Air Fryer Baked Potato
The air fryer transforms a humble russet potato into something truly spectacular: a crackling, salty skin on the outside and a pillowy, fluffy center that practically melts in your mouth.
Equipment
- Air fryer - Basket-style or toaster-oven style air fryer
- Vegetable scrub brush or stiff sponge
- Kitchen towel or paper towels - For drying potatoes
- Fork - For piercing potatoes
- Pastry brush - For applying oil
- Tongs - For flipping potatoes
- Sharp knife - For splitting the potato open to serve
Ingredients
- 4 russet potatoes - 10–12 oz / 280–340g each, medium to large
- 2 tablespoons olive oil - or avocado oil, about 30ml
- 1 to 1½ teaspoons coarse kosher salt or sea salt - 5–7g
- ½ teaspoon black pepper - optional
Optional Toppings
- Unsalted butter
- Sour cream
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Crispy bacon bits
- Fresh chives or green onions - sliced thin
- Broccoli florets - steamed
- Chili
Instructions
- Scrub potatoes thoroughly, then pat completely dry. Piercing is crucial: poke each potato all over with a fork to release steam.
- Rub each potato with olive oil and season generously with salt, ensuring every inch of skin is coated.
- Place potatoes in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook at 400°F for 40–45 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Insert a knife into the center of a potato to check for doneness; it should slide in with no resistance.
- Carefully slit each potato lengthwise, pinch the ends to open, and add desired toppings before serving.
Notes
- Always dry the potatoes thoroughly before oiling. Any moisture left on the skin will steam rather than crisp, resulting in a soft, leathery exterior.
- Do not wrap potatoes in foil. Foil traps steam and prevents the skin from becoming crispy in the air fryer.
- Choose potatoes of uniform size so they all finish cooking at the same time.
- Do not crowd the basket. Overlapping potatoes block airflow and result in uneven cooking. Cook in batches if needed.
- Flipping halfway through is essential for even crisping on all sides of the skin.
- Test for doneness with a knife, not a timer. Different air fryer models and potato sizes vary the cooking time.
- For a garlic herb variation, mix the olive oil with ½ teaspoon of garlic powder and ½ teaspoon of dried rosemary before coating the potatoes.
- For Parmesan crusted potatoes, press finely grated Parmesan onto the oiled skin before air frying for an extra-savory golden crust.
- Store leftover cooked potatoes in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 400°F for 10–15 minutes to restore crispiness.
- To freeze, wrap cooled potatoes tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.