How to Make Baked Potatoes

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Is there anything more simple and delicious than a perfectly baked potato? You know the kind... where the skin is salty and crispy, and the inside is soft and almost creamy. This is how to make them.

Two freshly cooked baked potatoes covered with salt resting on a countertop.

Ingredients Needed to Make Baked Potatoes

You only need 3 ingredients to make baked potatoes!

All the ingredients you need to make baked potatoes.

Baking Potatoes. You can use any kind of potato to make baked potatoes, but the most common type is Russet Potatoes, which are also sometimes labeled as "baking potatoes" or in the US, as "Idaho potatoes".
Coarse Salt. Kosher salt, sea salt,Himalayan pink salt, or any other kind of coarse grain salt works great here.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil. You can also use vegetable or canola oil if you prefer, but olive oil adds some subtle but delicious flavor to the potatoes.

How To Make Baked Potatoes

Someone using a knife to poke holes in raw Russet potatoes.

Set the potatoes inside a bowl and drizzle them with olive oil. Use your fingers to rub the olive oil over the potaotes until their skins are covered.

Use a sharp knife to poke several holes in the potatoes. Turn the potatoes as you stab them, poking 8-10 holes that are somewhat evenly spaced all around the potatoes.

Two Russet potatoes in a bowl covered with olive oil and salt.

Sprinkle a generous amount of salt over the potatoes, turning them as you sprinkle so the salt covers the entire outside.

The large grains of coarse ground salt create a delicious, salty, crunchy exterior for baked potatoes.

Two raw baking potatoes on rack set inside a baking sheet ready to bake.

Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and set a baking rack inside the baking sheet.

Lay the potatoes on the rack and place them in the oven to bake.

The potatoes are done when a fork or a knife slides into them like butter. The outside of the potatoes will be dark brown and crinkly.

Freshly baked potatoes are hot so be careful cutting into them to prevent steam burns.

A hot baked potato on a white plate, split in half and ready to eat.

Topping Ideas for Baked Potatoes

When done right, a baked potato needs nothing more than a bit of salt, pepper, and butter or vegan butter. But, it's also an excellent blank canvas for a variety of toppings.

One of my favorite ways to eat baked potatoes is topped with melted cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkling of chives. Or, topped with a generous portion of Carnitas and Green Chili.

For a uniquely delicious potato topping, spread a hot baked potato with miso butter, which takes 5 minutes to prepare but adds an incredible complex layer of umami-rich flavor.

Baked potatoes are also an excellent way to use up leftovers. That's what's happening here, with this Loaded Baked Potato Bar.

FAQs

Why poke holes in potatoes?

Potatoes are full of water. As the potatoes bake, the water turns to steam that can build up under the skin and cause the potato to explode. This won't happen every time, but it's not worth the risk when poking a few holes in the potato to allow steam to escape will prevent a potato explosion.

Are baked potatoes gluten free?

Yes! Gluten is the name of the category of proteins found in wheat, rye, barley, and triticale. Potatoes and other vegetables do not contain any of these proteins and so are therefore gluten free.

Can you make baked potatoes in an air fryer?

Yes! Follow the instructions to poke holes in the potatoes and cover them in olive oil and salt and pepper. Set the temperature of your air fryer to 400 degrees F and cook the potatoes for 30 minutes. Poke the potatoes with a fork to test if they are done. If you feel any resistance, cook them for an additional 5-8 minutes until a fork slide into the potatoes like butter.

📖 Recipe

Yield: 2 baked potatoes

Perfect Baked Potatoes

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

2 russet potatoes, scrubbed clean
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Coarse ground salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Cover the inside of a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper and set a baking rack inside the sheet.
Set the potatoes inside a large bowl and drizzle each with about a tablespoon of olive oil. Use your fingers to rub the oil over the potatoes to coat them completely. Use a sharp knife to poke 8-10 holes in each potato, turning them so there are holes in all sides.
Sprinkle a generous amount of salt over each potato, turning them as you sprinkle so the potatoes are covered in salt on all sides.
Place the potatoes on the rack that's set inside the baking sheet and put the pan in the oven.
Bake until the potatoes are tender. The time this takes will depend on the size of the potatoes. Medium size potatoes will take about 60 minutes. If your potatoes are larger, they will take longer to bake. To test, poke a fork into the potatoes. If you feel resistance, the potatoes are not done baking. If the fork slides into the potato like butter, they are done.

Notes

Freshly baked potatoes are hot so be careful to protect yourself from steam burns when cutting into them.