These air fryer baked potatoes come out with a crispy, salty skin and a light, fluffy center, and you don’t have to turn on the oven. It’s hard to even call this a recipe. A little oil, some seasoned salt, and about 40 minutes in the air fryer is all it takes.
More Air Fryer Potatoes:
The Keys to Nailing This Recipe
There’s not much to this one, but three small things decide whether you get a crispy skin or a soft, steamy one.
-
Pick medium russet potatoes —
The cook time is built around 10 to 12 oz potatoes. Much bigger ones can still be hard in the middle when the timer goes off. -
Skip the foil —
Foil traps steam, so the skin turns soft and wrinkly instead of crispy. Put the potatoes in the basket bare. -
Leave space between potatoes —
The hot air has to reach every side. Anywhere the potatoes press together, the skin stays pale and soft.
How to Make Baked Potatoes in the Air Fryer
The standard russet potato is the one you want here. Idaho potatoes are just russets grown in Idaho, so those work just as well. Aim for medium potatoes, about 10 to 12 oz each.
Step 1: Scrub, Dry, and Poke the Potatoes
We’re going to eat those skins, so give the potatoes a good scrub under cold running water with a vegetable brush to get all the dirt off. Then dry them off with paper towels.
Get them completely dry: Any water left on the skin turns to steam in the air fryer, and the skin comes out soft instead of crispy.
Next, take a fork and poke each potato 2 or 3 times. Potatoes hold a lot of moisture, and that moisture builds up steam as they cook. It’s rare for one to burst in the air fryer, but a couple of holes gives the steam a way out.
Step 2: Oil and Season
You won’t find a long list of ingredients here. We’ll use a little olive oil and a little seasoned salt.
Lawry’s is the most popular brand, but any brand works. Most are just salt, paprika, and a few other simple spices. Basically, we want to get some flavor on those skins because we plan on enjoying those as well!
Put the potatoes in a gallon-size zip-top bag or a large bowl, add the oil and seasoned salt, and get them good and coated. I like the bag because you just put everything inside and shake for a minute. Less mess and less to clean up!
Easy Ingredient Swaps
No seasoned salt? Kosher or sea salt with a little black pepper works just fine on the skins.
Bacon drippings instead of oil: Use the same amount. The skin picks up a smoky, salty flavor that goes great with sour cream and chives.
Step 3: Preheat and Air Fry
Preheat your air fryer at 400°F for 5 minutes. Your air fryer may have a bunch of different settings, but we’ll be using Air Fry. It moves the hot air around fastest, and that’s what crisps up the skin.
Place the potatoes in the basket (or on the middle rack if you have an oven-style air fryer) in a single layer with a little space between them.
Air fry for 35 to 45 minutes, flipping them halfway through so both sides crisp evenly.
✦ Adjust the time for the size: Potatoes around 8 to 10 oz usually need 35 to 40 minutes. Anything over 12 oz may need an extra 5 to 10 minutes.
Step 4: Check the Center
When the time’s up, carefully pierce the center of a potato with a sharp knife. It should slide in and come back out easily.
If you have an instant-read thermometer, the center should read about 205 to 210°F. That’s where the inside turns light and fluffy instead of waxy.
If the middle still feels hard, it’s usually a big potato or a crowded basket. Flip the potatoes and cook them for another 5 to 10 minutes, then check again. Keep it at 400°F rather than turning up the heat, which just darkens the skin before the center catches up.
Step 5: Split and Fluff
The potatoes will be hot coming out of the air fryer, so be careful! Use a sharp knife to cut them open. The skin will have a nice crisp to it and take a little force to cut through. Then use a fork to fluff up the inside.
✦ Season the inside first: A pat of butter and a pinch of salt worked into the fluffy center makes every topping taste better.
More Air Fryer Favorites
Want more to make in your air fryer? My collection of Best Damn Air Fryer Recipes is full of quick weeknight dinners.
See the Collection →Baked Potato Toppings
This is where things get really fun. There’s no right or wrong way to top a baked potato. My go-to is a pat of butter, a spoonful of sour cream, shredded cheddar, bacon bits, and chives.
Classic toppings:
- Butter
- Sour cream
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Bacon bits
- Chives or green onions
- Salsa or diced tomatoes
✦ Add the cheese while it’s hot. Put the cheddar on right after you split and fluff the potato so it melts into the center.
Don’t stop with the traditional toppings. Load a baked potato up with something hearty and it’s dinner on its own:
- Chili: topped with cheddar and diced onion
- Pulled pork: with a drizzle of BBQ sauce (My favorite!)
- Shredded chicken: with salsa and sour cream
- Taco meat: with cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes
- Steamed broccoli: with plenty of melted cheddar
Try These as Toppings: Slow Cooker Chili | Instant Pot Pulled Pork | Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
You can even set up a whole toppings bar so everyone can mix and match. Put out the potatoes and a few bowls of toppings, and let everyone build their own. If you’re feeding more people than your basket holds, cook in batches and keep the first round warm while the next one finishes.
