This is the only baked potato recipe you need! Seasoned with salt and baked in the oven until the skins are crispy and the centers are fluffy, these baked potatoes are perfection!
I can’t resist a perfect baked potato. Which is why I love this baked potato recipe! They turn out soft and fluffy inside, with delicious crispy potato skin that’s too good not to eat. I love cooking baked potatoes in the oven because it’s practically hands-off and they come out perfect every time.
A baked potato is one of our go-to side dishes for our favorite meals like Baked Pork Tenderloin and Grilled Steak. Other times, I make the potatoes the main course, serving them with a few hearty toppings. We love them topped with Roasted Broccoli and cheese or leftover Chili.
Ingredient Notes
You only need 3 ingredients to make the perfect baked potato:
- Russet Potatoes: I’ve found that russet potatoes make the best baked potatoes. Their skins crisp up nicely and the insides bake up soft and fluffy. You can use this recipe to make just one baked potato, or as many as a dozen or more if you’re feeding a crowd.
- Olive Oil: I like to rub the potato skins with olive oil before baking. It adds flavor and helps the potato skins to get crispy in the oven.
- Salt: I always sprinkle salt generously over the outsides of the potatoes before baking to give them lots of flavor. I recommend using flaked sea salt or coarse Kosher salt.
How to Bake a Potato
Making a baked potato in the oven is so easy! Just remember to plan ahead because baked potatoes, especially large ones, take a while to cook. Plan for at least an hour for medium to large potatoes. If they’re done a few minutes early, they’ll stay hot for quite a while as long as you don’t cut them open.
Start by preheating the oven to 425° F and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then give the potatoes a good scrub under cool running water. I use a vegetable brush to scrub off any dirt. Dry the potatoes well with a clean kitchen towel and then place them on the baking sheet.
Next, use a fork to poke each potato a few times. This allows steam to escape as the potatoes cook.
Season potatoes. Rub olive oil all over the potato skins, then generously sprinkle salt over all sides. I don’t wrap the potatoes in foil, since this would trap steam and make the skins soft rather than crispy.
Finally, bake the potatoes. I find that they always take longer than I think they will. Depending on their size, potatoes can take anywhere from 40-70 minutes to bake in the oven. My grocery store usually has large potatoes, and they typically take 60-70 minutes to cook.
To split potatoes open like a pro for serving, cut a slit lengthwise through the top of the potato. Then press gently on the two ends to open up the potato so that it’s ready for your favorite baked potato toppings. You can’t go wrong with butter, salt and pepper, or try one of my other ideas below.
What to Serve with a Baked Potato
I like to serve baked potatoes with Air Fryer Steak, Baked Pork Chops or Baked Salmon. We also love loaded baked potatoes, which can be a meal on their own! Here are some of our favorite baked potato toppings:
- Classic: Add Baked Bacon or Air Fryer Bacon, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, shredded cheddar cheese and green onions or chives.
- Chili: Top a baked potato with Instant Pot Chili or Turkey Chili and cheese.
- Broccoli Cheese: Cook some Steamed Broccoli and sprinkle on shredded cheddar cheese.
- Mexican: Black beans and/or Taco Meat, corn, Salsa, Guacamole and sour cream.
- BBQ: Top potatoes with Instant Pot Pulled Pork or Crockpot BBQ Chicken.
- Veggie: Load them up with your favorite veggies. Try Air Fryer Broccoli, chopped bell peppers, Roasted Zucchini, corn, or whatever you have to use up in your produce drawer. Add some cheese, salsa or guacamole for extra flavor.
Perfect Baked Potato Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 medium russet potatoes*
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- coarse kosher salt or flaked sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scrub potatoes and pat them dry. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Prick potatoes a few times with a fork.
- Rub olive oil over the potatoes. Sprinkle all sides generously with salt.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40-70 minutes, until tender when pierced with a fork. The cook time will depend on the size of the potatoes.
- To split potatoes open, cut lengthwise through the top and then press gently on the two ends. Serve potatoes with toppings, as desired.
Notes
- You can use this recipe to make more or less baked potatoes. Place them in a single layer on the baking sheet.
Thank you for the recipe for a plain potato and for the other recipes and ideas.
Is there a reason why you baked it on parchment paper? I’m only asking because that would be a great idea when I bake sweet potatoes to catch the crusty stuff that “falls to the bottom of the oven” and makes a mess to clean.
I use parchment paper to make clean up easy.
You can also pre cook the potatoes in the microwave it lessens the baking time especially if the potatoes are large.
If I am taking these somewhere for dinner, should I still “cut them open” after baking to help them not be soggy? Thanks!!
No, it’s not necessary to cut the potatoes open ahead of time.
Delicious potatoes! A tip: before rubbing w olive oil and salt, poke holes in clean potatoes, place in microwave and cook on high in 1 minute increments until potatoes are slightly squeeze able or barely soft, then follow recipe instructions for oil, salt, baking. Shorten baking time to 25-30 minutes. This method results in fluffy insides, crispy skin in half the time.
Thank you for the clear instructions. I definitely want the crispy skin! The past couple of years I have started using fried cut up kielbasa for a topping, and it is an outstanding flavor on the potatoes.
Great recipe! Easy and delicious! Thank you!
PS: It’s nice to see a website that doesn’t give you half the recipe and then ask for your email to continue.