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This Easy Baked Potato Recipe produces the perfect baked potato from the oven—crispy skin, fluffy inside! This foolproof method delivers restaurant-quality results every time without the use of foil.

close up view of baked potato with baked potatoes in the background


 

🥔 Whether you prefer classic butter and sour cream, loaded with bacon and cheese, or healthy options like Greek yogurt and chives, these perfectly baked potatoes are the ideal canvas for any topping combination!

Table of Contents

My 2 Best Tips For Making This Easy Baked Potato Recipe

Perfect Crispy Skin: Don’t skip the second baking session! The double-baking technique is the secret to creating the irresistibly crispy exterior while keeping the inside light and fluffy.

Apply Oil and Salt While Hot: Brushing the olive oil and sprinkling salt immediately after the first bake, while the potato skin is still hot, helps the seasonings adhere better and creates a more flavorful, crispier skin.

Melissa in her kitchen smiling in front of the starting ingredients for the chicken the quinoa salad and skillet chicken on the wood block in front of her

🩷 Melissa

You may not think baking potatoes is rocket science, but I will say it’s somewhat of an art! That’s why I wanted to collect and share my best tips for how to bake a potato to perfection.

We don’t want any dry, crumbly insides or mushy skins up in here. I firmly believe the perfect baked potato has a slightly crispy and salty exterior with a fluffy, moist inside.

We love baked potatoes with butter, green onions or chives, more salt, and I’ll even turn them into the meal by putting cheese and broccoli or adding chili to the potatoes.

A close-up of a baked potato with a crispy, salted skin, split open and topped with melted butter and chopped parsley, on a wooden board. This delicious dish perfectly demonstrates how to bake a potato. Other baked potatoes and herbs are in the background.
5 from 3 votes

Easy Baked Potato Recipe

By: Melissa Griffiths
This Easy Baked Potato Recipe produces the perfect baked potato from the oven—crispy skin, fluffy inside! This foolproof method delivers restaurant-quality results every time without the use of foil.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
Servings: 4
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Ingredients 

  • 4 Potatoes, about 5-8 ounces each
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 400°. Wash and scrub your potatoes clean. Poke each potato with a fork a few times to allow steam to release while cooking.
  • Place potatoes directly on a baking rack set inside a baking sheet and place them in the oven.
  • Bake until the center of the potato reaches 205° to 212°F. This will be roughly 35-45 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes.
  • Remove from the oven and use a pastry brush to coat each potato in a thin coat of olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and then flip them over and brush the other side with oil and sprinkle with salt.
  • Bake the potatoes for an additional 10 minutes to crisp the skin.
  • Remove the potatoes from the oven, cut a small X on the top of each potato, and then, using two hands (be careful, they are hot), gently press the potatoes inward so that they "bloom" from the X.

Notes

Potato Options:
  • Use your favorite Russet or Idaho potatoes for this recipe. You can use what you like best, but Russet potatoes are known for being extra fluffy inside.
  • These were medium sized potatoes that came in a 10 pound bag. If you are using the large “baking” potatoes, be sure to add at least a half an hour, if not more, to the cooking time.
Best Salt: Table salt, kosher salt, and sea salt (fine to coarse) all work well here. I like a mix of fine and coarse sea salt on the outside.
If You’re Not Using a Rack: Not committed to putting the tater directly on a oven rack? Stick a wire baking wrack inside of a rimmed baking sheet and let the potatoes cook on the rack. Last option, line a baking sheet with foil and bake on the baking sheet.
Scrub Thoroughly: Before baking, make sure to scrub the potatoes under cold running water to remove any dirt. Pat them dry with a paper towel.
Skip The Foil: The foil will trap the heat in and essentially steam the potato instead of roasting it. And trust me, you want it roasted because that’s what crisps up the skin and makes it SO good.
Don’t Brush on Oil Before Baking: Just like foil, oil acts as a barrier and the steam won’t be able to release the same. By adding the oil after the potato is cooked, and then baking it for 10 more minutes, you end up with the most delicious skin that is crisp but not burnt. I also recommend not using butter because the water in butter makes the skin soggy instead of crisp, and butter burns easier at high temperatures.
Serving Suggestions: Baked potatoes are a blank canvas that can be paired with a wide range of delicious accompaniments like any of these:
  • The classic combo with a juicy steak
  • A simple fresh salad
  • Hearty chili
  • Or a baked potato bar with all the toppings you can imagine – everyone picks their own!
 
