The secret to a quicker, perfect Baked Potato? Cut it in half! Roasting halves instead of whole potatoes saves time and gives you caramelized edges with a soft, fluffy center.
The Best Baked Potato
We’re all about potatoes at my house, and there’s nothing easier than loading up a baked potato and calling it dinner—with a side of Italian salad, of course!
It’s even better when the potato cooks in 35 minutes instead of an hour. The trick? Cut the potatoes in half before baking. I use this method for sweet potatoes too, and it works perfectly with Yukons and Russets. The edges caramelize, the skin gets crispy, and the inside is soft and fluffy.
Quick Tip
Wrapping potatoes in foil is easy, but it has drawbacks. The foil traps moisture, causing the potatoes to steam instead of roast, leaving the skins soft instead of crispy. It also takes longer to cook, and some prefer not to bake with foil.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make these easy Baked Potatoes:
- Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes: These are great for a soft, fluffy inside and crispy outside. Yukon Gold is my personal favorite!
- Olive oil: Helps make the skin crispy and keeps the inside moist. It also helps the seasoning stick.
- Salt & Pepper: Brings out the flavor of the potatoes. Season both the flesh and skin.
- Optional toppings: See below!
Topping Baked Potatoes
- Simple: Butter, salt, and pepper make a great side dish.
- Add More Flavor: Top with sharp Cheddar, bacon, green onions or chives, and sour cream (or Greek yogurt).
- Make it a Meal: Try a Broccoli and Cheese Baked Potato or add a few scoops of Crockpot Chili.
- Taco Style: Top with taco meat, Cheddar cheese, lime, and sour cream.
- Sloppy Joe: Use the filling from my Sloppy Joe recipe.
- BBQ: Add leftover BBQ Pulled Pork or chicken.
- Vegetarian: Baked beans and Cheddar cheese make it a full meal!
For a crowd, set up a baked potato bar! Just bake the potatoes, lay out all the toppings, and let everyone pick their favorites!
How to Bake Potatoes in the Oven
- Wash and Cut: Clean the potato, dry it, and cut it in half.
- Poke: Pierce the skin 3-4 times with a fork.
- Add Oil: Drizzle oil over the potatoes.
- Rub Oil: Rub the oil on both sides.
- Season: Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides.
- Bake: Place the potatoes cut-side-down and bake.
Storage
Leftovers?
- Store: Let the baked potatoes cool, then wrap each one in foil or plastic wrap. Put them in an airtight container or bag and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Reheat: Unwrap and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, or microwave for 1-2 minutes.
More Veggie Side Dishes
- Roasted Vegetables all on one sheet pan
- Reader Favorite! Roasted Brussel Sprouts
- Roasted Broccoli with crisp and caramelized edges
- Savory and Sweet Variations: Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Roasted Carrots made 2 ways
Baked Potatoes
By cutting these Baked Potatoes in half before roasting, you can save time, and achieve both beautifully caramelized edges and a soft, fluffy interior.
Equipment
- Sheet pan lined
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line a large, dark sheet pan with parchment paper. Don't skip the parchment paper; it really helps the potatoes cook evenly without the cut side getting too hard.
- Thoroughly scrub the potatoes using cold water to remove all the dirt and any debris. Completely dry the potatoes and cut the potatoes in half lengthwise.
- Place the potatoes, flesh side down, on the sheet pan. Pierce the skin of each potato 3 times with the tines of a fork. Flip the potatoes flesh side up. Drizzle the oil over all the potatoes and take your time to rub the oil into both sides of the potatoes so all parts of the potatoes are sufficiently covered.
- Evenly sprinkle 3/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper over all the potatoes. Remember, that amount of salt and pepper is for all the potatoes, not each of them. Now flip again, so the potatoes are flesh side down. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper over the skins.
- Bake flesh side down for 35–45 minutes, checking at 35 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a fork into the biggest potato. If it goes in easily, the potatoes are tender and ready! If not, add an additional 5 minutes. Cook until fork tender, checking every 5 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and serve with your favorite toppings. We like a pat of butter, Cheddar cheese, sour cream, and green onions or chives. See the blog post for more ideas. Make sure to taste the potatoes and add additional salt and pepper as needed.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: While 6-9 ounce potatoes are preferable, I have also tested this recipe with potatoes that are 9-13 ounces in size. Add an additional tablespoon of oil and they bake for about 10 minutes longer. You’ll need to add an additional sprinkle of salt and pepper on the larger potatoes after baking (taste first). Also, while you can cook more than four potatoes at a time, remember that the more potatoes on the sheet pan, the longer the overall cooking time will be.
Note 2: Serve with your favorite toppings. I love freshly grated Cheddar cheese, butter, green onions or chives, sour cream, and cooked and crumbled bacon.
Nutrition: The nutrition information does not include the toppings.
Storage: Allow the baked potatoes to cool completely, then wrap each potato individually in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Place the wrapped potatoes in an airtight container or zip-top bag, and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, unwrap and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 15–20 minutes, or microwave on high for 1–2 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 329kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 597mg | Potassium: 1245mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 4IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These turned out excellent!!
So thrilled to hear this! Thanks Terri!
I think you mean crispy edges?? Caramelized edges would need to include sugar…it’s the process of browning sugar. I have had sugared potatoes too from my Danish step mom, so I’m just trying to get it right. These look delicious and I can’t wait to try them!
No sugar in this recipe! 🙂
Carmelized can also mean caramel in color. Like carmelized onions, which have no sugar either 🤷🏽♀️
I wanted a quick version of baked potatoes. This one came out beautifully. Got rave reviews at the dinner table. This is a keeper and will stay in recipe rotation! Crisp yet fluffy!
I am so thrilled to hear this! This is definitely our favorite way to make baked potatoes! 🙂
I clicked on the blue link on “why to prick the potato” and it basically said you don’t need to prick it. They did a side by side comparison and the one they pricked looked terrible!!
Hey Debi, it looks like they updated that post, thanks for catching that, i’ve removed it from the post! Thanks again!
What a great idea, never thought of this, thank you!
You’re so welcome! Thanks Carol!
These were delicious and so easy. I will definitely be making these often. Thank you.
So thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Morgan! 🙂
Dude WTF I want to make these potatoes but what temp do I make them at? You got nothing listed you are killing me here as I have everything setup like you said but no idea what temp
Alex, it’s in the first sentence of the recipe 🙂 “OVEN: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.”
Can this cooking method be used for red potatoes as well?
Yes!