Ah, the potato! It just might be the most perfect food. We love all things potato here at Simply Made Dish, and this is the easiest of all to make. Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, baked potatoes are a timeless classic for a reason. Serve with your main course or enjoy it on its own!

cooked potatoes on a plate next to sour cream, butter, and cheese

Serves: 1 potato/person
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 50-60 minutes

Ingredients:

russet potato
olive oil
coarse salt
optional toppings:
- butter
- cheese
- sour cream
- bacon
- chives
- cooked broccoli
- chili

raw potatoes, salt, and olive oil spray in a bowl on a counter

Get the full printable instructions with measurements at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.

Step 1: Preheat oven to 400º F. Scrub potatoes clean and place on a plate. Pat dry with paper towels. Using a fork, pierce skin about 4 times per side (16-ish total).

Step 2: Spray with olive oil (or brush on if you don’t have spray) and liberally sprinkle with salt.

olive oil being sprayed onto potatoes on a plate

salt being sprinkled onto potatoes on a plate

Step 3: Place potatoes directly on the oven rack in the middle position and bake for 30 minutes. Turn potatoes and bake for 20-30 minutes more, until a fork easily pierces the skin and potato is tender.

Step 4: To “pop” open potato, use a fork to make a slit down the middle, wiggling it back and forth as you go. Place your thumbs at one side and your fingers at the top and squeeze. The split should pop open and create a perfect opening for your toppings!

a fork making a slit down the middle of a potato on a plate

2 hands squeezing a potato to pop open seam

a popped open potato with 2 hands on a plate

CAUTION: they call it a hot potato for a reason! Use oven mitts or allow potatoes to cool before handling.

Tips:

Need to use the oven at a different temperature? Add 10-15 minutes of bake time if cooking at 375º F. The skin might not get as crispy, but it’s a convenient way to bake multiple items.
Top with broccoli and cheddar or chili for a complete meal!

Perfect Baked Potato

3 cooked baked potatoes on a plate on a counter

Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, baked potatoes are a timeless classic for a reason. Serve with your main course or enjoy it on its own!

Beth

Prep Time 2

Total Time 52

Servings

Ingredients

1 russet potato
olive oil spray
coarse salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400º F. Scrub potatoes clean and place on a plate. Pat dry with paper towels. Using a fork, pierce skin about 4 times per side (16-ish total).
Spray with olive oil (or brush on if you don’t have spray) and liberally sprinkle with salt.
Place potatoes directly on the oven rack in the middle position and bake for 30 minutes. Turn potatoes and bake for 20-30 minutes more, until a fork easily pierces the skin and potato is tender.
To “pop” open potato, use a fork to make a slit down the middle, wiggling it back and forth as you go. Place your thumbs at one side and your fingers at the top and squeeze. The split should pop open and create a perfect opening for your toppings!
CAUTION: they call it a hot potato for a reason! Use oven mitts or allow potatoes to cool before handling.

Notes

Need to use the oven at a different temperature? Add 10-15 minutes of bake time if cooking at 375º F. The skin might not get as crispy, but it’s a convenient way to bake multiple items.
Top with broccoli and cheddar or chili for a complete meal!