Julie Clark
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Oven Baked Potatoes
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This baked potato in the oven has crispy, salted skins and fluffy insides, just like a steakhouse potato. With only 5 minutes of prep and about an hour of bake time, it’s a simple method that lets the natural potato flavor shine.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Jennifer says, “Honestly…..the best baked potato I’ve ever had. It was so freaking good. Like, seriously. And yes I used the bacon grease to coat the outside. Yummy!”
Oven baked potatoes are delicious with our spinach artichoke dip served on top.
The secret to the best oven baked potatoes.
Ever wondered how steakhouses manage to serve up those perfectly crispy-skinned, fluffy-on-the-inside baked potatoes? With this guide on steakhouse baked potatoes in the oven, you’ll realize that achieving the best baked potato at home is not only doable but remarkably simple.
The secret? It’s all in the choice of potato and the baking technique.
For the perfect oven baked potato, you need to start with the best potato for baking. Russet potatoes are the best for baking since they are a high starch potato with a light, mealy texture.. And if you can find a Idaho potatoes? Even better.
If you are fixing bacon as a loaded baked potato topping, cook it in advance and rub bacon grease on the outside of the potato rather than oil. It’s amazing!
An alternative is to use coconut oil or butter for rubbing on the outside. Each fat gives just a little bit of a different flavor.
Try a few of our favorite potato recipes: potato skins, potato cakes and potatoes romanoff.
Enjoy! -Julie
Oven Baked Potatoes
Wondering how restaurants get those perfect potatoes? Here’s the hints on how to make the best oven baked potatoes with salty, crispy skin and fluffy potato inside.
Servings 4
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 large Russet potatoes
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- Wash and dry the potatoes. Pierce the potato 2-3 times with a fork.* 4 large Russet potatoes
- Rub oil all over the potatoes (or choose one of the other options above to rub on the outside). ¼ cup olive oil
- Rub salt all over the potatoes. Choose coarse sea salt or pink Himalayan salt. 1 tablespoon salt
- Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes. The exact baking time will depend on how large the potatoes are. The potato should be tender inside if you poke a fork into it.
Video
Notes
- The purpose behind piercing a potato with a fork is to let the steam escape and prevent the potatoes from exploding while baking. I’ve never had a potato explode on me. But…for safety, pierce the potatoes.
- Serve with butter, cheese, chives, sour cream and all of your favorite toppings!
- The calories shown are based on one potato with no toppings, but all potatoes are a different size. To get an exact calorie count, weigh the potato and search google for the amount of calories that size potato. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**
Nutrition
Calories: 410kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1762mg | Potassium: 1538mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 3.3mg
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it better to bake potatoes in foil or not?
You will often see oven baked potato recipes that wrap a potato in foil. Although this works, we don’t believe this is best. The potato actually gets steamed and the skin will not get crispy if it is baked wrapped in foil. For that reason, we say no foil is best! All you need is that oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper if you’d like.
Do I have to poke holes in potatoes before baking?
The purpose behind piercing a potato with a fork or sharp knife is to let the steam escape and prevent the potatoes from exploding while baking. I’ll be honest that I don’t always poke the potatoes before I bake them. I’ve never had a potato explode on me. But…for safety, I do recommend piercing the potatoes.
What goes good with baked potatoes?
This oven baked potato recipe goes great with just about any main dish, but we especially love spuds with ham, roast beef, pulled pork and steak.
How long to bake a large baked potato?
I like to bake potatoes at 425ºF. It generally takes a large Russet potato about 45 minutes to become tender, but the exact timing will depend on the size of the potatoes. Plan for at least an hour, but check the potato at 45 minutes. Larger potatoes will take longer.
What should the internal temperature of a baked potato be?
According to the Idaho Potato Commission, the perfect baked potato will be 210º Fahrenheit inside. An instant-read thermometer is perfect for testing this.
Baked Potato Topping Ideas
Salt-crusted oven baked potato bars are a fun idea for a party. Here’s some potato toppings ideas other than traditional compound butters, cheddar cheese, sour cream and scallions:
- Leftover Chili
- Broccoli cheddar soup
- Pizza potatoes
- Taco meat
- Blender salsa
- Pico de Gallo
- Guacamole
- Buffalo Chicken Dip (don’t knock it until you try it!)
Try this method with our oven baked sweet potato recipe. You may also love our air fryer baked potatoes and Instant Pot baked potatoes.
Serve these classic oven baked potatoes alongside our corn casserole for a delicious meal.
These are the best baked potatoes I’ve ever made. Exactly like what you get from a restaurant. Thanks so much! I’m making them again tonight for our Bible study group and excited to show off what a potato genius I am.
I made 50 baked potatoes for a footstool party at church. Did just as Liszzy T said, olive oil and salt. Only problem…I placed them right on the oven racks. Well, I met some very nice firemen when the smoke set off the alarm. Plus the oven was a mess from dripping oil so use a cookie sheet! Otherwise, the party was a huge success. And I am still getting traded!
Prepared these exactly as the recipe is written and they turned out PERFECT! So easy and delicious. Thank you!
thank you tastesoflizzyt for giving me wonderful information
I made this today…. it was super delicious. Fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside. It was like one giant french fry but like 10 times better.
What tips / techniques do you have for me if I’m baking 7 huge potatoes? Do I need to do 2 separate baking sessions or is it OK to put all of them in the oven together at once?
Honestly…..the best baked potato I’ve ever had. It was so freaking good. Like, seriously. And yes I used the bacon grease to coat the outside. Yummy!
Hi Julie,
Do you have to use salt? My spouse can’t have a lot of salt so the majority of the time we don’t use salt. Also is there a cooking difference (as in the time) when cooking two large potatoes?
I have an idea to use foil to bake, What do you think about this? just personal opinion
I tried and succeeded, my husband enjoyed eating, he complimented me and wanted me to do it more times
Easy and absolutely flavorful. Best way to make potatoes for a crowd.
When I microwave mine, I add water to the dish. Perfect every time.
Omg!! The oven baked potato is amazing. I will not bake any other way! I did cook the bacon and used that grease instead of oil… YUM!
To keep them warm i put them in a small cooler or lunch cooler with a couple heated rocks from the oven. They stay crisp.
What’s the best way to keep the potatoes warm after they have been baked. I’m taking dinner to someone and need to keep them warm.