This basic technique guarantees potatoes with crisp, flavorful skins and light, fluffy insides every time. Enjoy them with butter or sour cream or stuff with your favorite add-ins.
I call these “perfectly baked potatoes” because they’re everything a potato should be. The basic technique guarantees potatoes with crisp, flavorful skins and light, fluffy insides each and every time.
Potatoes have become a staple in my pantry for a few key reasons. And though they often receive a bad rap for being high in carbs (a 5-ounce potato has a reasonable 26 grams of carbs), they have many redeeming qualities.
For starters, economical tubers can effortlessly bolster a meal, complementing nearly any protein. When stuffed with your favorite add-ins, they can just as easily anchor a meal. (More on that later.)
A dietary staple for much of the world’s population, potatoes are also an excellent source of many key nutrients (i.e., high in vitamin C, more potassium than a banana, and just 110 calories per 5 ounce potato).
Finally, in addition to being sodium-, gluten-, and cholesterol-free, research has suggested that potatoes may improve digestion, boost heart health, reduce cholesterol levels, prevent some forms of cancer, protect the skin, reduce blood pressure, among other health benefits.
Once your perfectly baked potatoes are in hand, you can keep it simple with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and a pat of butter or a dollop of sour cream. Or use them as the foundation for a complete meal, keeping it basic or creating a mashup with some of your favorite dishes. ⇩
How to stuff them:
- Baked Egg in a Potato
- Broccoli Cheddar (try this easy cheese sauce)
- Mexican (black beans, salsa, avocado, cheese)
- Taco (ground beef sautéed with taco seasoning and your favorite taco toppings)
- Pepperoni Pizza (pizza sauce, mozzarella, and pepperoni)
- Chili and Cheese
- Bacon Cheddar
- Chicken Alfredo
- Loaded Tex-Mex
- Spinach Artichoke
- Italian Sausage and Peppers
- Philly Cheesesteak
- California Breakfast (scrambled eggs, bacon, tomatoes, avocado)
- Buffalo Chicken with Blue Cheese
- Sloppy Joes
Perfectly Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
- Russet potatoes, scrubbed well and thoroughly dried
- Softened butter, olive, or avocado oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Pierce each potato three or four times with a fork.
- Rub each potato all over with a teaspoon or so of olive oil or softened butter (no need to measure—you want enough to lightly coat), and then lightly sprinkle all over with kosher salt and pepper.
- Place the potatoes a few inches apart on a baking sheet. (For a little extra crispness, you can bake the potatoes directly on the oven rack. This can be a bit messy though, so I usually use a baking sheet.) Bake the potatoes for 50 to 60 minutes, depending on size, or until the skin is lightly crisp and the insides are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven. Cut down the middle of each potato with a sharp knife, gently squeeze from opposite ends to open it, and fluff the interior with a fork. Enjoy with your favorite toppings.
Notes
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