Bloomin’ potato is the classic American steakhouse snack transformed into a crispy, melting mouthful you can make at home. A whole baking potato is cut almost all the way through in a fan shape, filled with butter, grated mozzarella and cheddar, and finally topped with crème fraîche and crispy bacon. The result is a decorative potato that is crispy on the outside and velvety inside — perfect as a side dish or as a small appetizer.
Advertisement: The page displays ads and contains advertising links (affiliate links). See our advertisers here.
The airfryer is made for this task. The hot air circulates around the cuts of the potato and gives all the edges a golden, crispy crust, while the cheese melts into the cracks. You save both time and energy compared to the oven, and you avoid pouring oil into the bottom of a dish.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Table of Contents:
Why I love Bloomin’ potato in the airfryer
Bloomin’ potato gives you the entire sensory spectrum in one dish: crispy, soft, salty, tangy and rich. The cuts form small pockets where the cheese and butter gather, and when the potato is done, you can easily detach each ‘leaf’ with a fork. It’s a dish that looks like it took hours to make, but it’s actually surprisingly simple to put together.
I usually make it as a side for a good steak or grilled chicken, but it also works as a filling vegetarian main course with a fresh salad on the side. The kids love it because it looks like a flower — hence the English name.
The difference between airfryer and oven
In the oven, a large baking potato typically takes about an hour, and you need extra time to get the cheese to gratinate properly. In the airfryer, it goes faster because the circulating heat hits all sides at once. The bottom crust also becomes more evenly crispy, because the air gets under the potato via the basket mesh — something a baking sheet can never match.
My kitchen test of Bloomin’ potato
I have tested the dish in my Cosori Dual Blaze at 190 °C with two medium-sized baking potatoes in one basket. 30 minutes with butter and seasoning alone gave me a golden-brown bottom, and then 6-8 minutes extra with the cheese in the cracks melted it beautifully without burning. The center of the potato was soft and almost creamy — the core temperature hit 95 °C, which is the sweet spot for a baking potato.
Compared to the oven, I saved about 20 minutes and avoided heating up the whole kitchen. The most important trick was letting the potato ‘open up’ during the first 10 minutes — then the cuts spread out naturally, and the cheese could find space to melt down between them.
Place a couple of metal skewers as stoppers on each side of the potato when you cut — this way you avoid cutting all the way through.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
The typical mistakes and how to avoid them
The most common mistake is to cut too deep and split the potato all the way through. Place two tablespoons or metal skewers flat on each side as natural stoppers, so the knife never reaches the board. The next mistake is to put the cheese on from the start — the cheese’s proteins burn if exposed to direct airfryer air for 30 minutes, so add the cheese only during the last 6-8 minutes of the time. The third mistake is failing to brush the cuts thoroughly with melted butter. Without butter, the edges become dry, and the cuts don’t open up properly — be generous with butter, salt and paprika before the potato goes into the basket.
How to serve Bloomin’ potato
Bloomin’ potato is rich in flavor, so it works best with something fresh and tangy on the side. Here are my favorite serving ideas:
- As a side for a grilled ribeye or flank steak with pepper sauce
- Together with a crispy coleslaw and a cold pilsner
- As a filling main course with a green salad with red onion and tangy vinaigrette
- For a BBQ evening as an alternative to fries or baked potatoes
Storage and reheating
Bloomin’ potato tastes best freshly made, but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in an airtight container. Reheat it in the airfryer at 180 °C for 5-7 minutes — then the bottom becomes crispy again, and the cheese melts softly. The microwave unfortunately makes it soft and dull, so stick with the airfryer. Crème fraîche and bacon topping are always added fresh after reheating.
You now have the recipe for the decorative potato that both impresses guests and tastes fantastic. Serve it warm with the topping on, and be ready for compliments — it’s the kind of dish people remember.
FAQ
Use large, firm baking potatoes like King Edward or Bintje. They hold their shape when you cut them, and become fluffy in the middle.
Yes, that’s a good vegetarian variant. Replace the bacon with roasted sunflower seeds or crispy fried onions for a similar crunch on top.
