A loaded baked potato is pretty low on the list of shareable snacks. Loaded Baked Potato Wedges on the other hand – now there’s a party waiting to happen. Crispy baked (or air fried) potato wedges get gussied up with classic toppings from bacon and cheese to sour cream and onion. Grab your forks and gather ’round!

Side view, baked potato wedges on a parchment lined baking sheet topped with cheese, bacon, sour cream, and chopped chives.
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When it comes to potatoes, “loaded” is a loaded term. There are a million variations, but there shouldn’t be. This should be a generally accepted concept, like Waffle House hash browns. Smothered, covered, and chunked each only mean one thing. Forever and ever, amen.

The baseline for a loaded potato is bacon, cheese, sour cream, and onion. Butter is arguable; broccoli is a hard ‘no;’ and adding chili is a whole different food dimension. (Looking at you, Wendy’s.)

But I’m not concerned about those who go above and beyond, I’m concerned about people who think loaded just means like “bacon and cheese.” That is a damn lie. 2 out of 4 is not loaded. At best, it’s half-loaded.

So, when we say these are Loaded Potato Wedges, we mean it. They are baked potato wedges with bacon and cheese and sour cream and onion. There’s no tips to “make it your way” that include not using one of those four things. If you don’t want a fully loaded potato wedge, that’s another recipe. You’ll find no quarter here.

The best we can do is tell you that you can make loaded baked potato wedges in the oven or in the air fryer. There you go. That’s as versatile as it’s going to get.

How to Make Loaded Potato Wedges

Loaded Potato Wedges make a fun party platter, plus they’re a substantial addition if you’re just serving finger food. (No one’s getting full on chips and dip.) Think of these crispy potato wedges like a big plate of loaded baked potato nachos you can share on game day or movie night. Plus, you can’t beat the combo of bacon, cheese, sour cream, and chive in the flavor department.

BEFORE YOU START!

How to cut perfect potato wedges: Aim for eight equal sections – all cuts should be made lengthwise (from top to bottom, not ’round the middle). Slice potatoes in half, then slice the halves into quarters. Then, slice those quarters in half again. Always lay the cut side face down to slice – safety first!

  1. PREP. Soak potato wedges in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse, then pat very dry with a cotton towel.
  2. SEASON. Toss potatoes, oil, and seasoning in a large bowl until evenly coated.
  3. BAKE. Arrange the potatoes on a baking sheet in a single layer, leaving a bit of room between each wedge for proper air circulation (this helps them crisp!). Bake at 425°F oven for 35 minutes, turning once halfway through. See below for airy fryer instructions.
  4. TOP. Sprinkle the cheese and bacon over the fries. Place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes.
  5. SERVE. Drizzle with sour cream and garnish with chives. Serve immediately.

Chef’s Tips!

  • Put the peeler away! There is no need to remove the potato skin for this loaded potato wedge recipe.
  • Don’t skip the soak. Soaking the potatoes removes the residual starch and makes them extra crispy. Be sure to pat them very dry before oiling and seasoning.
  • The only edge the oven has over the air fryer in cooking loaded potato wedges is being able to cook them all at once. Baked potato wedge quality is the same in either method.
  • Even if you cook your loaded potato wedges in the air fryer, we recommend you transfer to a parchment paper lined baking sheet and melt the cheese under your broiler.

Are there any topping variations for Loaded Potato Wedges?

Of course there are! We’re not complete fun suckers.

  • Swap the sour cream for ranch dressing. You can even serve them with a dip, such a French onion – weird? Maybe. Tasty? For sure.
  • Use some variation on a green onion from the allium family – scallion, chive, spring onion, or Chinese onion.
  • Use your favorite melty cheese. Now, I know cheddar feels like the right answer, but texture is more important here so go for a colby jack, monterey jack, or even mozzarella. If you do really want cheddar though, a cheddar blend works great.
  • Use regular OR thick cut bacon. Sorry, there is no bacon alternative as there is nothing else like it on earth.

How’s that for dietary accommodations?

Can I Make These in the Air Fryer?

Partially! And to be honest – we love ’em this way for the crisp-factor, and this method is also at least 10 minutes faster!

  1. Soak then dry the wedges.
  2. Arrange in an even layer in the air fryer. If you have a basket style air fryer, do not fill more than halfway full.
  3. Cook at 390°F for 20-22 minutes, shaking every 5 minutes.
  4. Transfer the crispy wedges to a parchment lined baking sheet and proceed with adding the cheese and bacon, then transferring to the oven under the broiler setting.

We tested it! Danielle uses a basket-style Air Fryer; it’s an affordable and compact countertop model. Anna uses the Instant Pot Duo Crisp.

More Big Bite Snacks

Did you make these loaded baked potato wedges?!? We want to hear all about it! Leave a comment below, or share a photo and tag us on Instagram using @thesnackblog and #thesnackblog.

Side view, baked potato wedges on a parchment lined baking sheet topped with cheese, bacon, sour cream, and chopped chives.

Loaded Potato Wedges

Loaded Potato Wedges make a fun party platter, plus they’re a substantial addition if you’re just serving finger food. (No one’s getting full on chips and dip.) Think of these crispy potato wedges like a big plate of loaded baked potato nachos you can share on game day or movie night.

Servings: 6 as an appetizer

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Equipment

  • Baking Sheet

  • Air Fryer

  • Parchment Paper

Ingredients

  • 1.5 pound potatoes, 4 large or 6 medium, yukon gold, red bliss, or russet, sliced into wedges
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus ½ tablespoon extra if oven baking
  • 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon ground pepper, or to taste
  • 1 c shredded cheese, Monterey jack, cheddar, and/or mozzarella
  • 4 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
  • 2 tablespoon chopped chives
  • ¼ c sour cream

Instructions

  • Place the potato wedges in a large bowl, then cover with cold water. Soak for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse the potatoes, then pat very dry with a cotton towel.

  • Heat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If cooking in the air fryer, preheat your model if needed (consult manufacturer instructions).

  • Combine the wedges, olive oil, italian seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Toss until the potatoes are evenly coated. NOTE: use 1 tablespoon olive oil for air fryer, or 1.5 tablespoon olive oil for oven baking.

  • Air Fryer: transfer the potatoes to the basket of your air fryer. Do not fill more than halfway full. Cook at 390°F for 20-22 minutes, shaking every 5 minutes.

  • Oven: transfer the potato wedges to a 425°F oven. Bake 35 minutes, turning once halfway through.

  • Sprinkle the cheese and cooked bacon over the fries. Place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

  • Drizzle with sour cream and garnish with chives. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Serving: 4oz | Calories: 226kcal (11%) | Carbohydrates: 23g (8%) | Protein: 7g (14%) | Fat: 13g (20%) | Saturated Fat: 6g (38%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 25mg (8%) | Sodium: 424mg (18%) | Potassium: 542mg (15%) | Fiber: 2g (8%) | Sugar: 1g (1%) | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 1mg (1%) | Calcium: 16mg (2%) | Iron: 7mg (39%)



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