Air Fryer French Onion Baked Potatoes

These air fryer twice-baked French onion baked potatoes are flavor-loaded and make the most delicious side.

For more delicious potato recipes, try my orange glazed sweet potatoes, air fryer potato wedges, or some slow cooker cheesy potatoes with bacon.

Why You’ll Love It

Easy to prepare: With straightforward steps and simple ingredients, this recipe is so simple. You just need an air fryer to make them (I love this brand of air fryer!)
Great for meal prep: They can be made ahead of time and reheated, great for busy weeknights or meal prepping.
Family-friendly: The creamy filling and cheesy topping make these potatoes appealing to kiddies.

Ingredients for French Onion Baked Potatoes

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Baking potatoes: Russet potatoes are ideal for this recipe because of their sturdy skin and fluffy interior, ideal for twice baking.
Oil: Helps the potato skin crisp up in the air fryer, giving it a nice texture.
Melted butter: Adds richness and flavor to the creamy potato filling.
Onion soup mix: Infuses the filling with savory onion flavor for extra depth.
Milk: Lightens the potato mixture, making it smooth and creamy.
Sour cream: Adds tanginess and creaminess, making the filling rich but balanced.
French fried onions: These add a crunchy, savory topping with extra flavor mixed into the filling.
Shredded Colby cheese: A mild, melty cheese that adds creaminess to the filling and a gooey topping when baked.

How to Make Air Fryer French Onion Potatoes

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Prepare the potatoes: Clean, dry and pierce them a few times with a fork. Coat them with a thin layer of oil, kosher salt and/or garlic powder.
Air fry the potatoes: Put the potatoes in the air fryer basket and cook.
Cool the potatoes: Remove the potatoes from the air fryer and cool them.
Scoop the potatoes: Cut off the top third of the cooked potatoes lengthwise. Scoop out the center potatoes, leaving the skins intact.
Make the filling: Place the scooped-out potato into a bowl and stir in the melted butter, onion soup mix, salt and pepper. Mix everything to make seasoned mashed potatoes. Stir in the milk and sour cream and fold in the French onions and Colby cheese.
Refill the potatoes: Add the potato and onion mixture back into the potato shells. Top them with the remaining cheese.
Air fry again: Place the filled potatoes back into the air fryer and cook them again. The result should be golden brown, tender potatoes.

Substitutions and Variations

Potato swaps: While Russet potatoes are the go-to for twice-baked potatoes, you can substitute Yukon Gold or sweet potatoes.
Mushroom and onion flavor: Make your own mix using French onion soup powder, garlic powder and a bit of beef broth for that savory flavor. Add some chopped mushrooms to the mix.
Butter: Swap out regular butter for a vegan butter alternative or olive oil to make this recipe dairy-free.
Sour cream: Greek yogurt is a great alternative to sour cream for a tangy, protein-packed option. You can also use a dairy-free sour cream for a lactose-free version.
Cheese: Instead of Colby, try cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack, gruyere cheese, or even pepper jack for a spicier kick in the potato flesh. For a dairy-free option, use a vegan shredded cheese alternative.
French fried onions: Substitute these with crushed potato chips, panko breadcrumbs or crispy shallots for a crunchy topping. You can also add homemade caramelized onions instead of regular diced onion.
Add-ins: Customize the filling with extras like cooked bacon bits, green onions or chives. Chopped jalapenos or red pepper flakes are delicious too.
Spices: If you want to mix up the seasoning, try adding smoked paprika, cayenne pepper or herbs like rosemary and thyme.
Milk: Almond milk, oat milk or any plant-based milk can be used as a substitute for regular milk to make the dish vegan-friendly.
Garlic lovers: Add a spoonful of roasted garlic or garlic powder.

Serving Suggestions

Appetizer: Try potstickers – these are loaded with yummy pork filling. Or some easy marinated olives with feta cheese.
Main: Serve your air fryer twice-baked potatoes as a side dish to air fryer ribeye steak, roast chicken or meatloaf.
Dessert: End with a plate of these crispy cheesecake and cherry egg rolls.

How to Store French Onion Baked Potatoes

Store: Once completely cooled, the stuffed potatoes will be stored in the fridge for 2 days.
Freezer: Freeze the filled but not yet air-fried potatoes in an airtight container. When ready to serve, air fry directly from frozen, adding 5 or 10 minutes to the cooking time.
Thaw: There’s no need to defrost these twice-baked French onion-baked potatoes.
Reheat: Reheat your French onion baked potatoes servings straight from frozen in the air fryer.