Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (2024)

Published June 7, 2021.This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Learn how to make the perfect baked potato every single time while making it salt-crusted and crispy on the outside and deliciously tender on the inside.

I can never say it enough, but we love side dishes. To us, the more options we have the better, so if you’re anything like us then definitely check out my Polenta or Cauliflower au Gratin.

Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (1)

Baked Potato

A baked potato is one of the most basic things to cook. It is essential that a potato is baked in the oven until it is crisp on the outside and cooked and tender in the middle. There are several ways to bake a potato believe it or not, and heck I’ve even seen people cook it in the microwave, although I don’t advise doing that.

Here are a few things you do not need to do when baking a potato:

  • Pierce with a fork – doing this is supposed to allow air to escape so that it does not explode. Doing this can dry out your potato while the chances of it exploding are very low.
  • Wrap in foil – This is not needed when baking it and doing so will cause you to lose out on the outer crisp skin.

Making it Salted

I truly believe the way to achieve the best-baked potato is by salting it. It’s a simple process of coating it in olive oil and salt and baking it. This will ensure the entire potato is seasoned from the outside in. I really like salt as I believe it enhances the flavor of food to another level, but if you don’t like it as much, no problem as you can brush quite a bit of it off after it is done baking.

How to Make Baked Potatoes

Follow these simple instructions for making the perfect baked potato:

Wash the them on all sides and dry with a towel.

Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (2)

Coat each potato in a bowl of salted olive oil until it is completely coated.

Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (3)

Place the salted baked potato on a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper and bake at 375° for 60 minutes.

Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (4)

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: These are meant to be eaten within an hour of making them.

How to Reheat: Place them in a pan or on a metal tray and bake in the oven at 350° for 15 minutes or until warmed. Likewise, you can microwave it until warm.

How to Store: Cover and place in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. These do not freeze that well, so I advise against it.

Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (5)

chef notes + tips

  • If you have a lot of leftover baked potatoes, they are excellent for making hash browns.
  • You do not have to salt the potatoes at all, but I do advise you to at least coat in oil before baking.
Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (6)

More Potato Recipes

  • Twice Baked
  • Mashed
  • Au Gratin
  • Scalloped
  • Oven Roasted

Be sure to follow me onFacebook,YouTube,Instagram,andPinterest,and if you’ve had a chance to make this then definitely drop me a comment and a rating below.

Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (7)

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Perfect Baked Potato Recipe

Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (8)

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5 from 33 votes

Learn how to make the perfect baked potato every time while making it salt-crusted and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

Servings: 5

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Ingredients

  • 5 large baking potatoes
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°.

  • Rinse the baked potatoes under cold water and rub with your hands to remove any dirt. Dry with a towel.

  • Mix together the oil and salt in a medium-size bowl until combined.

  • Taking one potato at a time add it to the bowl and completely coat it in the oil and salt.

  • Place the potatoes once coated onto a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper and bake at 375° for 60 minutes.

  • When they are done cooking serve whole, or slice in the center and push the outsides to the middle and serve.

Notes

Make-Ahead: Baked potatoes are meant to be eaten within an hour of making them.

How to Reheat: Place the baked potato in a pan or on a metal tray and bake in the oven at 350° for 15 minutes or until warmed. Likewise, you can microwave it until warm.

How to Store: Cover and place in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. These do not freeze that well, so I advise against it.

If you have a lot of leftover baked potatoes, they are excellent for making hash browns.

You do not have to salt the potatoes at all, but I do advise to at least coat in oil before baking.

Nutrition

Calories: 226kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 5gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 1406mgPotassium: 889mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 2mg

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American, French, latin

Author: Chef Billy Parisi

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52 comments

    • sue
    • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (9)

    Thank you ChefBilly tasty eaxtra’ good 😁😋

    • Reply
    • sue
    • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (10)

    Fabulous ChefBilly thank you😁😋

    • Reply
    • Sue
    • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (11)

    Thank you ChefBilly yummy recipe 😁🤩

    • Reply
    • sue
    • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (12)

    Enjoyed your recipe thank you ChefBilly 😁😋

    • Reply
    • sue
    • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (13)

    Thankyou Chef Billy loved recipe &your teaching 😋😁

    • Reply
    • sue
    • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (15)

    Thank you ChefBilly love them crispy etc 😋😁

    • Reply
    • sue
    • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (16)

    Thank you ChegBilly 😁😋

    • Reply
    • sue
    • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (17)

    Thank you ChefBilly yummy 😋 B….potato 😁🥔

    • Reply
    • sue😁
    • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (18)

    Thank you ChefBilly so enjoyed them this way 😁😋

    • Reply
    • sue😁
    • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (19)

    Thank you ChefBilly tasty Baked Potatoes 😁😋

    • Reply
    • Sue Moore

    Love to olive oil and salt the potato, then put it on the grill until the skin gets a little char and crispy. Yummy!

    • Reply
    • Donna Pullman
    • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (20)

    Love this recipe
    Easy peasy & delicious

    • Reply
    • sue 😁👋
    • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (21)

    Thank you so much wonderful learning’s teaching …tasty ChefBilly 🙏👋😋🤩

    • Reply
    • sue 😁😋
    • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (22)

    Thank you enjoying your teaching learning sooogood video fab ChefBilly 😁😋👋🤩

    • Reply
    • sue 😋😁
    • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (23)

    Delicious out come thanks ChefBilly😁😋🤩👋

    • Reply
    • sue 👋😁
    • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (24)

    So appreciate you help fabulous ChefBilly recipes 😁👋😋🤩

    • Reply
    • sue 😁
    • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (25)

    Thank you ChefBilly loving this help the extras bits 😋😁🤩👋

    • Reply
    • sue 😁👋
    • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (26)

    Thank you for you knowledge &helpChefBilly yummy 😋 😁👋

    • Reply
    • sue 😁
    • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (27)

    Love this ChefBilly thank you 😋😁👋🤩

    • Reply
    • sue 😋
    • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (28)

    Thank you so for your tasty recipe love potatoes ChefBilly have a wonderful day 😁😋🤩🍰

    • Reply
    • Gloria Martino
    • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (30)

    Perfect baked potato crispy skin soft fluffy potato inside thank you

    • Reply
    • Carol Baumgartner
    • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (31)

    Thanks for this, Chef! I made them this way for the family and now everybody wants to have another baked potato party! Best ever!

    • Reply
    • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (32)

        perfect!!

        • Reply
      • Carla
      • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (33)

      The best baked potato! Perfect inside and out. Love them.

      • Reply
      • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (34)

          yes indeed!

          • Reply
        • MB
        • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (35)

        Perfect also for twice baked
        Delicious and easy

        • Reply
        • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (36)

            so good!!

            • Reply
          • Lindley Sharon
          • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (37)

          Very good!

          • Reply
          • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (38)

              Perfect!

              • Reply
            • Jean
            • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (39)

            Best baked potatoes ever…must try you certainly will not be sorry!!!

            • Reply
            • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (40)

                thank you so kindly!!

                • Reply
              • White Ronda
              • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (41)

              This is how I do it every time! Yummy

              • Reply
              • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (42)

                  Perfect!

                  • Reply
                • Sheila

                Beat baked potato. My new go to recipe!

                • Reply
                • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (43)

                    awesome!

                    • Reply
                  • Virginia Ardolino
                  • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (44)

                  Just a delicious potatoe !

                  • Reply
                  • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (45)

                      yes!

                      • Reply
                    • Nanci Robison
                    • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (46)

                    Have you tried thee same recipe but in an air fryer…. they really turn out great!! Your recipe is wonderful!!

                    • Reply
                    • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (47)

                        I have not. I actually do not own an air fryer.

                        • Reply
                      • Jean

                      Made these and they were the best baked potatoes I’ve ever made. What a difference the evoo and salt did.
                      So very tasty. Only way to do it now. Thanks Chef.

                      • Reply
                      • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (48)

                          That’s awesome!

                          • Reply
                        • Pamela

                        Excellent..in every way..
                        Thank you.

                        • Reply
                        • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (49)

                            Great!

                            • Reply
                          • Sandy Dutton
                          • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (50)

                          So yummy!!

                          • Reply
                          • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (51)

                              so good!!

                              • Reply
                            • Mary
                            • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (52)

                            Your potatoes came out great I even added more sea salt to the potatoes before baking them.My new way of doing bake potatoes I opened them up put some sharp cheddar cheese and real butter and Italian seasoning on them .Thanks for the recipe

                            • Reply
                            • Fred Sanchez

                            Thx they were awesome 😎

                            • Reply
                            • Pat

                            I tried your recipe for baked potatoes. They were delightful but a question? Is it really 2 tablespoons of salt? And any particular type of salt? I used 2 tablespoons of regular table salt and found I had to brush the salt off after the potatoes were baked as they were just too salty.

                            • Reply
                            • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (53)

                                I prefer sea salt. It’s also definitely ok to scrape off some of the salt.

                                • Reply
                              • Betty
                              • Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (54)

                              Billy, I tried your recipe for the “baked potatoes, they turned out perfect. I received excellent comments on them. Thank you so much!

