Tips and Tricks for Cooking Potatoes in the Oven
on Aug 30, 2018, Updated Nov 09, 2024
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The best Tips and Tricks for Cooking Potatoes in the Oven all in one place so that you can make the perfect potatoes no matter the temperature, size, time, or if you have foil on hand.
There are all kinds of recipe, methods, and instructions for cooking potatoes in the oven and so I thought I’d collect up some of the most useful information for you in one place. I know that baking a potato doesn’t sound like rocket science but with a little knowledge behind you, you’ll find success in this simple kitchen skill no matter the baking temperature, size of potato, and even if you are out of foil.
Baked potatoes are one of my favorite easy things to make. I love that they can be a side dish with recipes like my famous chicken legs or a main dish. There’s just so many ways to top a baked potato that you’ll never have time to get bored with them. Plus they are easy to find, inexpensive to buy, and what kid doesn’t love a potato?! Long live the mighty baked potato!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple: It’s easy! And the hands-on time is really minimal.
- Versatile: Once you’ve mastered a perfect baked potato, you can use them in so many different ways.
- Family Friendly: Potatoes are an easy way to please everyone.
Ingredients
- Potatoes
- Olive Oil
- Salt
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities
How to Cook Potatoes in the Oven
Step #1. Preheat the oven. Wash and scrub the potatoes, then poke several holes into them with a fork.
Step #3. Brush the outside with oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake another 10 minutes to crisp the skin.
Step #2. Place the potatoes on a baking rack on a baking sheet. Bake until the internal temperature reaches 205-212°F.
Step #4. Remove the potatoes from the oven. Cut a small x in the top and squeeze to bloom the x. Serve as desired.
Russets are generally considered the best potato for baking because of their high starch content which lends to that dry and fluffy texture we are looking for. You can use yellow or red new potatoes but they don’t cool up as nicely. Stick with a classic russet for the best baked potatoes.
Use a size that makes sense for you meal and your family. The key is to cook potatoes that are similar in size so that they finish cooking at the same time. If I’m serving baked potatoes as a main dish, I’ll choose large baking potatoes. If the baked potatoes are a side to accompany other things, I’ll pick small to medium potatoes.
The amount of time it takes to cook a potato in the oven depends on two things – oven temperature and potato size.
Medium to Small Potatoes:
45 minutes at 400 degrees
60 minutes at 350 degrees
90 minutes at 325 degrees
Large Baking Potatoes:
1 hour 10 minutes at 400 degrees
1 hour 25 minutes at 350 degrees
1 hour 40 minutes at 325 degrees
I feel like wrapping a potato in foil is personal preference but you need to know that you DO NOT need to wrap them in foil for cooking purposed. Potatoes will bake just great with or without foil. When wrapped in foil the potato skins steams and doesn’t get crisp. If you like that, it’s a-ok. If you like a crisp skin, ditch the foil.
The purpose is to let the moisture inside the potato escape, leaving the middle soft and fluffy without being mushy. So yes, poke away but don’t feel like you have to murder said potato. A handful of pokes is adequate.
Expert Tips
- Don’t rush them! You really can’t overcook a potato but you sure can undercook them.
- You can cook potatoes in the microwave, air fryer, or the instant pot if you don’t have time to cook them in the oven.
What do you serve with or on your baked potatoes?
Side Dish
If your potatoes are a side you can serve with with these simple chicken legs (and cook them in the oven at the same time!), with Slow Cooker Teriyaki Meatballs, or with with these delicious (and easy) roasted chicken leg quarters. On the side I normally do a salad, roasted veggies, and some seasonal fruit. So easy.
Main Dish
If your baked potatoes are a main dish, you can serve with with this Instant Pot Broccoli and Cheese Soup over the top (great use for the leftovers of that soup), with lentil chili, or with traditional toppings like sour cream and green onions on top. The sky is the limit. I even like Sloppy Joe meat and pickles on top of baked potatoes (don’t knock it until you try it!).
More Potato Recipes to Consider
Soups, Stews & Chowders
Cream of Potato Soup
Hobby Farm
Hobby Farm’s a Hoppin’
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
How to Bake a Potato
Ingredients
- 4 Potatoes, about 5-8 ounces each
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash and scrub your potatoes clean. Poke each potato with a fork a few times to allow steam to release while cooking.
- Place potatoes directly on a baking rack set inside a baking sheet and place them in the oven.
- Bake until the center of the potato reaches between 205 and 212 degrees. This will be roughly 35-45 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes.
- Remove from the oven and use a pastry brush to coat each potato in a thin coat of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and then flip them over and brush the other side with oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Bake the potatoes for an additional 10 minutes to crisp the skin.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven, cut a small X on the top of each potato and then using two hands (be careful, they are hot), gently press the potatoes inward so that they “bloom” from the X.
- Enjoy right away with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- These were medium sized potatoes that came in a 10 pound bag. If you are using the large “baking” potatoes, be sure to add at least a half an hour, if not more, to the cooking time.
- Table salt, kosher salt, and sea salt (fine to coarse) all work well here. I like a mix of fine and coarse sea salt on the outside.
- Not committed to putting the tater directly on a oven rack? Stick a wire baking wrack inside of a rimmed baking sheet and let the potatoes cook on the rack. Last option, line a baking sheet with foil and bake on the baking sheet.
