Description
This recipe for Perfect Baked Potatoes delivers crispy, flavorful skin with a soft, fluffy interior. Using simple ingredients and classic baking techniques, these baked potatoes make an ideal side dish or base for your favorite toppings like butter, sour cream, shredded cheese, green onions, and bacon bits. Perfectly cooked in the oven for about an hour, these potatoes are easy to prepare and sure to satisfy.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 4 large russet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Optional Toppings
- Butter
- Sour cream
- Shredded cheese
- Chopped green onions
- Bacon bits
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) to ensure it’s hot enough for crispy skins.
- Prepare Potatoes: Scrub the potatoes thoroughly to remove all dirt. Pat them dry with a clean towel. Using a fork, poke each potato 5–6 times evenly to allow steam to escape during baking.
- Season Potatoes: Rub each potato all over with olive oil and sprinkle evenly with kosher salt to enhance flavor and texture.
- Bake: Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack. Put a baking sheet on the rack below to catch any drippings. Bake for 45–60 minutes depending on the size until the skins are crisp and a fork can easily pierce through the center.
- Serve: Remove potatoes from the oven. Slice each lengthwise and fluff the inside with a fork. Serve immediately with optional toppings like butter, sour cream, shredded cheese, green onions, and bacon bits.
Notes
- For extra-crispy skin, bake the potatoes directly on the oven rack without using foil.
- Russet potatoes are preferred for the fluffiest interior texture.
- Leftover baked potatoes can be stored covered in the refrigerator and reheated in the oven for best texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 potato (plain)
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 43g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