                              • Reply
                            Perfect Baked Potato Recipe (2024)

                            FAQs

                            Is it better to bake a potato at 350 or 400? ›

                            We recommend baking potatoes at 400 degrees F for about an hour. Smaller spuds might take a little less time, while larger baking potatoes over 1 pound might take a little more. For a fully baked Idaho Russet Burbank, the internal temperature should be right at 210 degrees F.

                            Should I put oil on potatoes before baking? ›

                            A: Adding oil to potatoes before baking is perfectly fine, just a personal preference. Without oil the Idaho russet skin bakes up crispy, with oil the skin will carry a lot of the flavor of the oil so some people have a preference for using olive oil or peanut oil.

                            Do you poke holes in potatoes before baking in oven? ›

                            Recipe Notes

                            I haven't personally experienced a potato exploding while baking in the oven, but if you have (or if this is of concern to you), feel free to poke holes in your potatoes before popping them into the oven!

                            Should you wrap baked potatoes in foil? ›

                            "I see a lot of people using foil to wrap their potatoes in but this is a big no-no and causes soggy skins!" he says. Foil holds in moisture and steams the potatoes, resulting in a "boiled" taste and texture. Plus, without the use of foil, the skin will get extra crispy and flavorful.

                            How do most restaurants bake potatoes? ›

                            Since most restaurants skip the foil in order to achieve a perfect oven-baked finish, you should, too. Sans the foil, chefs typically coat the outside of the potatoes with some olive oil.

                            How long does it take to bake one potato at 400? ›

                            How long should you bake a potato for? Depending on the size, 50 minutes to 1 hour at 400 degrees should do the trick and result in perfectly fluffy flesh with crispy skin.

                            Why do you need to soak potatoes before baking? ›

                            Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes.

                            Should potatoes be covered when baking? ›

                            The key to making a good baked potato is getting really crispy skin. If you wrap the potatoes in foil, the potato skins will shrivel and soften in the oven. For the best results, leave the potatoes unwrapped.

                            Why do you salt potatoes before baking? ›

                            Q: Why is it common to salt the exterior of a baked potato? A: Chefs started doing this years ago to allow the salt to absorb or draw out the moisture of the potato while baking, which results in a dry, fluffy potato.

                            Why does putting a nail in a potato help it to bake faster in an oven? ›

                            A piece of metal stuck through to its center will conduct heat, thus speeding up the process. Though most potato nails are made of aluminum, there are also stainless-steel versions available.

                            What happens if you cut a potato before baking? ›

                            By cutting your potatoes in half lengthwise and placing them cut side down on a greased sheet pan before cooking, you will do two things. One, you have made them half the thickness, so they will cook through in literally half the time.

                            Why do restaurants bake potatoes in foil? ›

                            Some say wrapping baked potatoes in aluminum foil helps them cook faster (aluminum conducts heat, then traps it), and it does keep them hot for longer once they come out of the oven, which is why we think restaurants use this method. Wrapping potatoes will also give you a softer, steamed skin, if that's what you like.

                            Can you overcook a baked potato? ›

                            Visual signs: The potato skin will start to wrinkle when over cooked. The potato, when wrapped in foil or placed on the bottom of a pan will have a dark brown spot on the bottom, a sure sign of over cooking. Foil traps the moisture in the potato causing the skin to be wet and the inside flavorless or gummy.

                            At what temp should you bake a potato? ›

                            Potato baking temperatures range from 350˚ to 450˚F. The sweet spot seems to be at 400˚F, a temperature that cooks the potato all the way through and crisps the skin without singeing it.

                            Do baked potatoes cook faster with or without foil? ›

                            Wrapping potatoes in foil does not hasten baking. On the contrary, since the foil itself has to be heated before the potato begins to bake, cooking times increase slightly. Not only do you get better baked potatoes when you bake them unwrapped, you also save money.

                            Should I cover my potatoes when baking? ›

                            Is it better to bake potatoes with or without foil? That depends on if you want soft skins or crispy skins. Wrapping a potato in aluminum foil before baking it will essentially steam the potato and the end result will be soft skin. Baking the potato on a sheet pan without foil will result in a crispier skin.

                            Is it faster to bake a potato in the oven or air fryer? ›

                            Less time: The baked potato made in the air fryer took less time than when baked in the oven. A 10-ounce potato took 40 to 45 minutes to get tender and crisp, whereas a potato baked in the oven took about 1 hour. Crisper skin: The skin of the air fryer baked potato became considerably crispier.

                            What is the most efficient way to cook potatoes? ›

                            You can steam potatoes to speed up cook time.

                            The steam gets hotter than boiling in water, allowing the potatoes to cook faster. After about 15-20 minutes the potatoes should be fork-tender and ready for mashed potatoes.

                            References

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