How to Bake a Potato (4 Ways!)

Do you like baked potatoes with salty, crispy skin and fluffy insides? Well, me, too. And here’s my never-fail baked potato recipe.

There’s no need to make a reservation at a fancy steakhouse. It’s entirely possible (and EASY) to make a perfect baked potato at home. Just grab some potatoes and a few very common ingredients, and I’ll show you my easy methods for making baked potatoes that blow all other side dishes away.

The Only Baked Potato Recipe You’ll Ever Need

• Baked potatoes, 4 ways. I’ll show you how to bake a potato in the oven (my preferred method), in the microwave, in an air fryer, and on the grill.
• Tender inside, crispy outside. These baked potatoes have steamy, fluffy interiors with salty, crispy skins. It comes down to the right potatoes, simple seasonings, and high heat.
• Versatile. Whether you’re serving your potatoes as-is with a juicy rib-eye steak or filling them with sour cream, cheese, and green onions to make loaded potatoes, there are so many ways to enjoy them.

Recipe Ingredients

The perfect baked potato doesn’t need much. These are some quick notes on what you’ll need, no matter which cooking method you’re using. Scroll to the recipe card for the complete recipe with amounts and instructions.

• Russet potatoes – You’ll need large russet potatoes. When I say “large”, I use potatoes that weigh about 1 pound each. If they’re not eaten in one sitting, leftover potatoes are one of my favorite kinds of leftovers!
• Olive oil – To crisp up the potato skins. You can use another vegetable oil or canola oil, but I love the flavor of olive oil.
• Seasoning – Coarse kosher salt or flaky sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. I prefer to coarsely grind the pepper, too, for even more texture. I also include just a smidgen of garlic powder. It’s magical.

How to Bake a Potato in the Oven

Arguably, the most traditional way to bake a potato. This is one of the easiest methods ever. With just a few simple ingredients, Baked Potato Heaven is at every potato lover’s fingertips! Here’s how to bake potatoes in the oven:

1. Prep the potatoes. Scrub and dry the potatoes. Afterward, pierce the potatoes all over with a fork.
2. Season the potato skins. Rub olive oil and coarse salt evenly over the potatoes. Then, sprinkle the skins with freshly ground black pepper and garlic powder.
3. Bake! Bake the potatoes at 425ºF for about 55 minutes.

Cooking time by potato size

I want to preface this by saying that baking time will depend on potato weight and shape (some potatoes are long and thin; others are plump through the middle). Also, the actual temperature of individual ovens will vary.

I have included three different sizes for Russet potatoes, all baked at 425° Fahrenheit. The time stated is average baking time. You should allow 5 minutes on either side – they might be done a little earlier than that, or a bit later, depending on the different factors.

• 16 ounces = 55 minutes
• 8 ounces = 35 minutes
• 12 ounces = 45 minutes

Should I Wrap Potatoes in Foil Before Baking?

I grew up with baked potatoes wrapped in foil. While I will certainly still eat a potato made this way – because, hey, I just love baked potatoes – I’d much prefer the method I’m sharing in this post, without foil. Hands down, this is my favorite baked potato recipe. So what’s the difference?

• Wrapping potatoes in foil gives you potatoes with a softer, steamed skin. And foil does keep them hot for longer once they come out of the oven, which can be a convenience in certain situations.
• Baking potatoes without foil gives you potatoes with delightfully crispy skin, a much more fork-and-knife experience. I adore the contrast from crispy, textured outsides to tender, fluffy insides. You can bet that I leave no crispy potato skin behind!

How to Bake a Potato in the Microwave

For a super quick baked potato fix, you can absolutely use the microwave! However, I feel that this method needs a disclaimer: While the insides will be fluffy and tender, the skin does not cook the same as it does in the oven. If you want that crispier skin texture, definitely use the oven method.

1. Prep. Prepare the potato just like you would for the oven method.
2. Microwave. Place the potato on a microwave-safe plate. Cook on high for half the time listed below, per potato weight.
3. Flip and cook again. Turn the potato over and cook for the remaining time.

Microwave Cooking Times

Always test for doneness and adjust cooking time as needed. And take care when removing the plate from the microwave – it might be hot to the touch; use oven mitts!

• 8 ounces = 5 minutes total
• 12 ounces = 6 minutes total
• 16 ounces = 8 minutes total

How to Bake a Potato in the Air Fryer

An air fryer baked potato has beautifully crispy skin, at least as crispy as the oven method, if not even just a bit more. The downfall of the air fryer method, though, is if you want to bake several larger potatoes at the same time and don’t have a huge air fryer.

We have a 3.7-quart air fryer, which I’d place in the medium-sized category. It fits a nice amount of food for our family of four. To make baked potatoes in the air fryer:

1. Prep. Once again, prepare the potato (or potatoes) just like you would for the oven method.
2. Cook. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Place the potato/potatoes in the air fryer basket. Bake for 20 minutes.
3. Flip, and bake again. Pause the air fryer. With a tongs, flip the potato over. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes more, according to the time chart below.

