Easy Baked Potato
This easy baked potato recipe is the definitive technique for how to make the best baked potato! All you need is three everyday ingredients for this simple method.
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 2 large Russet potatoes 12-14 oz each
- Olive oil to taste
- Salt (I use a sea salt grinder) to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F and move the rack to the middle position. Rinse the potatoes and scrub them (I just use my hands), then dry them off using paper towel.
- Poke a fork in the potatoes a few times to prevent them from bursting, and then put them on a plate and microwave for 5 minutes on high.
- Take the potatoes out of the microwave and coat them with some olive oil (careful - they will be hot), and then generously season them with salt.
- Place each potato directly on the oven rack (air circulation all around your potato = a better baked potato). Cooking tongs can be helpful for moving the hot potatoes. I suggest putting a lined baking sheet on a rack below them to catch any fallout.
- Bake for 45 minutes to an hour (or longer if your potatoes are huge). For much smaller potatoes, test after 30 minutes. To test, a sharp knife should easily glide through each potato. If you have an instant read thermometer, they're ready when their internal temperature is 210F.
Notes
- You can skip the microwave step, but then the potatoes will take longer (large potatoes will likely take up to 90 minutes). Do keep in mind that that long in the oven can make the skin a bit too crisp, however.
- If doubling the recipe and you want to microwave 4 potatoes at a time, increase the time to 10 minutes or so or just do two batches.
Nutrition
Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 11mg | Potassium: 888mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 2mg