Reheat Baked Potatoes: To reheat baked potatoes, preheat your oven to 350°F and bake for 15-20 minutes. You can also reheat them in the microwave, but they may lose some crispiness.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 of 4 potatoes, Calories: 195kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 13mg, Potassium: 897mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 4IU, Vitamin C: 42mg, Calcium: 26mg, Iron: 2mg
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How to Make a Baked Potato

Four raw brown potatoes are arranged in a diagonal line on a light-colored, slightly marbled surface—an ideal start if youre learning how to bake a potato perfectly.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wash your potatoes and dry them off. Poke each potato with a fork a few times to allow steam to release while cooking.

hand holding potato that is being cut

Step 2: Place potatoes directly on the baking rack. Bake until the center of the potato reaches between 205 and 212°F, about 35-45 minutes.

Potato being brushed with oil by pastry brush

Step 3: Remove from the oven and brush each potato in olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and then flip them over and brush the other side with oil and sprinkle with salt.

close up view of baked potato with other baked potatoes in the background

Step 4: Bake the potatoes for an additional 10 minutes to crisp the skin. Remove from the oven, cut a small X into the top of each potato, and then gently press them inward to open up the inside for toppings!

  • Baked Sweet Potatoes: For a healthier twist, swap out russet potatoes for sweet potatoes. They have a natural sweetness that pairs well with both savory and sweet toppings.
  • Loaded Baked Potatoes: Top your baked potato with classic toppings like sour cream, cheddar cheese, chives, and crispy bacon for a hearty meal.
  • Vegan Options: Skip dairy and meat toppings. Instead, load your potato with vegan alternatives like dairy-free sour cream, vegan cheese, and sautéed vegetables.
  • Herb and Garlic Potatoes: Season your potatoes with fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme and roasted garlic for a fragrant and flavorful twist.

Recipe FAQs

Can you bake a potato without foil?

Yes, yes, yes! The foil will trap the heat in and essentially steam the potato instead of roasting it. And trust me, you want it roasted because that’s what crisps up the skin and makes it SO good. Just follow the steps in the recipe, and I promise you’ll never go back to making baked potatoes in foil again!

What is the best type of potatoes for baking?

Russets are generally considered the best potato for baking because of their thick skin that can get nice and crisp and their high starch content, which lends to that great fluffy texture inside that we want.

Do I have to prick the skin of the potato?

POKE THOSE POTATOES! I had one explode and it was a mess to clean up and I’m just grateful it happened when the oven door was shut!

Why shouldn’t I just stick the potato in the microwave?

Microwaves are good for reheating food, but they heat very unevenly, causing the heat to get too high and pressure to build. The potato cell walls actually burst and release starch molecules that glue together the broken cell walls. (See? It IS a little more science-y than you’d think!) This results in an unevenly cooked potato that is gummy in the middle. Yuck. So, it can be done in a pinch, but I wouldn’t recommend for all the time.

top view of baked potatoes cut open

How Long To Bake Potatoes

See the chart below for how long to bake potatoes at oven temperatures of 325°, 350°, 375°, and 400°.

The internal temperature of baked potatoes is generally 205° to 212°F.

Baked potato cooking time chart showing how to bake a potato, with oven temperatures and baking times for small, medium, and large potatoes—plus tips on crisping and checking internal temperature for doneness.
top view of baked potatoes on board with knife

More Delicious Vegetable Sides To Try

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About Melissa Griffiths

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5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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58 Comments

  1. Jennifer Moore says:

    5 stars
    I always use this baked potato recipes when having them for dinner! They’ve been a household favorite for years!

    Reply
    1. Melissa says:

      I love that Jennifer! Isn’t it funny how such a simple recipe can before a go-to? We love it too!

  2. Denise says:

    5 stars
    Normally, I would either oil or cover my potatoes with foil and they came just …ok however this recipe I have used many times and my potatoes have come out perfectly. It has the soft fluffy inside and the crispy skin that I wanted, it was great. The only adjustment I made was the time because ovens do vary especially gas ovens vs electric ovens. Since I have had both types in my lifetime I realized that cooking differences can make a big difference, it is not the time it is the oven’s degree. if you are using a gas oven 400 degrees for medium to large potatoes is perfect, if using an electric oven 375 is a better degree with an extra 5-10 mins if needed. All in all, I learned a lot from this recipe and my potatoes came perfect ever since.

    Reply
  3. Bev says:

    Can I use my air fryer basket that comes with my oven to bake my potatoes.

    Reply
    1. Melissa says:

      That should work great!