Author: Making the perfect fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside, restaurant-style baked potato in the oven is so simple with this easy-to-follow recipe! Ready in about an hour, you will be able to serve the best oven-baked potatoes ever with ease!
It’s no secret that we love potatoes around here. So much so that we have been growing potatoes by the hundreds for years! Canned potatoes are perfect for a quick batch of easy vegetable soup, mashed potatoes are a favorite side dish, and potato chips fried in coconut oil (or tallow) are a summer staple! Naturally, baked potatoes are no exception to our potato love!
Baked Potatoes in the Oven
A fluffy baked potato topped with all the fixin’s is one of my favorite things to order at a new restaurant. Whether it’s a loaded baked potato next to a steak, or a BBQ loaded baked potato with a side salad, I love baked potatoes! But, nailing the technique for creating that same fluffy texture and crispy exterior is something that takes a little practice.
Don’t worry! I’ve done all the hard work for you, so now you can just follow this foolproof recipe for perfect baked potatoes in the oven, every time!
Best Potatoes for Oven Baking
It’s probably no surprise that I’m going to recommend russet potatoes for baking, but I wanted to confirm the reasons why I’m recommending them!
- Texture – High starch content leads to the best finished interior texture
- Size – Large size is perfect for a single serving of potatoes. Other varieties would require 2-3 potatoes to yield the same size serving.
- Crispy Outside – The skin on a russet potato allows for a perfect crispy exterior! Other varieties have a tender skin that doesn’t hold up as well to the baking process.
While you can use yukon gold, red potatoes, or various other varieties, for an authentic restaurant-style baked potato, stick with the classic russet potato!
Instructions
With only about 5 minutes of hands-on time, this recipe is so simple to make! We make these baked potatoes several times a week and top them with anything from BBQ to taco meat and guacamole!
- Prep – Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wash and clean the potatoes, removing any eyes or green spots. Dry well before continuing.
- Butter – Pierce each potato with a fork 8-10 times evenly around all sides. Add a 1/2 teaspoon of butter to each potato and coat well. I use my hands for this, and it takes about 10 seconds per potato.
- Salt – Generously salt each potato on the top, then flip and coat the other side.
- Bake – Place the potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Flip and bake for another 30 minutes. Gently squeeze the potatoes at this point and bake for another 5 minutes at a time, if needed, until they are soft when squeezed.
- Fluff – Remove the potatoes from the oven and immediately slice open the top and halfway down each side. Squeeze gently to fluff the interior, or use a fork to fluff the potato.
- Top – Finish each potato as desired! For a classic loaded baked potato, use butter, cheese, sour cream, chives, and bacon. For a BBQ baked potato, use butter, cheese, sour cream, shredded beef or pork, and a healthy serving of BBQ sauce. Or top in any other way you’d like.
Even More Easy Potato Recipes
- Traditional Colcannon Recipe (Irish Mashed Potatoes)
- Creamy Potato Leek Soup
- Starbucks Potato Cheddar and Chive Bakes
Baked Potatoes in the Oven
Ingredients
- 6 Russet Potatoes
- 3 tsp butter
- 2-3 tsp salt
- Any Additional Ingredients for Topping!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wash and clean the potatoes, removing any eyes or green spots. Dry well before continuing.
- Pierce each potato with a fork 8-10 times evenly around all sides. Add a 1/2 teaspoon of butter to each potato and coat well. I use my hands for this, and it takes about 10 seconds per potato.
- Generously salt each potato on the top, then flip and coat the other side.
- Place the potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Flip and bake for another 30 minutes. Gently squeeze the potatoes at this point and bake for another 5 minutes at a time, if needed, until they are soft when squeezed.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven and immediately slice open the top and halfway down each side. Squeeze gently to fluff the interior, or use a fork to fluff the potato.
- Finish each potato as desired! For a classic loaded baked potato, use butter, cheese, sour cream, chives, and bacon. For a BBQ baked potato, use butter, cheese, sour cream, shredded beef or pork, and a healthy serving of BBQ sauce. Or top in any other way you’d like.
Notes
Best Potatoes for Oven Baking
It’s probably no surprise that I’m going to recommend russet potatoes for baking, but I wanted to confirm the reasons why I’m recommending them!- Texture – High starch content leads to the best finished interior texture
- Size – Large size is perfect for a single serving of potatoes. Other varieties would require 2-3 potatoes to yield the same size serving.
- Crispy Outside – The skin on a russet potato allows for a perfect crispy exterior! Other varieties have a tender skin that doesn’t hold up as well to the baking process.
Nutrition
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