Quick Baked Potatoes
This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
This Quick Baked Potatoes recipe is one of our favorite recipes. It will have you making delicious baked potatoes at home more often. It’s so easy to prepare, and it requires only 3 simple ingredients and about 30 minutes.
I’m Irish to the core. Well, at least I think I am. If nothing but for my lack of self-control when anything potato is involved, I would say I’m totally Irish. That has to mean something, right?
Potatoes are a staple in our home. We have to moderate our intake and how they’re prepared, but a good baked potato is always the perfect standby for us to serve as a side, or as the main star topped with chili, or maybe even something healthy. I’ve learned a shortcut for cooking baked potatoes quicker, and I have to say, tastier. My friend, Cindy, tipped me off to this technique for cooking Quick Baked Potatoes a few years back.
Cindy is also the person that originally spurred me on to begin this site. I didn’t really know what a blog was when she suggested I look into starting one of my own. So thank you for that, Cindy! And thank you for showing me how to bake a potato faster too.
How to Bake Potatoes Quickly
Here’s how it works. It couldn’t be easier. Begin with washed potatoes. Scrub the potatoes and remove any bad spots. We use sweet potatoes for this too. Sweet potatoes are my husband’s favorite. I always toss one in the batch for him. Once clean and when you’ve washed and removed any icky or weird-looking parts, follow these next steps.
1. Cut the potatoes in half length-wise. Then pour a little olive oil, and sprinkle a good amount of salt on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
2. Coat the cut potato halves with the olive oil and salt, place them on the baking sheet, cut side down. Just use your hands to coat the potatoes with oil and salt. It’s easier. Plus, olive oil and salt make for an excellent hand scrub.
3. Once they’re coated on all sides, sprinkle a little more salt, then bake at 400 degrees F for about 30-40 minutes, depending on your oven. Check with a fork for doneness and enjoy!
See? Isn’t that easy?
When potatoes are baked this way, they develop a super tasty skin (which I enjoy even more than the flesh), and they’re the healthiest part of the potato too. They end up being a cross between a baked potato and twice baked potato without all the scraping and re-stuffing involved. Super simple. Super quick. And super satisfying.
Try it soon and let me know what you think! Before you go, do you have any tips for cooking vegetables quicker without losing flavor and health benefits? Do share!
What to serve these quick baked potatoes with:
Potatoes are a great side dish that goes well with so many different meals. They are golden brown and crunchy on the outside and have a soft and crumbly texture on the inside. Their simple flavor and texture makes them the perfect side dish with almost any meal.
One of my go-to recipes that go perfectly with roasted potatoes are these Chicken Breasts in Mushroom Sauce. The mushroom sauce adds so much creaminess and balances all the flavors of the potatoes and juicy chicken breasts. I also like combining these quick baked potatoes with Glazed Salmon, Roasted Turkey, BBQ Chicken, and all other types of grilled meats.
You’ll also love to try:
Twice Baked Potatoes
Spicy Loaded Baked Potatoes
Lemon Garlic Roasted Potatoes
Easy Roasted Asparagus
Roasted Broccoli Recipe
Quick Baked Potatoes Recipe
Quick Baked Potatoes
A quicker and delicious way to bake a potato.
Ingredients
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- several pinches kosher salt
- 4 baking potatoes,* washed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400-degrees F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drizzle lined baking sheet with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Cut potatoes in half length wise.
- Coat potatoes all sides with olive oil and salt, and place cut side down on lined baking sheet. Sprinkle potatoes with additional salt.
- Bake at 400-degrees F for 30-40 minutes until done. Check with fork for doneness.
Notes
* Sweet potatoes may be used.
I coat sweet potatoes with olive oil and cut inch slices down 1/4 inch from bottom and wrap in foil and bake 450 for 45in. Cool then put wrapped in fridge and eat a section every morning
Thank you! My Mom made the best roasted potatoes, I have never been able to match hers until now! I cooked mine a few minutes longer, and I think I’d use a butter/olive oil combo. My potatoes came out so good, crispy on the cut side and so good!!! Mom I got it!!! Thank you! 🙂
Oh my word, the sweet potato was the best I’ve ever eaten!
So glad to hear it, Sallee. This continues to be one of our favorite ways to cook both sweet potatoes and russets.
Tried these tonight and all three kids LOVED them! You’re a miracle worker!!!
Yay, Carla! That makes me happy to hear that. 🙂
Seriously so good! I’ve made this a bunch of times since I read this post and the potatoes come out flawlessly every time! Perfectly crispy yet fluffy on the inside. I’m actually making them tonight ;). I never even post comments on recipe blogs. That’s how much I love this! Haha. Thanks for the recipe :).
Glad you enjoy them, Chelsea! They will forever be a family favorite.
Made these tonight as directed (with a little additional garlic salt) and they were phenomenal!! I’ve never enjoyed eating a baked potato without sour cream and/or butter, but this was a first!! Thank you so much!
Yay, Amy! I haven’t baked a potato any other way since learning this method. So glad to hear that you enjoy it too!
Hi there.. My mom has cooked us potatoes this way since I can remember. The only difference is that instead of parchment paper we use Tim foil or just a cookie sheet. Spray with nonstick then drizzle olive oil or vegetable oil sprinkle with any seasoning you want and use a good deal of seasoning make sure to pome holes in the outer layer of skin of the potatoe I have seen one pop before and man its messy. Once a the potatoe is cooked and a fork can penetrate it with no resostance the potatoes are finished. When you take them out the bottoms will be a golden crispy brown. Serve with sourcream or ranch for dipping. It’s great for bbqs as it is an easy hand food and even after they cool down they are great. I love them the next day they reheat great or I like it right out of the fridge.
Can I use canola oil, or just olive oil?
I used simple sunflower oil and they came out perfect! Just make sure you coat them thoroughly.
This is so smart! Why did I not think of it. Ha! I’m going to do this with sweet potatoes this week!
I hope you enjoy the ease of it, Megan!
Salty potato skins the best! YUM!
My mom always had baked sweet potatoes around. She loves them with butter and a piece of cheese. Memories, missing her already.
I’ve done this before but it was such a mess even with foil. Apparently baking parchment is the answer! Thanks! I’ll have to try this again soon
Let me know how it turns out for you, Jeff!
Just wanted to drop a note and let you know that I have been following this method for a year now. Thanks so much for posting! Whenever I bake tatoes, sweet or regular I always refer to this post!
I’m so happy that it has been helpful, Michelle!
I don’t even know how I stumbled across this recipe but I’m so glad I did! I will never do regular baked potatoes again. These are so easy and so delicious! My picky kids even like them. We also like twice baked and loaded potatoes but we start with this recipe now. Just bake, flip, sprinkle with cheese, crumbled bacon, and green onion and slide back in the oven to melt the cheese. Done! (I like a little dollop of sour cream to finish them off.) So easy, so delicious, and I love that they reheat well too!
I may have commented on this before, but this is a great idea–thanks, Amy!!
Amy what a great way to cook potatoes in hurry now why didn’t I think of this lol. I’m a huge fan of sweet potatoes and was wondering if you could cook squash in the same way? ????
Loved them, I used Himalayan salt. Simple and so delicious.
This sounds really nice. gonna make this for tea tonight. Thanks. Simon
Super simple, super quick,, super satisfying and super salty if your not careful.
Love it. Second time I made the sweet potatoes I did leave out the salt and they were super yummy.
I love baked potatoes but never think of them early enough, so thanks for this recipe.