Name: Perfect Baked Potato
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 potatoes
Ingredients: 4 large russet potatoes; olive oil; flaky sea salt; Optional toppings - (butter, salt, pepper, shredded cheese, or sour cream.)

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Perfect Baked Potato Recipe! Easy to make and delicious served alongside all your favorite family meals including chicken, steak, or pork chops, Learn How to Bake Potatoes that have crispy flavorful outside and a soft and fluffy inside.

Oven Baked Potato

I remember eating a lot of potatoes growing up. From mashed potatoes to twice-baked, scalloped and of course, oven-baked, potatoes were an all-around family favorite.

Easy, economical, and fantastic leftover, it’s no wonder potatoes are popular dinnertime staple.

But, for most of my life, I had no idea how to actually bake my own. Should I wrap them in foil? What temperature should they be baked at? Can they be cooked in the microwave?

If this is you, too, it turns out we’re not alone. As a result, I’ve put together a whole post dedicated to the perfect baked potato.

Let’s start with the basics…

How long to bake a potato

A great question, unfortunately, one that comes without an exact answer. Unlike cooking chicken or fish, potatoes are much more forgiving if they are slightly over or undercooked.

In general, however, a medium to large russet potato will take approximately 45-55 minutes to cook in a 425 degrees F oven. If you need to cook at a lower temperature, no problem, simply adjust the timing accordingly.

For example,

350 degrees F – approx 75-85 minutes
375 degrees F – approx 65-75 minutes
400 degrees F – approx 55-65 minutes

What are the best potatoes for baked potatoes?

The best potatoes for baked potatoes are russet potatoes, hands down. Russet potatoes are considered starchy potatoes, which means they are low in moisture and have a fluffy, crumbly, soft interior after they’ve been baked that we all can’t help but love. They are also fantastic absorbers of all our dearest toppings such as butter and sour cream. They are also popular in mashed potatoes and french fries.

Waxier potatoes (red potatoes and certain types of gold potatoes) can also be baked. However, they will have a denser texture. I love using these potatoes for roasting, soups, potato salads, and casseroles.

Perfect Baked Potato Ingredients

You only need a few things to make totally awesome baked potatoes right at home,

Potatoes – The total amount of potatoes you decide to make is entirely up to you. Assume that it takes approximately one hour for them to bake (give or take), so I usually bake a few extra. They also make leftovers. Try to pick potatoes that are about the same size. That way your potatoes are finished cooking around the same time.
Olive oil (or melted butter) – Personally, I prefer olive oil. I can’t say why exactly. Perhaps it’s the mellower taste after being exposed to such high heat for so long. I’m not sure. Either way, use what works for you.
Salt – Yes, salt! You are going to seriously salt the outside of your potatoes. We all love steakhouse potatoes, right? Well, that’s thanks to…salt! It’s best to use a slightly coarser salt versus fine table salt.

How to Bake a Potato (perfectly!)

To bake a potato in the oven, you’ll want to follow the following instructions,

Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
Prepare potatoes. You really need to scrub your potatoes. A simple rinse under cold water will not do. The easiest way to do this is by using a vegetable brush. Once they’ve been scrubbed, dry completely. Then, use a dinner fork to poke the potato several times on each side.
Rub with oil and salt. Rub each potato with olive oil and coat generously with coarse salt. I didn’t add exact amounts for both the olive oil and the salt intentionally since total amounts will vary depending on potato size. As long as they’ve covered, you’re good to go- no need to gob them salt.
Bake. Transfer potatoes to the prepared baking sheet and bake for approximately 45-60 minutes, or until the inside is soft (you can check for doneness by squeezing the potato-just take care and make sure your hand is protected by an oven mitt or towel). Exact cooking time will vary depending on the size of your potatoes.
Serve. Remove from the oven and carefully cut down the middle using a small paring knife. Squeeze and top with butter, sour cream, salt, and pepper.

Super easy, right?

Should you wrap them in foil?

Should you wrap potatoes in foil? Not necessarily. Of course, you can. It’s convenient if you’re entertaining a large group and want to make a whole bunch of potatoes to hand out individually, but, in general, it’s a waste of resources. Besides, when you wrap them in foil, you’re actually steaming, rather than baking them.

Baked Potato Toppings

Choosing what you want to put on top of your baked potatoes is the fun part! I remember my dad would load his with so much butter that it was practically swimming. My mom, on the other hand, would add a lot of everything- the butter, sour cream, salt, pepper, chives. You name it, if there was a topping, it was going on her potato.

I’m a lot like my mom.

Butter
Sour cream or Greek yogurt
Chopped chives, green onions, parsley
Cheese!
Salt and Pepper
Salsa and Guacamole – make it a fiesta.
Chili! Steak Chili, Chili Verde, Coca-Cola Chili

How to cook a baked potato in the microwave

Is it possible to cook a potato in the microwave? Yes! Totally. It will take you approximately 10 minutes or so rather than forty-five minutes plus. Keep in mind, however, microwaved potatoes will not have the crispy skin that you get from baking them in the oven. Not a huge sacrifice if you’re in a rush to get dinner on the table.

To cook a potato in the microwave:

Prepare potatoes. Scrub your potatoes using a vegetable brush. Once they’ve been scrubbed, dry completely. Then, use a dinner fork to poke the potato several times on each side. Transfer to a microwave-safe plate.
Microwave. Cook potatoes at full power for 5 minutes before flipping over and continuing to cook for an additional 5 minutes. If the potato is soft, remove from the microwave. If it is not quite ready, continue to cook at 1-2 minute increments (depending on how close or how far it is from being ready).
Serve. Remove from the microwave and carefully cut down the middle using a small paring knife. Squeeze and top with butter, sour cream, salt, and pepper.

Baked Potato Calories

Some of you may be wondering the approximately how many calories actually come in a potato.

In 1 medium potato (173 grams) –

161 calories
0.2 g fat
926 g potassium
37 g carbohydrate
3.8 g dietary fiber
2 g sugar
4.3 g protein

Overall, potatoes are quite healthy. They are also packed with potassium and vitamin C, vitamin B-6, and Magnesium.

The toppings, on the other hand, not as much. For example:

2 tbsp butter – 204 calories
2 tbsp sour cream – 46 calories
1 ounce cheddar cheese – 70-100 calories

How to reheat a leftover baked potato

Lucky for us, baked potatoes are great leftover. True, they may have lost some of the crispiness in their skin, but if that doesn’t bother you too much, I highly recommend making extra and saving for later in the week.

(Baked potatoes are great with eggs in the morning)

The easiest way to reheat a baked potato is in the microwave. I like to cut my potato in half (or sometimes in quarters if it’s especially large) and microwave for 1-minute followed by 30-second increments (if needed). Remember to never place aluminum foil in the microwave.

If you’re not a fan of the microwave OR you don’t own one, that’s ok. You can also reheat a baked potato in the oven. Simply preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. and transfer your whole potato to center oven rack (you can also wrap in foil if preferred). Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until warmed through.

For more side dish recipes, check out:

If you try making your own Baked Potatoes, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING SPECIFIC? CLICK HERE TO SEARCH BY INGREDIENT

REMEMBER TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE FORKED SPOON NEWSLETTER FOR FREE AND RECEIVE WEEKLY RECIPE NOTIFICATIONS DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX!

If you try a recipe, please share it using the hashtag #theforkedspoon or by tagging @theforkedspoon on INSTAGRAM! Follow The Forked Spoon on FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TWITTER for all of the latest recipes and updates.