal.
- They can be meal-prepped and frozen.
- They’re versatile, so you can make them in all sorts of variations/with different mix-ins.
How to make Air Fryer twice baked potatoes
The first step in making twice baked potatoes is to bake the potatoes. You can bake them in the oven, microwave, or air fryer. I personally like to bake mine in the air fryer oven as it is quicker, and then use them to make twice baked potatoes.
Make the taco filling while your potatoes are cooking. You can use ground chicken, tofu, tempeh, or ground beef. Simply cook your protein with some taco seasoning and some diced onion.
Once you have baked potatoes, cut them in half, then scoop out the insides, leaving about 1/4″ around the insides. This will leave a “house” for re-stuffing the potatoes and ensure they’ll hold together and keep their shape. You want to leave the potato skin intact, as it will make a crispy shell for the filling.
Next, we add the fun stuff! After you’ve scooped out all of the potato fillings into a bowl, you’ll add the dairy-free (or regular) sour cream, seasonings, and cheese, and mash it all up with a fork or potato masher. It’s okay if there are a few lumps! Then the taco filling is mixed in. I like to do this with a fork. Taste the mixture and adjust as necessary!
Once the mashed potato filling is creamy and mixed well, scoop it back into the potato shells, pressing it in. It may seem like it’s made a lot extra, but that’s okay! They can be over stuffed. I like to use my fork to pack the mixture down into the bottom of the potatoes and continue adding it in. Then they are ready to cook!
Cooking Twice Baked Potatoes in the Air Fryer
It’s important not to crowd your potatoes when using an air fryer. Some will allow 3-4 potatoes and others may only hold 2. Plan accordingly! I have an Our Place oven that I LOVE and i’m able to get 3 larger potatoes and 4 smaller ones.
When the potatoes are stuffed and ready to cook, add them to your air fryer & cook at 400F for 8-10 minutes. It will cook the shells and heat the filling. You can add more cheese after the 8 minute mark and cook another two minutes or so, to allow the cheese to get melty. When ready, you’ll have the most delicious crispy potato shells filled with creamy, hearty, mashed potatoes, topped with cheese!
Cooking the taco Twice Baked Potatoes in the Oven
You can bake twice baked potatoes in the oven at 350F for 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes mark, add the cheese on top and bake for another 5 or so minutes. Airy fryer twice baked potatoes are a little faster, but they will taste just as good out of the oven!
Make Ahead Twice Baked Potatoes
If I know i’m going to have a busy week, I love prepping these potatoes on the weekend and storing them in the fridge to be popped in the oven and reheat. These are great prepared ahead of time! Healthy dinners don’t have to be difficult or time consuming!
tips for making air fryer twice baked potatoes
- To ensure they cook evenly, make sure to buy potatoes that are similar in size!
- Don’t wait too long before mixing the filling. If your filling is gummy instead of fluffy, you may have waited too long to mix your filling. To keep the filling nice and fluffy, mix in the sour cream and other ingredients while the potatoes are still hot. You can also use a mixer instead of a potato masher to help aerate the filling.
- Switch up your cheese! You can use feta, shredded cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, Swiss cheese, or even parmesan cheese. I like to add 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast into the potato filling for vegan cheesy vibe, but this is totally optional!
- Mix up the potato filling! You can add things like sliced jalapeños, caramelized onions, red pepper flakes, etc.!
- Clean your potatoes before using! Scrub the potatoes skins before you use them, as the skin is edible. Pat them dry and then use!
faq’s
Can you make vegan twice baked potatoes?
Yes! Simply use tempeh or scrambled tofu as your taco meat and opt for dairy-free/vegan versions of sour cream and cheese.
How do I store leftovers?
Store leftover potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Can I freeze twice baked potatoes?
Yes! Once they’ve cooled to room temperature, wrap your cooked potatoes tightly in saran wrap or foil and transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
How long do you reheat a twice baked potato in an air fryer?
To reheat the potatoes, add them to the air fryer and air fry for 5 to 10 minutes at 350 F or until they are heated throughout. Alternatively, you can heat them in the oven on the same setting, but it may take longer for them to heat through. You can add additional cheese and toppings!
What should I serve with twice baked potatoes?
These tasty potatoes make a great complement to almost any main dish. I love serving regular baked potatoes with soups, like my broccoli pesto soup. However, these taco baked potatoes can be eaten as a main course, especially if you use chicken or another source of protein in the filling!
They’re great paired with my white bean chili or you could even leave out the potatoes in this tofu scramble breakfast bowl and have a twice baked potato on the side instead!
More healthy lunch & dinner to try
- Breakfast stuffed peppers (high protein)
- Sweetgreen crispy rice bowl
- Roasted broccoli miso caesar salad with crispy quinoa
- Vegan broccoli cheese soup
- Roasted greek potatoes with whipped feta (dairy-free options)
- French onion spaghetti squash boats
- Roasted veggies with garlic tahini yogurt
- Copycat Bitchin’ Sauce
Air Fryer Taco Twice Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 medium-large russet potatoes, similar in size
Potato Filling
- 1/2 lb ground chicken or beef or 1 block tofu or tempeh
- 1/2 small yellow onion
- 1 large bell pepper or two smaller ones
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning *I like Siete Brand
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup dairy-free or regular sour cream or plain greek yogurt *I use vegan sour cream. Forager & Kite Hill are both great!
- 2 tbsp cashew milk *or any milk of choice
- 1/2 cup vegan or regular shredded cheddar cheese *I like VioLife for dairy-free option!
Toppings
- Sour cream, salsa, guacamole, fresh cilantro, etc.
Instructions
Oven option
- If using an oven, preheat to 400F. Scrub your potatoes really well and pat dry. Use a fork to poke holes around each potato. Place on a parchment or foil lined baking sheet. Bake for 45-50 minutes until cooked through.
- Make the taco filling: While the potatoes are baking, make the taco meat. You can use ground chicken, beef, or tofu or tempeh for a plant-based option. Add 1 tbsp of oil to your pan over medium heat and add the meat. If using tofu or tempeh, crumble it in your pan to resemble ground meat.
- Once the meat has started to brow, add the chopped onions and peppers, stirring to combine. Cook for 5 or so minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat is browned and the onions are softened.
- Add the taco seasoning and water and stir well. Once bubbling, reduce the heat to med-low and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Once it's thickened, remove from heat.
- Once the potatoes are done, remove from the oven and let cool for 10 or so minutes, until they're cool enough to touch. Keep the oven on. Note: Don't wait too long though, as the filling can become gummy if you let them cool too long.
- Slice a slit into the top of each potato and remove the skin from the slit. Use a spoon to remove the filling from the potato, being sure to leave about 1/4" thick border around the shell so the potatoes stay in tact, and place it into a large bowl.
- After all of the potato fillings are in the bowl, add the sour cream and seasoning. Use a fork or potato masher to mash well. Then fold in the taco meat and cheese. Once mixed well, scoop the filling back into the potato shells. You'll want to carefully pack it in. It may seem like there's too much, but it's okay if they're overflowing a bit!
- Place back in the oven for 10 minutes. Then add a little cheese to the top of each one and bake another 5-10 minutes until it's melty. Serve immediately!
Air fryer option
- Note: ALL air fryers cook differently. So if your potatoes need a few extra/less minutes, adjust! Follow the steps above to prep your potatoes. Then add to your air fryer oven or basket and bake at 400 F for 35 to 40 minutes, until they are fork tender.
- Follow the same steps above to make the taco filling and prep the potatoes the same way.
- When ready to bake them for the second time, place them back in your air fryer and cook at 350 F for an additional 2-3 minutes. Top with cheese and cook another 1-2 minutes or until it's melty. Enjoy!
