Waiting an hour or more for an oven-baked potato may seem unreasonable when time or patience are in limited supply. That’s why this dish is so delicious; in slightly more than 10 minutes, you can have a nicely roasted potato in the microwave. How to bake potatoes in a microwave oven and how to make bread without yeast in a microwave oven We know what you’re thinking, but the reviews aren’t lying: this dish is fantastic.
After you’ve washed, dried, and pierced your potato, pop it straight into the microwave. Make sure your potatoes are not touching if you’re cooking more than one at a time.
After three to four minutes, carefully rotate the potato and continue cooking for another three to four minutes. Cooking time should be increased by 1 minute for each additional potato.
Make sure the potato is cooked through by poking it with a knife. The potato should be soft all the way through (but not mushy).
If the potato is done cooking, give it a minute to cool in the microwave before taking it out. If the potato is still firm after that time, continue cooking it for additional intervals of 1 minute.
A microwave baked potato is a great time saver when you want to have a baked potato night but don’t have much time.
Microwaved potatoes are ready in a flash and retain their fluffy texture and mild flavor, making them ideal for piling high with all your favorite fixings.
How Long Does It Take to Bake Potatoes in a Microwave
In our experience, baking potatoes for 5 minutes on each side for a total of 10 minutes yields the best results for a soft and flavorful end product.
However, microwaves vary in the amount of electricity they use to cook. Depending on your microwave’s power level, you may need to add or subtract a few minutes from the cooking time.
- Cook 1 potato* in the microwave for 3–4 minutes, turning once.
- Cooking time: 4–5 minutes per side for 2 potatoes
*Before microwaving, pierce potatoes with a fork and microwave them for 5-6 minutes on each side.
For baking potatoes of a medium to big size, roughly 10 ounces, these times should be used. It’s recommended to start with a minute less for smaller potatoes and a minute more for larger ones.
Now that you know that, continue on if you’re interested in learning a little more.
The Perfect Potatoes for Baking
Without a doubt, the best potato recipes are some of our favorites. Potatoes are one of the most versatile comfort meals since they may be mashed, smashed, sliced, or fried.
The easiest way to prepare potatoes, in our opinion, is to bake them in the oven. Baked potatoes, with their crisp exterior and fluffy interior, make a great accompaniment to steak or chicken with just a bit of butter and some salt.
Stuff them with bacon, cheese, and sour cream for a hearty side dish or try Ree Drummond’s Buffalo Chicken Baked Potatoes (a must-have for any game day) for a whole meal. Don’t get ahead of yourself just yet, though; there’s a lot of information regarding baking potatoes that you’ll want to read.
We recommend using a russet potato for this microwave-baked potato recipe.
When cooked in a microwave or oven, the russet’s thick skin becomes deliciously crunchy. Their starchy interiors make for a light and airy filling.
In practice, however, any starchy potato will do.
Fillings for Baked Potatoes
After the potatoes are done cooking, it’s time to stuff them. Traditional condiments for a baked potato include:
- Cheese and Butter Mayonnaise
- Bacon
Alternatively, you might try some creative toppings like:
- Cheese-and-Chili-Sauced Broccoli
- Food for tacos and nachos
- Sour cream, cheddar, crumbled bacon, and fresh chives are traditional toppings for baked potatoes.
However, feel free to use your imagination to the fullest! For a unique twist on traditional comfort food, try chili and shredded cheese; for a barbecue fix, try cooked pulled pork and barbecue sauce; for a Mexican twist, try pico de gallo and black beans.
Advice on Required Equipment
Potatoes may be baked in any oven, but a cooling rack set inside a big rimmed baking sheet makes it much simpler to bake a large number of potatoes at once (affiliate links). If you don’t have any, just put a baking sheet on a lower oven rack to collect any drips and bake the potatoes right on the rack.