In this recipe, you will learn how to bake potatoes in the oven to perfection, using 3 of the best and most popular methods. Master the techniques of baking them directly on the oven rack, wrapping them in foil, and crafting them into aesthetic Hasselback-style creations.
Potatoes are inexpensive and hearty, making them a staple in American kitchens and across the globe.
Baked potatoes are the perfect side dish to meat such as carne asada, grilled bison steaks, braised beef and much more. But you can also make the potato the center of the meal depending on the toppings you add; a loaded potato or two is enough for me.
I'll go into the why and how for each method so that you can choose the best option for dinner tonight. Enjoy!
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How to Bake Potatoes Directly on the Oven Rack
Baking potatoes directly on the oven rack without foil is easy and will result in a crispier skin.
Ingredients
- potatoes - you can use your favorite potatoes like red, yellow or white but I used russet for this tutorial
- butter - one tablespoon for each potato
*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.
Steps
Step #1. Clean the potatoes. Preheat oven to 400°F. Clean the potatoes well and then dry them with a kitchen towel (Image 1).
Step #2. Prick potatoes. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork (Image 2).
Step #3. Bake. Place the potatoes on the middle oven rack and bake for 45 to 60 minutes - until soft all the way through (Image 3).
Step #4. Cool. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes (Image 4).
Step #5. Criss-cross. Puncture a criss-cross pattern into the top of each potato, using a fork (Image 5).
Step #6. Pop it open. Pop it open by applying pressure to the ends of the potato with your fingers (Image 6).
Step #7. Add butter. Add butter and fluff with a fork (Image 7).
Step #8. Season. Season with salt and pepper (Image 8).
Step #9. Serve. Serve and enjoy!
How to Bake Potatoes in the Oven In Foil
Wrapping potatoes in foil will give them a softer skin instead of a crispy one. The foil will trap the heat and essentially steam the potato. Another foil pack side dish you could serve with this style of potato is my grilled asparagus in foil.
Ingredients
- Yukon Gold potatoes - also known as yellow potatoes--cleaned well and skin on
- sour cream - I like full fat sour cream but feel free to use light
- bacon bits - either prepared from the grocery store or homemade for an even better option (check out this tutorial for how to cook crispy bacon and then dice them into small pieces)
*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.
Chef's Note: These potatoes would also taste amazing slathered in a beer cheese sauce!
Steps
Step #1. Prick potato. Preheat oven to 450°F. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork (Image 1).
Step #2. Wrap in foil. Wrap the potatoes up in foil squares (Image 2).
Step #3. Bake. Place directly on middle oven rack and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until soft all the way through (Image 3).
Step #4. Cool. Remove the potatoes to a cutting board and let cool for 10 minutes or until you can handle them (Image 4).
Step #5. Cut criss cross. Remove the foil and cut a criss-cross into the top of each potato using a fork (Image 5).
Step #6. Pop it. Pop it open by squeezing the ends of the potato with your fingers (Image 6).
Step #7. Add butter. Add butter (½ tablespoon butter for each potato) and let it melt into it as you fluff the potato with a fork (Image 7).
Step #8. Add toppings. Top with sour cream, bacon bits, chives, salt and pepper (Image 8).
Step #9. Serve. Serve and enjoy!
How to Make Hasselback Potatoes
Have you wanted to try your hand at Hasselback style potatoes? The number of thin slices and perfect crispiness gives them an aesthetic look. Hasselbacks are delicious and a fast, creative way to serve potatoes, especially for a dinner party or holiday meal next to the bison chuck roast or roast chicken with blackberry gravy.
The combination of Italian seasonings and aromatic olive oil in this recipe will bring this side dish to a new level as they crisp up in the oven and become infused with spices.
Ingredients
Prepare all ingredients before starting to cook. Preheat oven to 450ºF.
- potatoes - use whatever you have on hand
- olive oil - pure olive oil works perfectly
- fresh herbs - such as thyme, oregano and rosemary
- sea salt and pepper - freshly ground for best results
*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.
Steps
Step #1. Clean the potatoes. Wash and rinse the potatoes (don't peel them). Dry them with a clean kitchen towel (Image 1).
Step #2. Place potato on spoon. Place a potato on a large spoon (Image 2).
Step #3. Slice the potato. Make very close slices into the potato until you reach the spoon, so the potato slices will hold together by the bottom. Do this all across the top of the potato. Repeat with remaining potatoes (Image 3).
Step #4. Combine olive oil and herbs. Roughly chop the herbs. Mix the olive oil and fresh herbs together (Image 4).
Step #5. Brush potatoes. Place the potatoes on a baking tray. Use a basting brush to spread the olive oil and herbs over the potatoes. Try to get into the slices as well with the oil (Image 5).
Step #6. Season. Sprinkle them with freshly ground salt and pepper (Image 6).
Step #7. Bake. Bake the potatoes until they are golden brown with crisp edges, about 60 minutes. This completely depends on the size of the potatoes. Keep an eye on them! If they are looking dry while baking, baste them with a little more olive oil - this makes them nice and crispy (Image 7).
Step #8. Serve. Serve and enjoy (Image 8)!
