Potato Skin Burger
Potato skins serve as the buns for this juicy epic burger! A potato skin has everything you want on a burger already. Bacon, cheese, and sour cream! Well you probably didn’t know you wanted sour cream on your burger, but trust me when I say you do. These flavors come together in an amazing and unique way, and it’s even a great Gluten Free option for people to enjoy a burger.
The inspiration for this recipe
I once made a burger with essentially a french fry as the bun. It came out pretty good but it wasn’t as amazing as I had hoped. I recently was out with a friend and they came up with the idea of using potato skins as the buns of a burger and my brain just said yes! This is what I was supposed to do instead of fries! The thing about the skins is that there is a pocket area that the juices of the burger can get trapped and absorbed whereas on a french fry the juices just run right off onto your plate. Also it means lots of cheese bacon and sour cream.
Make the potato skin burger buns
I’m not an expert on potato skins but I am pretty particular when I make them. First I cook whole potatoes until they’re not quite completely done. Then I very carefully pull out the centers and try and scrape pretty close to the skin. Too much actual potato on a potato skin can be a real bummer. There is a very fine line though because if you break all the way through it isn’t going to work as your burger bun. You might want to have an extra potato on hand in case you mess one up.
Then I flip them over, brush them with oil, and put them into the oven as hot as it can go to simulate a frying situation.
Load up the potato skins
See how the edges got a nice defined brown ring? That is from that second high heat cook and it gives them a great flavor and crunch! Then fill them up with cheese and bacon and cook them a few more minutes.
Grill the burgers
I waited until the skins came out of the oven before throwing the burgers onto the grill. To be honest, a burger with no cheese looks a little weird but there was already plenty of cheese in the potato skin so I didn’t feel the need to add anymore.
Just ground beef with salt and pepper on the outside only. Then pop the burger onto the bottom potato skin bun.
Sour cream goes on the potato skins before the burger. Also if I had chives they would have gone on here too. Thankfully the second time I made them I didn’t forget the chives!
Serving the potato skin burger
Top with a second potato skin and serve! So good! Bring lots of napkins!
These burgers. So good. Just look at that amazing cross section. The sour cream just melts and coats everything in such a great way and in a perfect balance for the cheese and bacon!
They could be held like a regular burger no problem! Looks like just your average burger.
It’s funny cause this combo goes so well together but is not something you would normally see served this way. The last photo here is the second time I made potato skin burgers when I was shooting the recipe for my comfort food mashup cookbook. This photo was taken by Brian Samuels
Twists on this recipe
You could fill these burger bun potato skins with whatever you like. I think some people like broccoli in their potato skins I think? I don’t know what else. You could also add a slice of cheese to the burger itself. As you can see by the photos, the first time I made these they were pretty big, but the version in the cookbook is more of a slider size.
If you want a classic potato skin recipe, I like this one.
For more unique burger buns, check out my fried dough burgers, spring roll burgers, or these kimchi pancake burgers!
Potato Skin Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 4 small / round yukon gold potatoes
- 2 cups shredded cheese
- 8 strips bacon cooked
- 1/4 cup chopped chives
- 1 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Bake the potatoes at 350 with salt and oil for about an hour until tender. Cut in half and scoop out a bunch of the filling
- Lay the potatoes on a pan and add in the cheese and bacon and bake them again for 10 more minutes until the cheese is melted
- Meanwhile, form the burger patties the same size as the potato skins. season with salt and peper
- Cook the burgers over high heat in a cast iron to brown on each side and cook medium in the center.
- Top the potato skins with the chives and sour cream
- Put the burgers on the 4 of the skins, then top with the remaining skins.
- Feel free to riff on this and add whatever you might like in a potato skin or on a burger!
the Whole30 community is going to love you.
This is an awesome idea! Time-saver, too… now you don’t have to eat french fries. Well, unless you want to. 😉
Oh my gosh. This must be made.
This is one of the best idea I ever read..:) thank you soo much for sharing ideas..:)
I love this idea, and I have a few friends who have gluten allergies, as well. I’m sure they’d love this burger instead of just being able to only eat the patty. And it honestly does look like a regular burger just chillin there.
this is such an excellent idea. I’m so glad you had it and shared it – and equally glad I stumbled upon it. Our daughter was recently diagnosed celiac and we’re looking for as many gluten-free recipes as we can find. I think I know what we’re having for dinner tonight!
I came across your website for the first time today and I am so bummed that I have not seen this along time ago! The recipes are unique and very creative! I like your fun attitude and spin on things! Keep up the good work and can’t wait to see whats to come in the future!!!!!
Just one question, for how long do you put the skin halves in the hot hot oven? Just a guideline to go by so I don’t burn them beyond all hope.
Could you load raw hamburger into the skins and then bake?
yes, definitely. That might be a cheeseburger potato skin, but I wanted to make a potato skin cheeseburger.