Description
This recipe guides you through making perfect baked potatoes with crispy skin and fluffy interiors. These classic baked potatoes are easy to prepare, requiring just a few simple ingredients and basic oven baking technique. Customize with your favorite toppings such as sour cream, cheese, chives, or butter for a delicious and comforting side or main dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Potatoes
- 4 large russet potatoes
Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Optional Toppings
- Sour cream
- Cheese
- Chives
- Butter
- Any toppings of your choice
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) to prepare it for baking the potatoes.
- Clean Potatoes: Scrub the russet potatoes thoroughly under cold running water to remove any dirt and debris from the skins.
- Dry Potatoes: Pat each potato dry carefully using a clean towel to ensure the skin crisps up during baking.
- Poke Holes: Use a fork to poke several holes evenly around each potato to allow steam to escape while they bake and prevent bursting.
- Oil and Season: Rub each potato with olive oil until fully coated, then sprinkle generously with salt and black pepper for flavor and crispy skin.
- Bake Potatoes: Place the prepared potatoes directly on the oven rack or a baking sheet and bake for 45 to 60 minutes until the skin is crispy and a fork inserts easily into the center, indicating the inside is tender.
- Cool and Slice: Remove the potatoes from the oven and allow them to cool slightly before slicing open to avoid burning yourself.
- Add Toppings and Serve: Top with your favorite toppings such as sour cream, cheese, chives, or butter, then serve immediately and enjoy your perfectly baked potatoes.
Notes
- Choosing russet potatoes provides the best texture with fluffy interiors and crispy skins.
- Poking holes before baking is essential to prevent potatoes from bursting in the oven.
- For even crispier skin, you can sprinkle a little extra coarse salt before baking.
- If you prefer a softer skin, wrap the potatoes in foil, but this will reduce crispiness.
- Baked potatoes can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheated in the oven to retain crispness.
