This Post May Contain Affiliate Links. Please Read Our Disclosure Policy.
When I was little, my family went to TGI Friday’s often due to my sheer adoration of the “broccoli cheese”, making it for don’t-know-what-else-to-get weeknights, as well as birthdays, completely with a balloon tied to the back of the chair, and post-dance recital celebrations. But perhaps more than the broccoli cheese soup, my memories are of the potato skins–crisp and crunchy, topped with melty cheesy and salty bacon, dunked into cool sour cream laden with sweet green onions that lent a lightening taste of the garden.
So now, twenty years later, I still crave those little crispy boats whenever any football-related event begs for junk food. The only problem is that deep frying potatoes and layering them with butter, cheese, bacon, and sour cream makes them anything but healthy.. and certainly anything but vegan. But that doesn’t keep me from indulging! Except, of course, making them my way.
Instead of swapping out every animal product with a processed vegan alternative, I decided to opt for a rich and creamy topping that’s full of flavor and festivity–guacamole. Everything is better with guacamole, as we all well know, and potato skins are most certainly included! You know what else makes everything better? Ranch dressing. And this vegan recipe does not disappoint. So while you wouldn’t mistake these bad boys for their bar food originals, you might just prefer them to their less-than-healthy counterparts. Why?
The skins are crisp and buttery and crunchy and a bit earthy, which makes for the perfect potatoey bed for the guacamole–creamy and rich and tart and spicy and smoky, it might just be the best guacamole you’ve had. Topped with a thin slice of fresh jalapeño and a sprig of cilantro, dipped in a cool, herbaceous vegan ranch, these guacamole potato skins are fit for company but simple enough to make for Sunday afternoon football, like O and I made for the atrocious Titans vs. Browns game.
And seriously, if there’s any team that can blow such a huge lead, it’s the Titans. I’ve threatened divorcing them for a shinier, less-losing of a team, like the Seahawks, for a while now. I mean, hey, my paternal family is from Seattle and said family has been keeping us in the Seahawks merch loop for decades now (though the Seahawks green in the 90s was not quite so um… fancy). That counts, right? I also have a painful crush (though I can determine whether it’s a friend crush, a bodyguard crush, or a crush-crush) on Richard Sherman, of which O is fully aware.. and I think pretty approving. Then again, he paid quite a lot to get Marshawn Lynch on his fantasy team, and the boy doesn’t disappoint. Does this mean I’m officially adopting the Seahawks? Maybe… just maybe.
Make these.
………..Go Hawks!
Vegan Guacamole Potato Skins
Ingredients
Potato Skins
- 5-6 small Russet potatoes , about 3" long
- 2-3 tablespoons Earth Balance (vegan butter), melted
- 1 tbsp Kosher salt
- 1 tbsp Freshly cracked black pepper
Guacamole
- 3 ripe avocados halved, seeded, and flesh scooped out
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- ½ medium onion diced
- ½ jalapeno pepper seeded and minced
- 2 Roma tomatoes seeded and diced
- 1 tablespoon cilantro chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 green onions sliced thin
- 1 jalapeño sliced thin, optional, for garnish
- 1 fresh cilantro chopped, optional, for garnish
- ¼ teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup almond milk unsweetened, unflavored
- 1-2 cloves garlic peeled, smashed, and minced
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt to taste
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives chopped
- 1 cup Just Mayo vegan mayonnaise
- ½ cup Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream
- ½ teaspoon white vinegar
- Fresh dill to taste, optional
- Cayenne pepper to taste, optional
- Paprika to taste, optional
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make ranch dressing: Make the "buttermilk": pour lemon juice into a measuring cup then fill to 1/4 cup level with almond milk. Set aside and allow to curdle, about 10 minutes.
- On a cutting board, sprinkle some kosher salt on the minced garlic cloves and then, with the back of a fork, begin to smush and mash the garlic and salt into a paste. Combine garlic-salt paste, parsley, chives, Just Mayo vegan mayonnaise, and Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream in a medium bowl; whisk until smooth. Add "buttermilk" mixture, as necessary to thin to desired consistency. When desired consistency is reached, add a couple drops of white vinegar and any other additional ingredients, as desired. Taste and correct seasonings, adding more salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Chill in the refrigerator and allow flavors to meld while you make the potato skins.
- Make the potato skins: Preheat oven to 400ºF. Wash potatoes well and pierce all over with fork. Place potatoes directly on middle oven rack and bake until skins are crisp and a knife or fork pierces the potatoes easily, about 50 minutes. Meanwhile, make guacamole.
- In a large bowl combine the avocado meat and lime juice and toss to coat. Drain the lime juice off and reserve in a small bowl. Add smoked paprika, salt, cumin, and cayenne and mash with a potato masher, leaving some chunks for texture. Fold in the onions, jalapeño, tomatoes, cilantro, garlic, and 1 tablespoon of the reserved lime juice. Set aside while you finish the potatoes.
