Air fryer baked potatoes are the perfect side dish to go with so many of your family's staple meals. Plus, this method is easier, faster, and tastier than baking them in the oven. Just add your favorite toppings and get ready to enjoy the best baked potatoes of your life!
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This easy air fryer recipe takes less time than cooking potatoes in the oven. There's no guesswork for perfectly crispy skin and fluffy insides. What I love is that there is less messy and fewer dishes to clean up.
This makes the best crispy skins on the taters, so if you're making Twice Baked Potatoes, start with this recipe!
Ingredients
For the exact measurements, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- baking potatoes
- olive oil
- salt
Air Fryer Baked Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 medium potatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or grapeseed oil or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Instructions
- Set the air fryer temperature to 400 degrees. Preheat for 5 minutes.
- Clean the potatoes. Pat dry. Do not peel the skin.
- With a fork or sharp knife, poke each potato 3 to 4 times.
- Coat the potatoes with oil.
- Sprinkle the salt and gently pat it on the potatoes. This is how I found out it is easier for even distribution of the salt on the skin.
- Place the potatoes in a single layer in the basket of the air fryer.
- Set the air fryer on manual setting to 400 degrees F and cook for 20 minutes.
- Flip the potatoes and cook for an additional 20-25 minutes. The potato's internal temperature is around 205 degrees F.
- Serve with your favorite toppings.
Notes
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Nutrition
Instructions
This is an overview. For the specific instructions just scroll down to the bottom!
- Clean the potatoes. Pat dry. Do not peel the skin.
- With a fork, poke holes into each potato 3 to 4 times.
- Next, coat the potatoes with oil.
- Sprinkle the salt and gently pat it on the potatoes. This is how I found it easiest to evenly distribute the salt on the skin.
- Place potatoes in the air fryer basket.
- Set the air fryer on manual setting to 400 degrees F and cook for 20 minutes.
- Flip the potatoes and cook for an additional 20-25 minutes. The potato's internal temperature when done is around 205 degrees F.
- Serve with your favorite toppings.
FAQ's
Soak them in cold water for about 15 minutes to loosen the dirt. Then, rinse them under cold water, scrubbing with a brush to remove any stubborn yuckiness. Finally, dry them well using a kitchen towel.
Nope! The skin of produce can absorb chemicals, so unless you want to eat your dish detergent, it's not recommended to use kitchen soap on fruit or veggies.
Oil helps makes the skin extra crispy. It's the key to a perfect baked potato! Plus, the salt also sticks a little better to the oil than to plain potato skin.
I don't recommend it, since butter burns quickly. I like to use oil with a high smoke point, like peanut or avocado oil. Alternatively, olive oil or a type of non-stick cooking spray (like one made of canola oil) will work. Reserve the pat of butter for topping your cooked potato, instead!
Sure thing! Swap them into this recipe without changing anything else and get ready for the best air fryer sweet potatoes-ever! Just like with regular potatoes, different sizes of sweet potatoes will have different cook times, so temperature-check them for best results.
Things to know
- When choosing potatoes, keep the size of your air fryer in mind. Of course, if your air fryer basket is on the small side, avoid larger potatoes.
- Cooking time will vary among different sized potatoes. So, try to pick potatoes of a similar size and shape when making them in the air fryer so that they all cook at the same rate.
- After cleaning the potatoes use a paper towel to dry them well or a kitchen towel. Damp potato skins don't crisp as much.
- For the best potato ever, don't crowd the air fryer. Place the potatoes in a single layer-you want the hot air to circulate freely around each potato.
- Flipping the air fryer baked potatoes halfway through the cooking process makes them evenly crisp. However, don't forget to use tongs-they'll be hot, hot, hot!
- An easy way (and, the best way, in my opinion) to tell if the air fryer potatoes are done is with an instant thermometer. An internal temperature of 205 degrees F means the potato is done!
Variations
Russet potatoes are usually my go-to because their skin is perfect for crisping, yet the insides stay light and fluffy. However, you can make air fryer baked potatoes out of a variety of different kinds, depending on what you're in the mood for.
For example, red potatoes and Yukon gold potatoes will taste more buttery but are slightly denser in texture. On the other hand, you can use sweet potatoes for a mild, starchy side dish!
For more flavor in every bite, sprinkle the potato skin with some onion or garlic powder when rubbing them with the oil. We also like to use good kosher salt, but you can use whatever type you have on hand-course sea salt is yummy, too.
