The perfect baked potato recipe delivers potatoes with crispy, salty skins and light, fluffy centers, and my method does just that! I use just a handful of ingredients and a few simple tricks to create a steakhouse-style texture. Finished with plenty of butter and a sprinkle of flakey salt, these potatoes are proof that sometimes the simplest recipes are the best.
I’ve cooked potatoes just about every way you can imagine, from mashed potatoes to crispy roasted potatoes, and even potato gnocchi, but there’s something unbeatable about a properly baked potato. For me, that means achieving the perfect contrast between the skin and the center. I want deeply crisp and salty potato skins with a soft, fluffy interior.
The good news is that getting that texture at home is simple with just a few easy steps. A quick salt water brine, a high oven temperature, and adding the oil at just the right time make all the difference. Once you try this method, you’ll never go back to simply wrapping a potato in foil and throwing it in the oven again.
Ingredients and Notes
See the recipe card below for the complete ingredient list and instructions.
- Russet Potatoes – These are my preferred potato for baking because their high starch content gives you the dry, fluffy insides you want while the thicker skin gets nice and crispy. Look for two large potatoes that are fairly similar in size so they cook at roughly the same rate.
- Kosher Salt – Dissolve the salt in warm water to make the brine. Dunking the potatoes in the brine seasons the outside and helps create a salty, crispy skin.
- Water – You only need enough warm water to dissolve the salt and thoroughly coat the potatoes.
- Neutral Oil – Brush the potatoes with a neutral oil, such as avocado oil or canola oil, after the first bake, not before. A neutral oil can handle the high oven temperature without adding an overpowering flavor.
- Osmo Flakey White Sea Salt – The finishing touch, this enhances the flavor even further.
How to Make the Perfect Baked Potato
Nick’s Tips for Success
- Don’t skip the brine. You could just throw a potato into the oven, but that quick dunk in salted water gives the skin much more flavor.
- Wait to add the oil. I bake the potatoes first and brush them with oil only for the final 15 minutes. Adding oil at the start of baking can trap steam, causing the interior to become mushy.
- Use a wire rack. Elevating the potatoes allows hot air to circulate underneath them for more even cooking and crisping.
- Adjust the cooking time. The exact baking time will vary based on your oven and the size of the potatoes. So, for the best baked potatoes, I recommend checking the temperature rather than relying on a set time.
- Add toppings. I like to keep things simple with butter and salt, but feel free to load your potatoes up with your favorite toppings. Black pepper, sour cream, bacon bits, fresh herbs, and shredded cheddar cheese are all delicious options. You can even make a loaded baked potato with shredded rotisserie-style chicken, broccoli, and melted cheese.
Perfect Baked Potato Recipe
This is my method for the perfect baked potato with seriously crispy, salty skin and a light, fluffy center. A quick saltwater brine seasons the outside, while brushing the potatoes with oil toward the end of baking gets the skin extra crisp. Cut them open as soon as they come out of the oven, then finish with plenty of butter and flaky salt!
Equipment
- 1 Medium Bowl
- 1 Fork
- 1 Instant-Read Thermometer or Temperature Probe
- 1 Baking Sheet with Wire Rack
- 1 Pastry Brush
Ingredients
- ½ cup (118 millimeter) warm water
- 2 tablespoon (30 gram) kosher salt
- 2 large russet potato (~1½ pound / 680 gram)
- 2 tablespoon (30 millimeter) neutral oil
- butter, for serving
- Osmo Flakey White sea salt, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Place a wire rack over a baking sheet and set aside.
- Add the warm water and kosher salt to a medium bowl. Stir until the salt is dissolved.½ cup warm water, 2 tablespoon kosher salt
- Prick the potatoes all over with a fork. Dunk each potato into the saltwater brine, turning to coat it completely.2 large russet potato (~1½ pound / 680 gram)
- Place the potatoes on the prepared wire rack. Bake for about one hour, or until the center of each potato reaches 205°F (96°C) when tested with a temperature probe.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven and brush them all over with the neutral oil.2 tablespoon neutral oil
- Return the potatoes to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the skins are crisp.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven and cut them open immediately to release the steam and prevent the centers from becoming gummy. Serve hot with plenty of butter and a sprinkle of flakey salt.butter, Osmo Flakey White sea salt
Video
Notes
*Adjust the ingredient amounts in the recipe instructions accordingly if doubling or tripling the recipe.
Potato size matters: The exact baking time will vary depending on the size of your potatoes. For the most reliable results, use the internal temperature rather than time alone.
Don’t add the oil too early: Brine and bake the potatoes first, then brush them with oil for the final 15 minutes. This helps create that extra-crispy skin.
Cut them open right away: Releasing the steam immediately helps keep the centers light and fluffy instead of dense or gummy.
Storage: These baked potatoes are best served immediately while the skins are still crispy, and the centers are hot and fluffy. If you have leftovers, let them cool, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. For the best texture, reheat the potatoes in the oven at 400°F (200°C) until heated through and the skins have crisped back up. Avoid reheating them in the microwave if possible, as it will soften the crispy skin.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 415kcal, Carbohydrates: 67g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Sodium: 6998mg, Potassium: 1540mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 4IU, Vitamin C: 21mg, Calcium: 54mg, Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This completely changed how I make baked potatoes!