Fluffy baked potatoes don’t have to be difficult. 3 ingredients and a few quick piercings with a fork will yield crisp skin and a tender-soft interior just begging for all the toppings you’re willing to stuff them with!
Why this recipe works
A good baked potato should boast a crispy skin sprinkled with salt and oil and a light interior that a fork can easily fluff. It takes no more than three ingredients, a baking sheet, and a toasty oven to make perfect baked potatoes every time! Don’t forget to add a few puncture wounds to release trapped steam.
Dress up your spuds with anything from butter, sour cream, and chives to beef barbacoa or juicy pulled pork.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
POTATOES – In our opinion, Russet potatoes are the best for baking. Their thick skin and starchy properties help them reign supreme in the baking world as the skin stays crisp and the interior is soft and mashable when fluffed with a fork.
OIL – Rubbing the potatoes in olive oil will help the skins crisp. If preferred, you can use butter or another oil such as canola, grapeseed, peanut, vegetable, or avocado oil.
How to Make Baked Potatoes
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Preheat to oven to 425 F.
- Wash and dry potatoes.
- Pierce potatoes with a fork.
- Rub olive oil all over the potatoes then sprinkle generously with Kosher salt.
- Place prepared potatoes on baking sheet and bake for 1 hour.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
No, I wouldn’t recommend wrapping potatoes in foil before baking unless you like wet, soggy skins. Wrapping them with foil essentially steams the potato as it bakes because it traps the moisture in.
Poking holes in the potatoes before baking allows steam to escape, which prevents them from exploding. Though exploding potatoes isn’t a very common thing, potatoes naturally hold a lot of moisture which converts to steam under high heat. If you don’t prick holes, trapped steam may cause a potato to explode due to pressure.
Store leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in a 350F oven on a baking sheet for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.
Serving Suggestions
Garnish your potatoes with your favorite toppings. Some popular versions include sour cream, butter, and chives as well as cheddar cheese, broccoli, bacon bits, chili, or diced jalapenos. You can also add shredded pork, chicken, or beef on top. The options are endless!
Create a loaded potato bar with all sorts of different fixings to serve at parties. Enjoy warm from the oven with a pat of butter if you prefer to keep it nice and simple.
Ingredients
- 4 large Russet potatoes
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
Things You’ll Need
- Baking sheet
Before You Begin
- Piercing the potatoes allows extra steam to escape.
- I wouldn’t recommend wrapping potatoes in foil before baking unless you like wet, soggy potato skins. Wrapping them with foil essentially steams the potato as it bakes because it traps the moisture in.
- Garnish baked potatoes with your favorite toppings. Some popular versions include sour cream, butter, and chives as well as cheddar cheese, broccoli, bacon bits, chili, or diced jalapenos. You can also add shredded pork, chicken, or beef on top. The options are endless!
Instructions
- Preheat to oven to 425 F.
- Wash and dry potatoes.
- Pierce potatoes with a fork.
- Rub olive oil all over the potatoes then sprinkle generously with Kosher salt.
- Place prepared potatoes on baking sheet and bake for 1 hour.
