Description
Is there any better side to a hearty meal than a tender, fluffy baked potato with all the toppings? I think not. While making a baked potato is easy, it takes time. In fact, a potato can take over an hour to bake fully.
This microwave baked potato cuts way down on the cook time with nearly identical results (especially if you use my finish-in-the-oven hack below).
For a Better Baked Potato, Use the Microwave
There are two main reasons to use a microwave to make a baked potato:
Time. You shave off over 75% of the cook time for a baked potato if you microwave it rather than bake it. Instead of baking for an hour, the potato cooks for about 10 minutes (plus 10 minutes in the oven if you want crispy skin). That’s a big deal!
Fluffiness. Because a microwave steams the inside of the potato rather than baking it from the outside, the resulting potato has a fluffier inner texture. The only downside of microwaving potatoes is that the skin gets soggy and doesn’t have the crispy texture that you get from the oven. We can fix that with a quick trip in the oven.
How To Get Crispy Skin
If you cherish the crispy potato skin of a baked potato (I know I do), there’s a trick to achieving a crisp exterior on a microwave potato. Once your potato is done in the microwave, place it on a baking sheet. Rub it with some olive oil and sprinkle it on all sides with kosher salt. Bake it in a hot oven for about 10 minutes and it’ll crisp up beautifully.
This adds a few minutes to your total time, but it’s worth it for that crispy potato skin. No one will know you didn’t cook the potatoes in the oven from start to finish.
The Best Kind of Potatoes for Baked Potatoes
There’s no need to overthink it. Russet potatoes make the best baked potatoes. They are economical, a good size for stuffing with toppings like cheese and butter, and have a really fluffy, tender interior that works perfectly for baked potatoes.
Whether you’re using your microwave or the oven, use russet potatoes to make baked potatoes.
Ingredients
1 large (10 to 12-ounce) russet potato
1 teaspoon olive oil, optional
Pinch of kosher salt, optional
Optional toppings
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 teaspoon minced chives
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Prepare the potato:
If you would like a crispy skin on your baked potato, preheat the oven to 450°F.
Scrub the potato well. Dry it off and poke it a few times on all sides with a fork.
Microwave the potato:
Place the potato on a microwave-safe plate and microwave it for 8 to 12 minutes, flipping it once halfway through. For a medium-large potato cooked in a 1,000-watt microwave, the cook time will be about 10 minutes.
Your potato will be steaming hot when it is done. Press on it a bit with your thumb and it should give easily to pressure. You should be able to pierce it through the center with a fork or paring knife with little resistance. If it feels firm at all, place it back in the microwave for 1-2 minutes longer.
Crisp the skin (optional):
If you would like a crispy, salty skin on your potato (my favorite), coat the microwaved potato on all sides with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake until the skin is cracking and crispy, about 10 minutes.
Serve the potato:
Slice down the length of the hot potato halfway through to expose the interior. Top with your choice of toppings while hot, such as butter, cheese, sour cream, and/or chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can reheat in the microwave, but I prefer to reheat the potatoes in a 400°F oven for 10 minutes so they get crispy on the outside.
Notes
N/A
- Prep Time: 3 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins