If you are looking for a quick and easy way to make baked potatoes. This is the easiest baked potato recipe you will ever find! It takes just 15 minutes or less and is absolutely delicious! The perfect addition to your meal plan is a side dish or a meal topped with some of your favorite toppings. The result is crispy skin and fluffy inside that tastes amazing with your favorite toppings.
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Easiest Baked Potato Recipe
I grew up with this as the method to make baked potatoes on busy days. While turning on the oven for an hour does give great results, it isn't always handy. Whether you want to avoid the waiting time or you prefer to work without adding extra heat in the kitchen from the oven, this microwave method is superior and easier than ever.
The result of this method gives you restaurant-style baked potatoes at home in your own kitchen. Top these with your favorite toppings or use them as the base for our twice-baked potato recipe instead. Such a great addition to your menu will surely please everyone at your dinner table.
What Should I Serve This Potato With?
Baked potatoes are an easy side dish for dinner. You can serve them with these crispy baked chicken legs or buttermilk fried chicken. Serve them paired with these skillet pork chops or the delicious garlic sage pork chops. Of course, they are a great side to these homemade smashed burgers too!
If you want to try something new, you can flavor ground meat to add it to the top of the potatoes. I love making taco meat or this sloppy joe recipe to go over my baked potatoes to turn them into a meal of their own. You can also use other ground meats or shredded or diced meats, like the shredded chicken fajitas from this recipe.
Ingredients
- 4 medium baked potatoes
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Optional Toppings:
- Bacon crumbles
- Sour cream
- Chives or chopped green onions
- Shredded cheese
- Salt & black pepper
Handy Kitchen Tools
How to Make a Baked Potato
Wash the outside of the potatoes well to remove all dirt and debris then pat them dry with a paper towel.
Use a fork to poke holes 2 to 3 times on each side of the potato.
Place the potatoes onto a microwave-safe plate or inside a potato bag for the microwave, and cook at high heat for 5 minutes.
Check the potato and then flip or turn if needed and continue cooking for an additional 2 to 5 minutes until tender.
While the potato is still hot, cut the top off or slice down the middle leaving it intact, then open and use a fork or knife to cut into the potato.
Fill each slit of the potato with butter.
Season with salt and black pepper then add your favorite potato toppings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Russet potatoes are the most common type used for baking because it has a high starch content, which makes baked russets fluffy and light. Other types of potatoes that people use for baking include Yukon Gold, red, white, Caribe/Cal, and purple potatoes. All of these have different textures and flavors than russet potatoes.
Many recipes will tell you to pierce a few slits into the potato before putting it in the oven or microwave. This is definitely a must in this recipe. Piercing allows some steam to escape, which can help prevent your baked potato from exploding.
While not used on this version, salt applied to the outside of a traditionally baked potato helps give it flavor and crispiness. The salt will caramelize onto the skin, which will create an amazing crunchy shell. You can do this in the microwave if you wish, but will need to make sure you coat the potato with oil or butter to hold the salt in place and put it onto a microwave-safe bowl or plate.
What Toppings Go on Baked Potatoes
This baked potato is so good, you can eat it just the way it is. I like to add a little butter to the inside with some salt and pepper. You can easily dress up the potato to give it even more flavor of course, or even create a potato bar and make it a fun way to serve up an easy meal.
- Sour cream
- Shredded cheese or cheese sauce
- Chives or green onions
- Crumbled bacon or bacon bits
- Salsa or hot sauce
- Chili
- Lox, cream cheese, and chives
- Taco meat, salsa, and pico de gallo
Almost anything you would put onto pasta or rice can go onto a potato. Gravy, chili, sauces, and of course various meats and cheeses. It's fun to dress them up and make them into an entirely new meal with just a few different toppings.
More Great Potato Recipes
If potatoes are a favorite in your home like they are mine, then you'll love some of the ideas below. Potatoes are a great addition to any menu and can be a meal all by themselves. Make sure to bookmark these ideas, print out the recipes, or pin them to Pinterest to make soon!
- Loaded Veggie Potato Cakes Recipe
- Cheesy Duchess Potatoes Recipe
- 30 Delicious Potato Recipes You Will Love
- The Best Mustard Potato Salad Recipe
- Homestyle Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
📖 Recipe
The Easiest Baked Potato Recipe
Follow this easy method to make the best-baked potato recipe in minutes! An ideal addition to your weeknight menu!
Ingredients
- 4 medium baked potatoes
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Wash the outside of the potatoes well to remove all dirt and debris then pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Use a fork to poke holes 2 to 3 times on each side of the potato.
- Place the potatoes onto a microwave-safe plate or inside a potato bag for the microwave, and cook at high heat for 5 minutes.
- Check the potato and then flip or turn if needed and continue cooking for an additional 2 to 5 minutes until tender.
- While the potato is still hot, cut the top off or slice down the middle leaving it intact, then open and use a fork or knife to cut into the potato.
- Fill each slit of the potato with butter.
- Season with salt and black pepper then add your favorite potato toppings.
Notes
Coat the outside of your potato with salt before cooking for more flavor.
Recommended Products
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Mueller Pro-Series 10-in-1, 8 Blade Vegetable Slicer, Onion Mincer Chopper, Vegetable Chopper, Cutter, Dicer, Egg Slicer with Container -
Olivar SANTAMARIA First Cold-Pressed Premium Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil Picual Variety, Spain, 25.3 Oz (750 ml) -
Slitzer Germany 7-Piece Chef's Knife Set, Ergonomically Designed, Professional Grade Chef Knives, Great addition to any kitchen -
Wood Cutting Board Set - Bamboo Cutting Board with Juice Groove - Kitchen Chopping Board for Meat (Butcher Block) Cheese and Vegetables | Heavy Duty Serving Tray w/Handles (3-Pieces) -
KISEER 3 Pack Reusable Microwave Potato Bag Baked Potato Cooker Pouch, Red
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 186Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 332mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 4gSugar: 2gProtein: 4g
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