✦ Don’t Forget Those Skins! One of the best parts of air frying potatoes is the skin. Even after you’ve scooped and fluffed the inside, there’s usually some potato left clinging to the skins. I like to cut them into pieces and dip them in sour cream or even blue cheese dressing. Crispy potato skins are absolutely awesome, and the air fryer gets them just right.
What to Serve With It
Is there really anything potatoes don’t go well with? Ok, maybe a few things, but there are plenty of great pairings.
Just keep in mind the air fryer is busy for about 40 minutes. That’s why I like a main that cooks somewhere else, like my Grilled Pork Chops, which cook on the grill while the potatoes finish.
If you want steak and potatoes, it doesn’t get any more American comfort food than that. Baked potatoes hold their heat well, so pull them out, set them aside, and cook an Air Fryer Ribeye Steak right after. The potatoes will still be hot by the time the steak is done resting.
Leftovers and Reheating
Let the potatoes cool before you put them away so they don’t steam and get soggy in the container.
Fridge: Store them in an airtight container, or wrap each one in aluminum foil, for 3 to 4 days.
Air fryer: Your air fryer is the best way to reheat them. Air fry at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes, and the skin crisps back up.
Microwave: Wrap each potato in a damp paper towel and microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, or until heated through. It’s faster, but the skin will be soft.
FAQs
Should I wrap the potatoes in foil?
No, leave them unwrapped. Foil traps steam around the potato, so the skin comes out soft and wrinkly instead of crispy, and that crispy skin is the whole reason to use the air fryer. Parchment liners can block the airflow too, so put the potatoes straight in the basket.
If you need to hold them for a while after cooking, wrapping them in foil at that point keeps them warm, though the skin will soften.
Can I microwave the potatoes first to speed things up?
You can. A few minutes in the microwave gets the inside cooking, then the air fryer crisps up the skin, and it cuts the total time quite a bit. The trade-off is texture. The inside comes out a little denser, and the skin doesn’t get quite as crisp as it does with the full air fryer method.
If you go this route, poke the potatoes before microwaving and start checking the center early.
How many potatoes can I cook at once?
As many as fit in a single layer with a little space between them. In most basket air fryers, that’s 3 or 4 medium potatoes. If you’re only making 1 or 2, the time stays about the same, since the size of the potato matters more than how many are in the basket.
If they won’t all fit, cook them in batches and put the first batch back in for a few minutes at the end to warm them back up.
Can I use sweet potatoes instead?
Yes, the same method works for sweet potatoes, and the cook time is very similar. Sweet potatoes are often longer and thinner than russets, so start checking the center a few minutes early. The skin won’t crisp up quite as much, and they sometimes leak a little sticky syrup while they cook, which is normal.
Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 potatoes
Description
Russet potatoes rubbed with olive oil and seasoned salt, then air fried until the skin is crispy and the inside is light and fluffy. No oven, no foil, and only about 5 minutes of hands-on work.
Ingredients
- 4 medium russet potatoes (10 to 12 oz each)
- 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp seasoned salt, such as Lawry’s
Instructions
- Scrub and dry: Scrub the potatoes under cold running water with a vegetable brush. Pat them completely dry with paper towels.
- Poke: Poke each potato 2 or 3 times with a fork.
- Oil and season: Add the olive oil and seasoned salt to a large zip-top bag or bowl. Add the potatoes and shake or toss until evenly coated.
- Preheat: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 5 minutes.
- Air fry: Place the potatoes in the basket or on the tray in a single layer with space between them. Air fry at 400°F for 35 to 45 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Check the center: Pierce the center with a sharp knife. It should slide in and out easily. If it’s still firm, flip and cook 5 to 10 minutes more.
- Split and serve: Carefully remove the potatoes, split them open, and fluff the inside with a fork. Add your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Cook time by size: Potatoes around 8 to 10 oz usually need 35 to 40 minutes. Potatoes over 12 oz may need an extra 5 to 10 minutes.
- Doneness: A sharp knife should slide into the center and back out easily. The center should read about 205 to 210°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Skip the foil: Foil traps steam and keeps the skin from crisping. Cook the potatoes bare in a single layer.
- Oil and seasoning swaps: Use salt and pepper if you don’t have seasoned salt. You can also swap the olive oil for the same amount of bacon drippings for a smoky, salty skin.
- Sweet potatoes: The same method works with similar timing. Start checking thinner sweet potatoes a few minutes early.
- Storage: Let the potatoes cool, then store them in an airtight container or wrapped in foil in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
- Reheating: Air fry at 350°F for 5 to 10 minutes to crisp the skin back up, or wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 45min
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Want more recipes that turn out right?
Subscribe and Get My New Cooking with Confidence E-Book — FREE!
Rose T says
This is how I make mine only i rub with bacon drippings only, mmmmmmm.
G says
Would this work the same for sweet potatoes?
RecipeTeacher says
It does. Just keep an eye on the doneness but the time should be very similar.
peggy J stivason says
This is the Best Damn Air Fryer Potatoes . Thanks Jason 🙂
Laura says
Do I prick the potatoes before air frying?
peggy J stivason says
Hi Lauren . I never do . The air fryer has enough heat for circulation . They come out wonderful