Feel free to get creative when it comes to potato toppings. You can even set up a baked potato bar for family game night and highlight the delicious spuds as dinner's main event. We enjoy:
- Sour cream and/or butter
- Seasonings, like fresh cracked black pepper or chopped green onions
- Raw diced red onion and jalapeno peppers
- Hot sauce
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Some protein, like bacon bits and/or a meaty chili
Repurpose your leftovers
If you have some leftover potatoes, be sure to make Air Fryer Potato Skins. They make the best snack for family night or game day! Find all of the easy air fryer recipes here!
Related recipes
- These Smashed Fingerling Potatoes really have it all-they're garlicky and flavorful, crispy but perfectly fluffy, too.
- Pressure Cooker Baked Potatoes are a delicious way to cook any type of potato. The best part? They're finished in as fast as three minutes!
- With caramelized edges and tender potato goodness in every bite, these Rosemary Lemon Roasted Potatoes are a must-try!
Serve with
- What goes better with an air fryer baked potato recipe than a quick Instant Pot Pulled Pork Butt? Nothing-the answer is nothing!
- Another one of my favorite air fryer recipes, these Maple Glazed Carrots are irresistible and made with simple ingredients!
- Round out your menu with this easy recipe for Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread-so delicious, it's almost like eating dessert for dinner!
Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside-these air fryer baked potatoes are a game-changer for easy sides or build-your-own dinners. Whether you load them up with all the fixings or keep it simple with butter and salt, they're a hit every time.
If you give this recipe a try, leave a comment and five-star rating below! And don't forget to tag me on Instagram @bowl_me_over-I'd love to see your potato creations in all their glory!
Cindy says
Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside – love it!!! 🥔✨🍽️😄
Becky Mansfield says
I was curious about how to cook baked potato in the air fryer so this recipe is so helpful! I've made it in the oven, but never in the air fryer, so I'm excited to try. I am going to make it this weekend. Thank you for sharing!! 🙂
Cindy says
Thanks for the air fryer baked potato recipe! My family loves baked potatoes but they are hard to make when my oven is already full!
Melanie C says
I was searching for how to cook baked potato in the air fryer and came across your recipe. I had heard it was good to cook it this way - and it's right. The skin was so crispy and tasty from the salt and the potato was nice and fluffy. Your recipe is perfection.
Camden Rusincovitch says
I needed a good air fryer baked potato recipe! Looking forward to making this for lunch this week.
Rita Joy says
Thank you for these great instructions for how to cook baked potato in the air fryer. We just recently got an air fryer (and love it!), and I've been looking for good air fryer baked potato recipes. This is perfect! Thank you.
Sharon says
Making this air fryer baked potato recipe frees up SO much room in the oven for the rest of the meal!
Bowl Me Over says
That is so true Sharon - glad you enjoyed the recipe!!
Holly says
This air fryer baked potato recipe is one of my favorite snacks! I love loading my baked potato up with all sorts of different things, too!
One Crazy House says
I can't tell you how many times I have craved a baked potato, but just given up on it (because who has an hour or so to wait for one to cook most days?!) I'm excited to try this air fryer baked potato recipe!
MARYE AUDET-WHITE says
Ok.. I am one of those weirdos that loves the baked potato skin. This air fryer baked potato recipe makes the best ever baked potatoes with the crispiest skin. SO good.
Bowl Me Over says
Yep, crispy skin is my favorite part as well, with a little bit of butter, of course!
Alyssa says
I absolutely needed this air fryer baked potato recipe. This is life changing! I can't wait to try this out! I am always looking for things I can make in the air fryer.
Brandi says
Thanks so much for posting this! I have been looking for an air fryer baked potato recipe that I can use for a quick lunch when I'm working from home. This is perfect and the potatoes turn out delicious!
Kristen says
*stares from Air Fryer, to stove, to Air Fryer, to stove pondering why I been living a lie*😩🤣 I cannot believe there is an Air Fryer Baked Potato Recipe! I have wasted SO much time making them in the oven! I'm excited to try this!
Cynthia Rusincovitch says
I had no idea how to cook a baked potato in the air fryer. But this is so much easier. And I really like the crispy skin!
Brittany says
This air fryer baked potato recipe is the only way I make baked potatoes for my family!
Julie says
Very easy & they came out delicious!