How to Make the Best Baked Potato (Crispy Skin + Fluffy Inside)

If your baked potatoes come out soft-skinned, bland, or just… fine, I have an easy, foolproof method for you.

This is how you get that crispy, salty, restaurant-style baked potato with a fluffy inside every single time. It’s simple, reliable, and exactly how I learned growing up, watching my dad work in professional kitchens.

These days, it’s one of those back-pocket recipes I come back to again and again, easy enough for a weeknight, but still feels like something a little special.

Once you know how to bake a potato this way, you won’t go back.

Part of My Cooking School Series

This baked potato recipe is part of my Cooking School series—where I break down simple techniques that make everyday cooking feel a little more intentional.

Because sometimes it’s not about learning something complicated… it’s about learning how to do the basics really well.

What You Need to Make a Baked Potato

• Russet potatoes
• Olive oil (or your favorite neutral oil)
• Kosher salt

That’s it. Simple, wholesome ingredients you likely already have on hand.

What Type of Potato Is Best for Baking?

If you’ve ever made a baked potato and found it to be dense or waxy, it was likely the wrong type of potato.

Russet potatoes are the best choice here—they’re high in starch and low in moisture, which gives you that fluffy interior and perfectly crisp skin.

How to Bake the Best Potato

To bake a potato, preheat your oven to 425°F. Scrub and dry the potato, then rub it with oil and salt. Place it directly on the oven rack and bake for 45–60 minutes, until the inside is tender and the skin is crispy.

How to Bake a Potato (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Prep the Potatoes

Scrub the potatoes clean and dry them completely. Moisture is the enemy of crispy skin.

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Step 2: Oil and Salt the Skin

Rub each potato with oil, then generously coat with kosher salt.

This is what creates that signature crispy, flavorful skin.

Step 3: Bake Until Tender

Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack (no foil!) and bake at 425°F for 45–60 minutes.

You’ll know they’re done when:

• the skin is crisp
• a knife slides in easily

Step 4: How to Open a Baked Potato

Use a knife to make a slit across the top, then gently press the ends inward to open it up. Fluff the inside with a fork before adding toppings.

That little step makes all the difference; it keeps the inside light instead of being packed down.

Why This Method Works

• No foil → prevents steaming and keeps the skin crispy
• Oil + salt → creates that restaurant-style texture and flavor
• High heat → gives you a fluffy interior without drying it out

Simple steps, but they completely change the result.

How Long to Bake a Potato

At 425°F:

• Medium potatoes: 45–50 minutes
• Large potatoes: 55–60 minutes

If you’re unsure, give the potato a gentle squeeze (with a towel)—it should feel soft inside.

Tips for the Best Baked Potato

• Use russet potatoes for the best texture
  Russets are high in starch and low in moisture, which gives you that fluffy inside and crispy skin. You can use other potatoes (even sweet potatoes or golds), but russets will give you the most classic baked potato result.
• Choose potatoes that are similar in size
  Aim for medium potatoes (about ½ pound each) so they bake evenly. If one is much larger than the others, it will take longer to cook through.
• Skip the foil
  Wrapping potatoes in foil traps moisture, which leads to soft, soggy skin. Baking them uncovered allows the skin to crisp up and the flavor to concentrate.
• Bake at a higher temperature
  Around 425–450°F is ideal for crispy skin. Lower temperatures will still work, but they’ll take longer and won’t give you the same texture.
• Know when they’re done
  The potatoes are ready when a fork or skewer slides in easily with little resistance. If you want to be precise, the internal temperature should be around 205°F.
• Don’t skip the oil and salt
  Lightly coat the potatoes with a high-heat oil (like avocado oil or regular olive oil), then sprinkle generously with kosher salt. This is what gives you that flavorful, slightly crunchy skin.

Toppings for Baked Potatoes

This is where you can make it your own.

Classic options:

• Butter
• Sour cream
• Shredded cheese
• Bacon
• Chives

Or turn it into a full meal with chili, pulled chicken, or roasted vegetables.

FAQs

Recommended Kitchen Tools

• Veggie Brush: Potatoes are dirty (they do come out from the ground), so just running cold water on them doesn’t do much at all to get the dirt off. Scrub them well with a veggie scrubber.
• Baking sheet with a wall and silicone Mat: It’s important that the pan has a wall or your potatoes are going to rolll and fall off your pan. The silicone mat helps prevent the potatoes from sticking. You could use parchment paper, but I have had it stick to the paper, even with me rotating them, so just keep that in mind.

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Baked Potato Serving Suggestions

If you are serving classic baked potatoes as a side dish, try rounding out your meal with any of these:

• Oven-Baked Beer-Batter Fish
• Beer Battered Fried Fish
• Pork Wonton Burgers

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