Microwaving potatoes is a quick and easy cooking method on a busy night. If you’d like to use a conventional oven, an air fryer, or an instant pot, check out potato baking basics from the Idaho Potato Commission here.
Microwave Baked Potatoes
If you’d like to use a conventional oven, an air fryer, or an instant pot, check out potato baking basics from the Idaho Potato Commission here. (https://idahopotato.com/recipes/baked-potato)
Print Recipe
Equipment
- microwave
Ingredients
- 1 potato russet The russet potato works best.
- ½ teaspoon oil
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Wash hands before preparing food.
- Wash and dry potatoes.
- With a fork or sharp knife, pierce each potato 2 or 3 times.
- Rub each potato with a little oil (just enough to lightly coat) and salt generously.
- Place potatoes in a circle on a paper towel, leaving a 1-inch space between each potato.
- Cook on HIGH for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork, turning once during cooking and removing any that are done after 15 minutes.
- Let potatoes stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Tips to Make Baked Potatoes Like a Pro
• Russets are the best because of their high starch content. This is how you get a nice fluffy interior.
• After you wash the potatoes, make sure the skin is really dry. This helps to get crispy skin.
• Pierce the potato several times on all sides with a fork.
• Never wrap your potatoes in foil to bake them! The typical Idaho russet is about 80% water and wrapping in foil traps the moisture which steams the potato. This often makes the interior next to the skin overcooked and brown while the outside wrinkles.
• The best way to know your potato is done is when the internal temperature reaches 210°.
• Russets are the best because of their high starch content. This is how you get a nice fluffy interior.
• After you wash the potatoes, make sure the skin is really dry. This helps to get crispy skin.
• Pierce the potato several times on all sides with a fork.
• Never wrap your potatoes in foil to bake them! The typical Idaho russet is about 80% water and wrapping in foil traps the moisture which steams the potato. This often makes the interior next to the skin overcooked and brown while the outside wrinkles.
• The best way to know your potato is done is when the internal temperature reaches 210°.
Nutrition Facts
Microwave Baked Potatoes
Serving Size
1 potato
Amount per 1 Serving
Calories
309
% Daily Value*
Fat
2
g
3
%
Saturated Fat
0.3
g
2
%
Trans Fat
0.01
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
1
g
Sodium
18
mg
1
%
Carbohydrates
67
g
22
%
Fiber
5
g
21
%
Sugar
2
g
2
%
Protein
8
g
16
%
Calcium
48
mg
5
%
Iron
3
mg
17
%
Potassium
1539
mg
44
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.