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Crispy Potato Skin Chips

Name: Potato Skin Chips
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: Peeled potato skins (2-3 Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes); 1 teaspoon olive oil (sub: avocado, canola or vegetable oil); Salt & pepper to taste (optional); Assorted herbs or dried seasoning (optional, see notes)

Aug 26, 2024 (Updated Aug 26, 2024) By: Michelle Cehn

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5 from 6 votes

Get the most out of your potatoes with these crispy potato skin chips! This easy recipe turns those leftover peels into a crunchy, flavorful snack. With just a few simple ingredients, you can bake up a delicious treat that’s perfect for munching anytime.

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Do crispy, seasoned potatoes ap-peel to you? If they do, you must try these potato skin chips! They’re light, flaky, and just plain perfect. Enjoy them as an itty-bitty bite when you craving something crunchy or as an entire meal if you so desire.

Instead of composting (or, even worse, throwing out) piles of perfectly good potato peels, choose the zero-waste way and make them into scrumptious little snacks. You won’t believe how tempting the texture becomes once you bake these playful slivers of potato. They’re absolutely spud-tacular!

If you’re a huge potato-lover like we are, make sure to check out our epic round-up of delicious potato recipes! Now, pick up that vegetable peeler, two of the most perfect potatoes, and let’s get shaving!

Table of Contents

Why You Need To Make These Zero Waste Potato Skin Chips

If the photo above hasn’t got your appetite’s attention, here are several reasons why we love this recipe and why you need to make it. It’s truly a no-brainer. You can thank us later!

A simple and healthy snack
Super easy to make
Versatile and very tasty
Only 3 ingredients
Full of fiber
Zero waste

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

These simple ingredients are the star of the show and what makes these potato skin chips so tasty! Each one plays an important role in bringing out the perfect crunch and flavor. Plus, we’ll share a few easy swaps to suit your taste or what you have on hand.

Potatoes on a baking try partially peeled, along with small bowls of olive oil, salt, and dried herbs.

Leftover Potato Skins: Provides a crispy texture and slightly earthy flavor. They’re also packed with nutrients and reduce food waste by making use of what’s often discarded. You can substitute sweet potato peels or even thinly sliced vegetable peels like carrots for a twist on the recipe.
Olive Oil: Helps the potato skins crisp up in the oven and adds a rich flavor. It also helps the seasonings stick to the peels evenly. Feel free to use avocado oil or melted coconut oil for a different flavor, or even a cooking spray for a lighter option.
Seasonings: Bring out the flavor in the potato skins and can be customized to your taste. Salt, pepper, and herbs add a balanced, savory kick, while dried seasonings can enhance flavor after baking. Use any seasoning blend you prefer—like garlic powder, paprika, or even nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor. Fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme can also be swapped for dried herbs if desired.

How to Use Potato Peels in This Recipe

Now that we’ve talked all about how awesome these potato skin chips are, here comes the fun part—finally baking these little babies! Following these steps below are a snap and you’ll soon start making these savory vegan snacks every day of the week!

Step 1: Prepare the Peels – Wash the potatoes and peel them into long, thin strips. Pat the peels dry with paper towels.

Peeled potato skins soaking in a bowl of cold water.

Step 2: Season and Arrange – Preheat your oven to 425°F. Toss the peels in one teaspoon of oil and spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and fresh herbs.

Finally, Step 3: Bake and Serve – Bake for 15-18 minutes, until crispy. Add any dried seasonings you like. Enjoy your tasty snack!

Crispy baked potato skins served on a plate.

Tips For Serving Up Your Potato Peel Chips

Wondering about the whats, whens, whys, and hows for making this sensational snack? Sometimes, when a recipe is too easy, it causes confusion as to how to serve it and what the heck to do with the food once you finish making it. Good thing we’re here to guide you!

What to Serve With It: There are endless options for serving suggestions. A few of our favorites include: With a vegan burger, alongside homemade oil-free hummus, as nachos layered with vegan queso, or truly just by themselves with ketchup, barbecue sauce, or hot sauce. Which is your favorite?
When to Make: The best time to make these potato peel chips is anytime! But, even better, when you know you’ll be using at least 1-2 potatoes in the next meal. About 30 minutes before you usually have a snack, prepare the peels properly and then save the potatoes themselves for cooking later. Bake up the chips and enjoy immediately! If you’d rather wait and have them later on, soak the skins in cool water for up to 2 hours, drain, pat dry, and then cook up as instructed. Easy peasy!
How to Season: Remember that the secret to success is tossing the potato skins with the seasoning as soon as they are removed from the oven. Begin with 1-2 teaspoons of dried herbs, adding more, if needed. Tasty choices include: smoked paprika, bagel seasoning, garlic and onion powder, curry, za’atar, nutritional yeast, or popcorn seasonings. Fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley, dill, or chives work well too.

