Want to hear a potentially controversial take? Waiting 60 minutes for a baked potato to cook in the oven is a waste of time and energy. Sure, it’s a classic comfort food, but nobody has the patience for that kind of wait on a busy weeknight. And if you’re in charge of holiday dinner this year, you’re probably going to want to get food on the table fast.
The air fryer is obviously superior for getting that steakhouse-style crispy skin, but the real game-changer is a specific speed hack. By jump-starting the cooking process in the microwave and finishing in the air fryer, you can get a perfect, fluffy potato in just 12 minutes. It’s the ultimate hybrid method that makes the traditional oven route feel completely obsolete.
Don’t believe us? Try it for yourself.
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My 12-Minute Baked Potato Recipe
A microwave and an air fryer will give you the best baked potato of your life.
What you need
- One russet potato
- 1 teaspoon olive oil or butter
- A microwave
- An air fryer
- Kosher salt for serving
Directions
- Step 1: Poke 10 to 12 air holes in the potato using a fork and salt liberally.
- Step 2: Microwave the potato on high for 8 to 10 minutes or until it’s fork-tender and cooked through.
- Step 3: Slice the potato halfway through and toss with melted butter or olive oil. You can also stuff the potato with cheese or bacon bits.
- Step 4: Air fry on high, skin side up, for 2 minutes.
- Step 5: Flip and cook for another two minutes until desired crispiness is achieved. (If topping with cheese, veggies or bacon, cook skin side down only.)
Feel free to stuff or top the potato to your heart’s content.
For more tips, see my list of the seven foods I’ll only air fry from now on, and learn the best way to reheat every kind of leftovers.