About three quarters down, so the bottom holds together. Place a couple of metal skewers or tablespoons on each side as stops, so the knife doesn’t go all the way through.
Recipe
Bloomin’ potato in airfryer
Cooking Guide
Keep the screen on and follow the recipe step by step while you cook.
Step 1:
Avoid the screen turning off while you cook.
Step 2:
Start the guide and follow the recipe one step at a time.
Cost of the dish
Prices may vary depending on where you shop.
Our estimate is based on average food prices for the current year 2026.
Estimated price for the whole dish:
Airfryer size
All our recipes are tested in a Philips Airfryer 2000 Series NA230/00 – 6.2 L
Does the recipe fit my Airfryer?
If you’re unsure, you can always reduce by one serving in the recipe, or click the 0.5x button.
You can also Ask the AI Chef
It’s easy! Just press the Ask the AI Chef button you see at the bottom.
Recommended equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Sharp knife
- 2 Spiseskeer - To place the potato between during slicing
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Brush
Shopping list
Ingredients
Potatoes
- 4 pcs large baking potatoes (approx. 250 g each, scrubbed)
- 50 g butter (melted)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper (freshly ground)
- 1 tsp paprika (sweet or smoked)
Filling and topping
- 100 g mozzarella (grated)
- 100 g cheddar (grated)
- 150 g bacon (diced or sliced)
- 200 g sour cream 18%
- 2 tbsp fresh chives (finely chopped, for garnish)
How to make it
Preparation
- Scrub 4 large baking potatoes thoroughly under cold water and pat them dry.
- Place one potato at a time between two tablespoons or chopsticks. Cut crosswise slices with a sharp knife into the potato every 3-4 mm. The spoons stop the knife, so the potato stays whole at the bottom.
- Melt 50 g butter and mix with 2 tbsp olive oil. Brush the potatoes thoroughly on all sides and let the mixture run down between the slices.
- Season with 1 tsp salt, 0.5 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp paprika, so the spices distribute also between the slices.
Cooking in airfryer
- Preheat the airfryer to 200 °C convection.
- Place the potatoes in the airfryer basket with good spacing, so the air can circulate. Bake at 200 °C for 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender inside and lightly crispy outside. Check with a fork — it should slide in easily.
- Place 150 g bacon in a single layer in the airfryer and cook at 200 °C for 8-10 minutes, until crispy. Let it drain on paper towels.
- Mix 100 g mozzarella and 100 g cheddar in a bowl. Spread the cheese mixture between the slices of the baked potatoes — press it down slightly so it gets between the layers.
- Put the potatoes back in the airfryer and bake at 180 °C for 5-7 minutes, until the cheese is melted and lightly golden.
Plating
- Arrange the potatoes on a plate and top each potato with a generous dollop of 200 g sour cream 18% spread between them.
- Sprinkle the crispy bacon over and garnish with 2 tbsp fresh chives. Serve immediately, while the cheese is still melted.
Our notes for the recipe
Choose large, evenly sized baking potatoes so they bake evenly. Place them between two tablespoons (or chopsticks) while slicing — that way the knife can’t cut all the way through, and the potato keeps its shape. Brush generously with the butter mixture down between the slices, so they open up like a flower while baking. Variation:
Try grated gruyère or parmesan instead of cheddar for a more nutty flavor. Add a pressed garlic clove to the butter mixture for extra depth. Vegetarian version: leave out the bacon and top with toasted sunflower seeds or crispy onion rings. Serving:
Pairs perfectly with grilled food, a good steak or as a main course with a fresh green salad. Serve with extra sour cream and finely chopped spring onions on the side. Portion size:
If your airfryer is smaller, you can bake the potatoes in two batches — keep the first batch warm in the oven at 80 °C while the second is cooking.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
Easily share the recipe with others:
Via email or on Facebook
Open the recipe on your phone
Scan the QR code with your phone and get the recipe directly on your mobile while you cook.
Author
Airfryerkogebogen.dk
