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Simple and satisfying, the best baked potato needs little more than a pat of good butter and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Here’s how to bake potatoes perfectly, with only the fluffiest results.
Table of Contents
Ingredient notes
- Potatoes: Technically, you can bake any potato. But for the ultimate baked potato, choose a russet which has a higher starch content and makes a fluffier potato. Sweet potatoes work, too.
Step-by-step instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. With a fork or skewer, poke some holes in each potato to let moisture escape while it cooks.
- Rub the potatoes all over with a light coating of olive oil, and season them with some salt and pepper. This is a crucial step for salty, perfectly seasoned potato skin.
- When the oven is hot, place the seasoned, oiled potatoes directly on the oven rack. Place a baking sheet underneath the rack to catch any oil, if you’re worried about drips.
- Bake the potatoes for 50 to 60 minutes, until they’re tender and can be pierced easily with the tip of a sharp knife. The skin should feel crisp, but the flesh underneath should be soft.
Recipe tips and variations
- Baking potatoes at any temp: All things being equal, 400 degrees is a great temperature for potatoes and roasting vegetables because it results in a crispy skin you won’t leave on the plate. But if you’re juggling other dishes, you can tweak the temp. Depending on the size of the potato and the oven’s temp, you may have to cook it longer or pull them out early.
- Skip the foil: While it’s okay to bake potatoes wrapped in foil, you should never store them or refrigerate them in foil. This creates the ideal environment for food-borne illness.
- Microwave: For a quicker baked potato, start it in the microwave. Poke holes in your potatoes so they don’t explode, then microwave on HIGH power for 8 to 12 minutes. Flip them halfway through the cooking time so they cook evenly. Remove the potatoes from the microwave and coat with olive oil and give them a good sprinkling with salt and pepper. Finish in a 450-degree oven until the skin is crispy, about 20 minutes longer.
- Air-fryer: Lightly coat the potatoes with oil and season them with salt and pepper. Place the potatoes in the air fryer basket. Cook the potatoes in the air fryer for about 40 minutes at 400 degrees. You should flip the potatoes over with some tongs after about 20 minutes to ensure even cooking.
More delicious potato recipes
Appetizer Recipes
Baked Potato Skins
Side Dish Recipes
The Best Mashed Potatoes
Vegetable Recipes
Rosemary Roasted Potatoes
Breakfast Recipes
Sweet Potato Hash
How to Bake Potatoes
Simple and satisfying, the best baked potato needs little more than a pat of good butter and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Here’s how to bake potatoes perfectly, with only the fluffiest results.
Ingredients
- 4 large russet potatoes scrubbed and dried (2 pounds, see note 1)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Butter for topping, optional
- Sour cream and sliced chives, for topping, optional
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Poke a few holes in each potato with a fork.
- Rub each potato all over with olive oil, then season generously with salt and pepper.
- Transfer potatoes to preheated oven and bake directly on oven rack until tender when pierced with a small knife, about 1 hour.
- Slice open each potato, fluff with a fork, and add your favorite toppings such as butter, sour cream, chives, salt, and pepper.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Potatoes: Technically, you can bake any potato. But for the ultimate baked potato, choose a russet which has a higher starch content and makes a fluffier potato. Sweet potatoes work, too.
- Yield: This recipe makes 4 baked potatoes.
- Storage: Store leftover baked potatoes in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Slice up leftover baked potatoes and fry in bacon fat, add to scrambled eggs, or make a small batch of potato salad.
- Microwave shortcut: For a quicker baked potato, start it in the microwave. Poke holes in your potatoes so they don’t explode, then microwave on HIGH power for 8 to 12 minutes. Flip them halfway through the cooking time so they cook evenly. Remove the potatoes from the microwave and coat with olive oil and give them a good sprinkling with salt and pepper. Finish in a 450-degree oven until the skin is crispy, about 20 minutes longer.
Nutrition
Serving: 1potatoCalories: 241kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 5gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 11mgPotassium: 946mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 2mg
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My whole house smelled like burning potatoes, not sure if it was the oil or what 🤷♀️
Hi Lynn, so sorry about that! I wonder if either your oven temperature is off, or possibly some oil dripped from the potatoes to the floor of your oven. I recommend using an oven thermometer, and placing a baking pan under the potatoes to catch any drips. Sorry again! – Meggan
Big help for me. Thank you! 😊👍👏
Happy to help Georgia! – Meggan
These are the best baked potatoes! Sea salt (plain or Smokey Scottish Whiskey) adds flavor. :)
I use a padded bag specifically made fo r microwave baked potatoes that really speeds things up.
I never knew about the trick with oil. Thanks, I’m a total rookie in the kitchen.
excellent instructions as a retired professional chef and instructor, I appreciate good instructions something I always encouraged on my students, great recipes here.
Chef Ernest