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two loaded baked potatoes sitting on a dark wood board topped with sour cream, butter, bacon, green onions and cheese. glass of water in background.
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5 from 7 votes

Baked Potato

This easy Baked Potato recipe makes the perfect side dish for any meal! Crispy skin on the outside and fluffy on the inside, a perfect baked potato is easier to achieve than you might think. Learn how to bake a potato with my foolproof method and then load them up with your favorite toppings and dig in!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword baked potato, baked potato in oven, baked potato recipe, baked potatoes, how to bake a potato, oven baked potatoes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings 4
Calories 230kcal
Author Trish - Mom On Timeout

Ingredients

  • 4 russet potatoes medium to large
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 5 teaspoons kosher salt

Optional Toppings

  • sour cream, butter, salt, pepper, chives, green onions, chili, bacon, etc. optional

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.
  • Scrub the potatoes under cold water and then pat completely dry. (Dry skin now ensures a crispy skin later).
    4 russet potatoes
  • Use a fork to prick the potato all over, piercing just the skin.
  • Place the potatoes on the prepared baking sheet and brush liberally with the olive oil.
    2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Sprinkle all sides of the potato with salt.
    5 teaspoons kosher salt
  • Bake the potatoes for 1 hour or until an inserted toothpick or knife slides in easily. (If you have smaller potatoes, start checking at 45 minutes. Really large potatoes can take up to 1 hour and 20 minutes. If the potatoes are not done after an hour, continue checking every 10 minutes until they are done).
  • Remove the potatoes from the oven and using a sharp knife, cut the top of the potato open. Fluff the insides of the potato with a fork and then top with your favorite toppings. Here are some of our favorites: butter, salt, pepper, sour cream, cheese, bacon, green onions, chili, etc.
    sour cream, butter, salt, pepper, chives, green onions, chili, bacon, etc.

Video

Notes

Store leftover baked potatoes, without any toppings, in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. 
To reheat the baked potatoes, warm in the oven at 400°F for about 15 minutes. You can reheat the potatoes in the microwave as well but the skin won’t be as crispy. Wrap in a damp paper towel and heat until warmed through. 
See post for FAQs, tips and more!

Nutrition

Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 2918mg | Potassium: 889mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg