You barely need a recipe to make the perfect baked potato, BUT especially if it’s your first time making them, you kind of DO need a baked potato recipe, right? My perfect baked potato recipe is cooked in the oven, and it’s healthy, easy, and SO budget-friendly. Whether you top it with little butter, or every topping in the world (I’ve got ideas for those below), when you know how to make a baked potato, you’ve always got a quick meal at your fingertips. For more baked potato perfection, try our twice baked potatoes, or our 30 Best Potato Recipes.
And because everyone asks, there is no need to wrap the potato in foil. The potato skin naturally does the job, so you do not need to wrap the potato. It’s like magic!
The Best Temperature To Bake a Potato
OK, so some people feel differently, but 350°F is my PERFECT temp for baked potatoes. Some people go higher, I like to keep it at 350°F so there is much les risk of burning the potato, and the inside of the potato gets really lovely and steamy.
How To Bake A Potato
- Clean your potatoes! Use a scrubber brush or a kitchen towel to scrub any dirt off the skin before baking.
- Poke the potatoes all over with a fork. Yes, you really need to do this so that steam can escape as it bakes. Otherwise your potatoes might explode in the oven.
- Oil your potatoes so the skin gets crispy. Some folks achieve a crispy skin with a salt crust, but we favor an oiled skin. It works just as well and it allows you to control the saltiness of the final baked potato.
- Bake the potatoes! 350°F is our preferred temp and yeah, it takes a while! If you want to dig into a perfect baked potato, you’ve got to be patient. There are microwave methods, but baked in the oven is the path to perfection.
Favorite Toppings + Variations
- Most of the time, I eat my baked potatoes fresh and steamy-hot from the oven, topped with a slab of butter and a sprinkle of salt. My kids add a LOT of butter, and gobble it up!
- Compound butters are a genius way to jazz up a baked potato.
- Classic pesto is a delicious baked potato topping, too, if you want something rich but less butter-heavy.
- Make the potato “loaded” by topping your baked potato with cheddar cheese, salsa, sour cream and guacamole. You’re in main dish territory now, BTW! Literally show me a more budget-friendly dinner.
- For a fun spin on a classic steakhouse dinner, whip up this creamy mushroom sauce and use it to top both your steaks AND the baked potatoes that you serve with them.
- For a vegan dream, topping the potato with this creamy tahini-garlic sauce or vegan cashew cheese sauce. These are extra yummy on our baked sweet potatoes, too.
- You can never go wrong burying a piping hot baked potato under a scoop of chili.
More Delicious Potato Recipes
Easy As Can Be!
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