Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
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Baked Potatoes in Air Fryer are fluffy on the inside with a crispy salted skin. This is a simple three-ingredient recipe, perfect for customizing to your taste. There’s plenty of room to get creative with the toppings of your choice, like crunchy fried bacon bits, creamy shredded cheese, and tangy sour cream.
Because these baked potatoes are an air fryer recipe, rather than cooked in the oven, the skin gets super crispy! And I don’t know about you, but I LOVE extra crispy potato skin.
Baked potatoes are so tasty when they have crunchy salted skin and a fluffy buttery inside!
I love making baked potatoes, then setting up a stunning toppings bar with practically endless options. It’s a great idea when serving a crowd of people. That way, everyone can dress their baked potato the way they like.
Good news– I have plenty more perfect potato recipes. Check out my Ham and Cheese Potato Bites, Loaded Potato Soup, or these irresistible Lemon Garlic Smashed Potatoes.
Key ingredients & substitutions for Crispy Baked Potatoes
- Potatoes | For the best baked potatoes, use baking potatoes, also known as russet potatoes. If preferred, you can use another variety of potatoes. Remember that you may need to adjust the cooking time depending on the type.
- Olive oil | Pure olive oil helps the skin to become perfectly crispy. You may use vegetable oil or avocado oil instead if you like one better than the other.
- Fine sea salt | Before baking, season the outside of the potatoes with a pinch of fine sea salt. Kosher salt or regular table salt are also great options.
How to bake a potato in an air fryer
This baked potatoes recipe requires only four easy steps to complete. Then, dress the potatoes and dig in!
STEP 1 | Wash and dry the potatoes
It’s essential to start this simple recipe by thoroughly washing the potato skins. Use a vegetable brush to scrub the potatoes under running water, removing any grit.
Then, pat the potatoes dry with paper towels, and they are almost ready for the air fryer.
STEP 2 | Prep the potatoes
Next, you’ll prep the potatoes for baking. Prick each potato 4 or 5 times with a fork ensuring you get all around the surface. Then, brush or rub the olive oil over the potato’s skin and sprinkle on a pinch of sea salt.
STEP 3 | Cook the potatoes in the air fryer
It’s time to cook the potatoes! Set the pierced and well-oiled, and salted potatoes in the air fryer basket.
Be careful not to overcrowd the basket, or the potatoes may not bake as evenly. Depending on the potatoes’ size and your air fryer’s basket, you may need to bake them in batches.
Bake the potatoes at 400 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Then, using tongs or a serving fork, turning them midway through to achieve crispy skin all around.
tips
- Shave off about eight to ten minutes from the cooking time to make just one baked potato.
- You must scrub the potatoes before moving on with the recipe. Potatoes are root vegetables, meaning they can be pretty dirty when purchased at the store. You’ll need to wash away the dirt, bacteria, and pesticides.
- Sprinkle on some freshly ground black pepper on the outside or inside of the potato for additional flavor.
STEP 4 | Check the fluffy potato doneness and serve!
Before removing the potatoes from the air fryer, check if they are done baking by piercing the center of each potato with a sharp knife. The potatoes are adequately baked when the knife easily cuts into them.
Then, dress the tender baked potatoes and serve them hot!
Frequently asked questions
I recommend using russet potatoes for this baked potato recipe. A russet potato’s skin is thick, giving you the crispest skin. The inside is packed with starch and becomes fluffy and subtly sweet when baked.
However, other potato varieties work too. Just adjust the cooking time to the size of the potato, and don’t overcrowd the basket. Try this recipe using Yukon gold or red potatoes if you’d like. Let me know how it goes in the comments!
Baked potatoes are often a side dish with a meaty entre and a green vegetable. However, they also make for a filling and delicious meal. Create the ultimate loaded baked potato by adding protein and veggies.