- Once the potatoes are ready, remove and let cool about 10 minutes on a wire rack, or until the potatoes can be handled. Set oven to broil.
- Slice each potato in half, lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh, leaving about 1/4" of the flesh intact. Reserve the potato flesh for another use, like my tarragon mashed potato soup! Using a pastry brush, brush the insides of the potatoes with the melted butter and season well with salt and pepper. Turn the potatoes over and brush the skin sides with butter, and again season well with salt and pepper. Place potato halves skin-side up on a baking sheet and broil 'til the skin begin to brown and crisp, about 2 - 3 minutes (watch carefully so they don't burn!). Flip skins over and broil another 2 - 3 minutes, or until beginning to brown and crisp.
- Remove potato skins from oven and place on serving platter. Spoon dollops of guacamole on the potato skins and garnish with sliced green onions, sliced jalapeños, and chopped cilantro. Serve with ranch dressing immediately.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tag @40aprons on Instagram and be sure to leave a review on the blog post!
Never Miss A Meal!
New Recipes Straight To Your Inbox
A curated selection of our most recent recipes, delivered straight to your inbox once a week.
Leave A Review
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
These look crazy good! Perfect for a game day!
Thanks Anna! Agreed!
Hell to the yes! These would be gone in 60 seconds in my house. Come to mama!
Haha, I love your comments!! Hell to the yes! 😀 Thanks Meredith
I’ve also got potato skin associations with TGI Fridays! When I became vegetarian I used to order them without the bacon bits, until I learned they’re pre-made and all they were doing was half heartedly picking off the bacon bits in the kitchen. These look so much better! Baked instead of fried, guacamole topped, and that ranch sauce? Amazing! Thanks for the recipe, these will be in mah belly real soon!
Oh yuck, that’s so annoying! I hate to admit that I went to TGi Friday’s with my mom recently for some reason and we had to order a batch sans bacon.. and they literally don’t even use actual cheese now. It’s some weird cheese product.. horrendous! These are so much better.. if I do say so myself 😀
Oh Cheryl… I DO remember the TGI Friday’s potato skins. My dad used to take us there all the time and their skins were always on my agenda! I haven’t had them in a very long time, but your recipe sure brought back some good, fun memories! Brushing both sids with butter and crisping them up in the oven is a perfect way to avoid the fryer and stuffing them with delicious guac sounds quite tasty! Then to finish them with that ranch… Oh, be still my heart!
I got a good chuckle out of your swooning over some specific Hawks! Perhaps you can offer Richard a potato skin or two?? Would O mind? There’s always a sea of green and blue around these parts, even flags flying on houses and atop our beloved Space Needle. You’d love the spirit found here among the fans! The energy is electrifying and exciting… although I am not a football fan. But, I think that these skins could easily turn me into one! hehe. Beautiful, beautiful photography, Cheryl.
Oh do NOT even tease me with daydreams of Richard eating my potato skins, that is not fair, Traci! That is too funny about the sea of green and blue. I remember even just a few years ago, people hid their fandom with severe shame! Ha! I’m a ridiculous sports fan, I don’t even understand it, but then again my dad called me “my little boy” when he was hugging me after we built the coffeetable. I was like, yeah.. thanks.
Tomboy pride!
LOL..!! Richard… oh Richard!! 😀
Ohhhh these look pretty amazing! I love your twist on one of my favorite “junk” foods. These look even better than the fried bacon loaded kind 🙂
Thanks Lindsay! I feel pretty confident in saying they truly were! Packed full of flavor and so *so* much healthier
Ummmmm…. why did I do this to myself. Here I am still half an hour from my lunch break and I decide to browse your site. Worst idea ever! Now I am STARVING!!! These look so incredibly delicious, and that’s coming from a girl who doesn’t even like potatoes that much. Everything IS better with guacamole!
I honestly don’t like potatoes that much, either! Fried cubed potatoes are like the worst side dish, ever. But these were delish! 🙂
Yes! High five for vegans who don’t like potatoes!
these look incredible! and I love your photography!
Thanks so much Manali!
Such a fabulous substitute for fried potato skins! Loooooove this version girl!
Thanks Katrina! 🙂
These guacamole potato skins sound all kinds of amazing!! And you are so right, guacamole does make everything taste better 🙂 Cannot wait to try! Pinned!
Yes, and this is how I feel every time I go to Moe’s…
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bu27ursCYAAFfMw.jpg:large
Ha!
I’ve never actually had a potato skin but these just look so darn good that I need to try them! Looking for appetizer recipes for this weekend (it’s Canadian thanksgiving), so I’m going to put the ingredients for these beauties on my grocery list. Thanks for the great party-friendly recipe!!!
Yay! I hope you make them and love them, although I’m a bit late on the reply 🙂 I figure potato skins are something of a bizarre American habit. Frying the skin of a potato and covering them with cheese and bacon.. very American, non? But these were a lovely, much healthier version that were simply packed with flavor. Thanks Allison!