Joss' Top Tips for How to Bake Potatoes
General:
- Foil side: It doesn't normally matter what side of the foil is on the outside of the potato, but always check the manufacturer's instructions on the box of foil, just in case.
- Poke holes: If you don't poke holes into the potatoes, you run the risk of them exploding in the oven and creating a big mess. While this might not happen every time, it can and has happened to many cooks.
- Potato size: If you're baking the potatoes directly on the oven rack, make sure they are large enough to not fall through the grates.
- Estimate bake time: Weigh your potatoes to estimate bake time (for example: at 400°F, 60 minutes per pound of potatoes). This time will vary but it's helpful to get a general estimate.
For the Hasselback potatoes:
If you don't have a large enough spoon for the potato, try placing chopsticks on either side of the potato to stop the knife from going right through. By placing the potato in a large spoon or on chopsticks, it is the best way to keep it stable and secure for the knife.
This stability provides a far safer option for creating such thin slices within the potato and doubles as an easy way to ensure the knife doesn't cut completely through.
Personally, I just put the potato on the cutting board and start slicing from one end to the other, being careful not to go all the way through. But the spoon or the chopsticks can make it a lot easier for you; especially if you're a beginner.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve these delicious potatoes with meaty main dishes like my bison stew and bison short ribs, or lighter mains like blackened chicken and crispy skin-on salmon.
- They also taste amazing covered in ham gravy, Cajun tomato gravy or this easy sawmill gravy.
- For a bright, citrusy option, serve the potatoes with Greek lemon chicken thighs.
Baked Potato FAQs
A classic Hasselback potato is sliced through halfway to three-quarters across the top of the potato (before baking) in order to give it an aesthetic, fanned look while maintaining the structure of the whole potato.
It normally takes around 1 hour at 400°F to fully bake a potato, but the time will greatly vary depending on the size of the potato and the temperature of the oven. Bake the potatoes until they are tender all of the way through.
You can check the potatoes for doneness by piercing them with a knife or fork. If there is little resistance, they are ready. You can also check if the internal temperature has reached 210°F.
Baked potatoes can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days. Do not store them in the foil for food safety purposes.
You can use a microwave (quickest option), air fryer or 350°F oven until heated through.
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📋Recipe
How to Bake Potatoes in the Oven 3 Ways
Ingredients
Technique #1: Directly on the Oven Rack Without Foil
- 4 large russet potatoes - cleaned and skin on
- 4 tablespoons butter
- salt and pepper - to taste
Technique #2: In Foil
- 4 Yukon Gold potatoes - also known as yellow potatoes--cleaned and skin on
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 8 tablespoons sour cream - this equals ½ cup - 2 tablespoons per potato
- 4 tablespoons bacon bits
- 4 tablespoons fresh chives - chopped
- salt and pepper - to taste
Technique #3: Hasselback Style
- 4 potatoes - cleaned and skin on
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- fresh thyme, oregano and rosemary
- freshly ground sea salt and pepper - to taste
Instructions
Technique #1: Directly on the Oven Rack Without Foil
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork so that they don't end up exploding in the oven.
- Place on the middle oven rack and bake for 45 to 60 minutes - until soft all the way through. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Cut a criss-cross into the top of the potato, using a fork. Pop it open with your fingers.
- Add butter and fluff with a fork. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.
Technique #2: In Foil
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork. Wrap in foil squares.
- Place directly on middle oven rack and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until soft all the way through.
- Remove the potatoes to a cutting board and let sit for 10 minutes or until you can handle them. Remove the foil and cut a criss-cross into the top of the potato using a fork.
- Pop it open with your fingers, add butter and let it melt into it as you fluff the potato with a fork.
- Top with sour cream, bacon bits, chives, salt and pepper. Serve!
Technique #3: Hasselback Style
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Place a potato on a large spoon.
- Make very close slices into the potato until you reach the spoon, so the potato slices will hold together by the bottom. Do this all across the top of the potato. Repeat with remaining potatoes.
- Roughly chop the herbs. Mix the olive oil and fresh herbs together. Place the potatoes on a baking tray. Use a basting brush to spread the olive oil and herbs over the potato. Try to get into the slices as well with the oil. Sprinkle them with freshly ground salt and pepper.
- Bake the potatoes until they are golden brown with crisp edges, about 60 minutes. This completely depends on the size of the potatoes. Keep an eye on them! If they are looking dry while baking, baste them with a little more olive oil.
- Serve.
Equipment
Notes
- COOKING TIP: If you don't have a large enough spoon for the hasselback potato, try placing chopsticks on either side of the potato to stop the knife from going right through. The spoon or the chopsticks method can make it a lot easier for you.
- Storage: Baked potatoes can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days. Do not store them in the foil.
- Reheat: You can use a microwave (quickest option), air fryer or 350°F oven until heated through.
- Foil side: It doesn't matter what side of the foil is on the outside.
- Poke holes in the potato: If you don't poke holes into the potatoes, you run the risk of them exploding in the oven and creating a big mess.
- Potato size for oven rack: If you're baking the potatoes directly on the oven rack, make sure they are large enough to not fall through the grates.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
Joss says
This is a great side dish recipe that we turn to on repeat! We love all 3 ways to bake the potatoes.