A platter of potato skins chips served with a creamy dip and topped with sliced green onions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use sweet potato peels instead of white potato peels for this recipe?

Yes, you can! Since the sweet potato skin tends to be a little bit thicker, they might need extra cooking time to get crisp. Just make sure to use big enough peel slices so that they will be big enough not to burn when baking.

What if I can’t bake the potato peel chips until the next day?

No worries at all! Simply place all the peels in a bowl and cover completely with water until they are fully submerged. Soaking the potato peels in this way prevents them from turning pink or purple over time due to oxidation. It’s safe to soak them for up to 2 days. When you’re ready to use them, drain off the water and pat dry to remove all of the excess water. Keep in mind that potato skins that are too moist won’t crisp up well and will only steam instead.

Can dogs eat potato skins?

Feeding your dog potato skins may sound rather innocent, but potato skins contain high levels of oxalates, which, if eaten in very large quantities, can cause kidney problems in dogs. Raw potatoes should also be avoided as they contain solanine, which can be toxic to some dogs. If your dog eats potato skins occasionally and sparingly, there shouldn’t be a concern, but it’s best to steer clear. Please consult your veterinarian if you have any concerns about the well-being of your canine companion.

Storing Your Potato Skin Chips

Cooked potato crisps can be stored in an air-tight container on the countertop for up to 3 days, once they have completely cooled. Sadly, they will lose a bit of crunch once stored, but you could always put them back in the oven (or even an air fryer) for about 10 minutes to crisp up a little.

The baked and cooled potato peels can also be frozen for up to a month. To defrost, place the potato chips in a single layer on a baking sheet and cook at 425 degrees for approximately 15 minutes until warm and crispy, depending on your oven.

A hand dipping a potato skin chip into a creamy white dip.

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Potato Skin Chips

Author: Michelle Cehn

5 from 6 votes

We're taking potato chips to a whole new level with these potato skin chips! By baking this super healthy snack, you're not only satisfying your hunger, but also helping to save the earth. This zero waste method of cooking produces the crispiest and most flavorful potato skin chips, plus costs almost nothing to create.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

Ingredients

▢ Peeled potato skins, 2-3 Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
▢ 1 teaspoon olive oil, sub: avocado, canola or vegetable oil
▢ Salt & pepper to taste, optional
▢ Assorted herbs or dried seasoning, optional, see notes

Instructions

Scrub potatoes well to remove all dirt & any blemishes in the eyes.
Preheat oven to 425° and gather 1-2 baking trays.
Using a handheld peeler, peel the potato in long thin strips until the entire peel is removed from the potato. Repeat with each potato. If you are not going to be cooking the potato skins immediately, place the peels in a bowl of water so they are thoroughly submerged to avoid oxidation (see notes).
Place peeled potato skins on the baking tray and pat dry with a paper towel to absorb any moisture. Pour 1 teaspoon of oil over the top. Using tongs (or your hands), toss the potato skins so that the oil gets distributed evenly all over.
Spread the potato skins out on the baking tray in a single layer, using a second tray if needed. Sprinkle with salt & pepper or fresh herbs, if using. Place in the oven and cook for 15-18 minutes.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with any additional seasonings, tossing to coat. Enjoy on their own or serve with your favorite dip.

Notes

Potatoes: Any type of potato should work as long as you can peel pieces that are big enough to utilize as chips. Russet and Yukon Gold seem to work best and are likely what you will be using for your potato recipe. Sweet potatoes should also work, but tend to be a little thicker so they may require a bit more cooking time.

To soak or not to soak: If you have the ability to cook these immediately then soaking is not required. If, however, you are in the middle of preparing a Thanksgiving dinner, then soaking is going to be your best friend. Simply place all the peels in a bowl and cover with water until they are completely submerged. When potatoes are exposed to air they oxidize and turn pink/purple over time. You can soak the potatoes for 1-2 days if needed. Simply drain the water and then pat dry, removing all excess water. If the potato skins are too moist, they won’t crisp up well when baking, as the water will cause them to steam.

Seasoning: Feel free to have some fun and add your favorite seasonings to these potato skin crisps. Many herbs and spices will burn when cooking so tossing the potato skins with the seasoning as soon as they are removed from the oven is recommended. Start with 1-2 teaspoons of dried herbs, adding more based on preference. Try smoked paprika, bagel seasoning, garlic and onion powder, curry, za’atar, nutritional yeast , or popcorn seasonings. Fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley, or green onions work well too.

Storage: You can store the potato crisps in an air-tight container once they have completely cooled for up to 3 days. They will lose just a touch of their crunch when stored.