Description
A classic baked potato recipe featuring crispy skin and fluffy interior, seasoned simply with olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper for the perfect side dish or base for toppings.
Ingredients
Scale
Potatoes
- 4 russet potatoes, scrubbed
Seasoning
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for rubbing
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) to ensure it reaches a high temperature needed for crispy skin and fluffy inside.
- Prepare Potatoes: Pierce each potato all over with a fork to allow steam to escape. Rub each potato with extra-virgin olive oil, then generously season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Arrange Potatoes: Place the potatoes on a baking sheet or set them on a heatproof rack inside a baking sheet to allow air circulation around them for even baking.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads between 200°F to 205°F, approximately 1 hour.
Notes
- Use russet potatoes for the best baking results due to their high starch content.
- Piercing the potatoes prevents them from bursting in the oven.
- For extra crispy skin, rub the potatoes well with oil and salt.
- You can test doneness by piercing with a fork or knife—should easily slide in without resistance.
- Let baked potatoes cool for a few minutes before serving to allow steam to settle inside.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: baked potato, oven-baked potato, crispy potato skin, easy side dish, russet potato
