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For the best easy baked potato recipe, flip on your air fryer. Convection heat bakes potatoes quickly while crisping up the skin. You wonโt want to cook potatoes any other way after mastering how to Air Fry Baked Potatoes!
Confession: It took me a few months (okay, years) to jump fully on the air fryer train. Do I really need another countertop appliance? And how is this all that different from an oven anyway?
After playing around with an air fryer to crisp up my kidsโ favorite freezer snacks, like fish sticks and pizza pockets, and perfecting Air Fryer Chicken Wings, Air Fryer Meatballs, and now, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes, the answer to question one is a firm, โabsolutely.โ
And the answer to question two, or how an air fryer compares to an oven, is waiting for you below in โRecipe FAQ.โ
The quickest, and in my opinion, best, baked potato recipe can be made in air fryer, and Iโm sharing exactly how to make Air Fryer Baked Potatoes today. In a matter of weeks, this has become one of my favorite easy potato side dish recipes; my entire family requests it often, and youโre about to taste why.
No air fryer yet? No sweat; try my foolproof oven method in my guide for How to Bake Potatoes. Otherwise, letโs dive in.
Table of Contents
Air Fryer Baked Potato Ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
- Potatoes:ย Technically, you can air fry any potato. But for the best air fryer baked potato, choose a russet which has a higher starch content. This makes for a fluffier Air-Fried Baked Potato. Sweet potatoes work beautifully as well.
How to Make a Baked Potato in Air Fryer
- Preheat an air fryer to 400 degrees. Poke a few holes in each potato with a fork. Rub each potato all over with olive oil, then season generously with salt and pepper.
- Transfer potatoes to preheated air fryer.
- Bake until tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 40 minutes, turning potatoes after 20 minutes to ensure even browning.
- Make and โXโ in the top of the potatoes, then press the opposing sides together to open. Fluff with a fork and serve with your favorite toppings.
Tips For making Baked Potatoes in Air Fryer
- Yield:ย This Air-Fried Baked Potato recipe makes four fluffy spuds, enough for four generous side dish servings (or six to eight if youโre offering another carbohydrate side dish like quinoa, rice, or bread).
How to serve an Air Fryer Baked Potato
Slice them open to allow some of the steam to escape, fluff the flesh with a fork, and dive in as-is; pure potato goodness! A pat of butter, scoop of shredded cheese, or dollop of sour cream with a pinch of chives is never a bad idea, either. For even more flavor, consider upping the ante with a โtoppings barโ featuring fixings like crumbled fried bacon, broccoli, cheese sauce, beef chili, pulled pork, pulled chicken, black beans, and salsa.
How to Store leftovers
Transfer leftover Air Fryer Baked Potatoes to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat in the air fryer until warm, or give leftovers a whole new life: Slice and fry inย bacon fat, add toย scrambled eggs or omelets, or make a small batch ofย potato salad.
Reheating Baked Potato in Air Fryer
Reheating baked potatoes in an air fryer is simple and, more importantly,ย smart. Air fryers will crisp up the skin while reheating the inside of the potato, so it mimics an oven much more than a microwave.
To reheat a baked potato in the air fryer:
- Heat air fryer to 350 degrees. If desired, coat the outside of your baked potato with olive oil or nonstick spray.
- Add the potato to the rack of the air fryer and heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the skin is crispy and the inside of the potato reaches 165 degrees when tested with an internal thermometer.
- Remove with tongues (the potato will be hot!) and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions for Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
An air fryer is essentially a mini countertop convection oven. Convection cooking involves a fan that circulates the heat around the food, allowing even cooking. Since its size is smaller, an air fryer tends to preheat and cook food even quicker than a regular size convection or conventional oven.
While handy for many single-serving to family-sized recipes, and works like a dream to reheat pizza and to cook frozen snack foods, air fryers arenโt ideal for every purpose. They canโt tackle sheet pan dinners, for instance, or other big-batch cooking tasks. Extremely greasy, battered, or โwetโ recipes arenโt ideal, either. I also suggest cooking cheese (uncoated), eggs, rice, and tender greens using other methods besides air-frying.
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Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredientsย
- 4 large russet potatoes scrubbed and dried (2 pounds, see note 1)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructionsย
- Preheat an air fryer to 400 degrees. Poke a few holes in each potato with a fork.
- Rub each potato all over with olive oil, then season generously with salt and pepper.
- Transfer potatoes to preheated air fryer and bake until tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 40 minutes, turning potatoes after 20 minutes to ensure even browning.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Potatoes: Technically, you can air fry any potato. But for the ultimate air fryer baked potato, choose a russet which has a higher starch content and makes a fluffier potato. Sweet potatoes work, too.
Thank you for all the delicious recipes and insight especially for the air fryer
You have become my go to for any new recipes!
Regarding baked potatoes, real baked potatoes, the air fryer does a wonderful job however, I have found if you microwave the potatoes for 3 to 5 minutes depending upon size first, you can cut the air fryer time in half and still have real baked potatoes with a nice crispy skin!
Patience is not my virtue๐
Youโre welcome! Thanks for the tip! โ Meggan