For example, try making a BBQ pulled pork potato, or crispy fried chicken potato drizzled with ranch dressing or buffalo sauce. Get extra creative and throw together a taco potato dressed with sour cream, lettuce, taco meat, and melty cheese, or a Philly cheesesteak with peppers and provolone cheese.
Absolutely! In fact, the skin of a russet potato has more nutrients and fiber than the inside.
It’s critical to check the condition of the potatoes before using them in any recipe. If the potato is mushy, it’s best to toss it and purchase fresh ones. Additionally, smell the potato to identify a moldy odor, indicating it has gone bad.
Lastly, avoid consuming potatoes with sprouts growing on the surface. If the sprouts have only recently appeared, cut them off the potato, so it is safe to eat. However, if the sprouts have grown long, toss out the potato and get some fresh ones from the store.
Serving suggestions
Serve the air fryer baked potatoes with meat and some veggies to enjoy a complete and delicious meal.
Try the buttery potatoes with a juicy steak, like this Air Fryer New York Strip Steak, or my grilled Sirloin Steak or Coffee Rubbed Ribeye Steak.
This recipe goes well with tender Pork, like these Pork Medallions in Mushroom Marsala Sauce or a Maple Dijon Oven-Roasted Pork Tenderloin.
For the veggies, whip together some Green Beans Almondine, or Crispy Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts.
Toppings
The best part of this recipe is adding all your favorite baked potato toppings. Here are some ideas to inspire your comfort food masterpiece:
For a savory protein topping —
- Bacon bits
- Ground beef
- Steak
- Rotisserie chicken
- Barbeque chicken
- Black beans
- Chili
Add some fresh veggies —
- Chopped green onions
- Diced red onions
- Jalapeños
- Grape tomatoes
- Shredded lettuce
- Fried onions
- Corn
- Broccoli
Don’t forget the dairy —
- Sour cream
- Butter
- Cheddar or Monterey jack cheese
- Feta cheese
- Nacho cheese
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Air Fryer Baked Potato
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 medium baking potatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer at 400 degrees for 5 minutes.
- Use a vegetable brush to scrub the potatoes under running water to remove any grit. Pat the potatoes dry with paper towels.
- Prick each potato 4 or 5 times with a fork. Brush or rub the olive oil all over the potatoes ,then sprinkle with sea salt.
- Place the potatoes in the air fryer basket, being careful not to overcrowd. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, turning midway through.
- The potatoes are done when the center is easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.
Notes
- Shave off about eight to ten minutes from the cooking time to make just one baked potato.
- You must scrub the potatoes before moving on with the recipe. Potatoes are root vegetables, meaning they can be pretty dirty when purchased at the store. You’ll need to wash away the dirt, bacteria, and pesticides.
- Sprinkle on some freshly ground black pepper on the outside or inside of the potato for additional flavor.
Nutrition
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
Beyond the recipe
Following rice, wheat, and corn, potatoes are the fourth largest food grown globally. Today, they make a wide variety of dishes, including creamy potato soup, chips, French fries, and mashed potatoes.
One of the all-time most popular uses of this common crop is making baked potatoes topped with flavorful toppings of your choice.
The Inca were the first people to cultivate potatoes around 6,000 B.C. They were brought to Europe later in the 1500s when exploration was at its peak. It took little time for this versatile food to become popular worldwide.
About Sheila Thigpen
Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, Food Writer
Sheila Thigpen is the publisher of Life, Love, and Good Food — a Southern food blog — and the author of Easy Chicken Cookbook and The 5-Ingredient Fresh and Easy Cookbook. After 20+ years in the publishing industry, she retired in 2018 to focus on her own creative endeavors full time. She and her husband live near the beautiful Smoky Mountains and have a precious little granddaughter who has stolen their hearts. As an influencer, Sheila has collaborated with brands like Creamette, Kroger, HERSHEY’S, Hamilton Beach, Garafalo Pasta, OXO, Smithfield, Valley Fig Growers, and more.
Love how easy these are! They come out perfectly and we make them just about every week!