Air Fryer Cooking Times

Always be sure to test for doneness and adjust cooking time as needed.

• One 16-ounce potato = 45 minutes total
• Two 16-ounce potatoes = 50 minutes total
• One 12-ounce potato = 40 minutes total
• Two 12-ounce potatoes = 45 minutes total
• Three 12-ounce potatoes = 50 minutes total

How to Bake a Potato on the Grill

For the best baked potatoes on a grill, I recommend wrapping the potatoes in a layer of heavy-duty foil, like you would when making potato foil packets. This will help the potatoes cook through properly, without overcooking or burning the skin.

To grill baked potatoes, prepare the potatoes in the same way as the oven method. Then wrap them in foil and grill over indirect heat. Finish them up with a few minutes over direct heat to crisp up the skin. Here’s how to do it:

1. Prep. Preheat your grill to 400-425ºF, with indirect heat on one side and direct heat on the other. Meanwhile, wrap potatoes in heavy-duty foil.
2. Grill the potatoes. Place your wrapped potatoes on the indirect side of the grill. Close the lid, and cook for about 55 minutes (depending on potato size and shape, and overall grill temperature). After the first 30 minutes on the grill, flip the potatoes over and move them around, so the ones that were farthest from the direct heat are now closer.
3. Remove foil. Once the potatoes are tender (if there is no resistance when poked with a fork), remove the foil from the potatoes using grilling gloves, good oven mitts, and/or tongs. Take care not to burn yourself. The potatoes and foil will be HOT!
4. Crisp up the skins. Lastly, place the unwrapped potatoes on the side of the grill with direct heat and cook them another 1 to 2 minutes per side, about 3 to 4 minutes total to crisp the outsides.

Note that the grill method will give you tender potatoes with a crispy skin. However, the texture from the salt and pepper will not be as pronounced as the oven method. This is due to the foil directly touching the potato skin while cooking on the grill.

Tips for the Best Baked Potatoes

• When cooking multiple potatoes at once, look for ones with uniform shapes and sizes. They will cook more evenly and get done at the same time.
• Be sure to scrub the potatoes very well. Because you’ll be eating that crispy, flavorful skin. Right?!
• Poke the potatoes with a fork. This allows the moisture inside the potatoes to escape, leaving the middles soft and fluffy without being mushy. Also, if you don’t poke the potatoes, there is a risk of them exploding in the oven. And that would be messy. #nothankyou
• Use a generous amount of olive oil and coarse salt. One might think that the amounts called for in the recipe are too much, but you need to remember that we’re using BIG potatoes here. And the ample amounts of oil and salt are what gives the potatoes that fabulous texture and flavor that makes you want to eat the skin. Also, there is alot of unseasoned potato inside those skins that want some of that salty goodness!

Make a Loaded Baked Potato

No baked potato recipe would be complete without fixing ideas. Baked potatoes provide the perfect backdrop for a variety of toppings. And have you ever enjoyed a baked potato bar? They are so fun!

Most often, we eat baked potatoes with just butter, sour cream, chives or green onions, salt, and pepper.

But some chopped bacon and shredded cheddar make everyone around here extra happy. I like to grab some double-smoked, thick-cut bacon from our local butcher for the best bacon, cheddar, and potato meal!

Frequently Asked Questions

What to do With Leftovers

Ooooohhhhh, how I love knowing that there are leftover baked potatoes in our fridge! This baked potato recipe is so easy, I often make a couple of batches at once just to have the leftovers. True story.

• Breakfast. Most often, I like to make a version of my fried potato hash with bacon and eggs. I chunk the potatoes up a bit and add them to a hot buttered fry pan. This livens up the skin and gets it all crispy and yummy again. When the potatoes are golden to my liking, I scoot them off to the side of the pan and add a couple of eggs to the center. Best. Breakfast. Ever.
• Protein and veggies. A quick meat and veggies hash (similar to my beef and sweet potato hash) is wonderful, too. Just cut the potatoes into chunks and fry them with chopped onions and peppers in a well-oiled skillet. Add in slices of good country sausage or pieces of leftover ham, bacon, or steak, and you’ve got a great comfort meal.
• Soups. Leftover potatoes are also great in creamy potato soup and this amazing veggie-loaded broccoli cheddar soup.
• Potato salad. Chop the potatoes and mix them into a dill potato salad or German potato salad.
• And don’t forget about twice-baked potatoes! Hollow out the baked potatoes and combine the fluffy filling with grated cheese and butter, then refill them and bake again.

How to Store

• Refrigerate. Store any leftover baked potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing potatoes as they become gummy and grainy when thawed again.
• Reheat. You can reheat your baked potatoes in the microwave, oven, or air fryer.

More Potato Recipes

• Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
• Grilled Red Potatoes
• Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
• Roasted Red Potatoes