Air Fryer Baked Potato Recipe

I believe that it is official. The fastest way to cook a baked potato that mimics the tender and fluffy potato in a conventional oven is an air fryer baked potato recipe. 

The crispy potato skins stay intact with easy recipes like this one. 

A conventional oven will provide it too but it takes a good hour of cook time and it heats up the whole house. 

This is why we have put together this easy air fryer baked potatoes recipe. 

Baked potatoes are so amazing because they can be a simple lunch all to themselves or they can be a side for steak.

This is one of those easy recipes that give the best results that has become my go to when I am hungry but don’t have time to make a full meal. 

A great baked potato is a perfect side dish but they are also just good main dish for a Thursday night or Friday lunch.

Why cook baked potatoes in the air fryer?

Baked potatoes cooked in the air fryer turn out with this perfectly crispy skin and the inside has that fluffy texture and tender. They cook faster in the air fryer than they do in the oven. 

Cooking baked potatoes in the air fryer is now my favorite method. Another bonus is that you don’t heat up the entire house like baking potatoes in the oven does.

You can make sweet potatoes the same way as regular potatoes, but since they do tend to be a bit denser, take a bit longer. 

Add different toppings to your types of potatoes and depending on what your whole family loves

What do you need?

To cook a baked potato in the air fryer you only need a few ingredients.

• The potato – You can use whatever potato that you have on hand but I do prefer russet potatoes.
• Olive Oil – If you want you could use avocado oil or sunflower oil instead. 
• Salt – I love to use sea salt.
• Optional – garlic powder, or any kind of garlic, if you love it.

What is the best kind of potato for baked potatoes?

I personally believe that russet potatoes are the best potatoes for baking. However, the best baked potato is the potato that you have handy! 

If I only have red potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes on hand, I will bake those up too.

How to make a baked potato in the air fryer

1. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
2. Wash and dry the potato. Take your time to really scrub the potatoes with a brush, if you have one.

Since potatoes come out of the ground and you will want to eat that crispy golden skin, scrubbing the skin of a baked potato before it goes in the cooker is a crucial step.

Once you have scrubbed and washed it, be sure to dry it as well as you can.

1. Coat the potato in olive oil. You may need a little more for large potatoes. Really slather it on and make sure it is completely coated.
2. Then sprinkle the salt all over it. I like to coat the potatoes with as much salt as possible.
3. Place the potatoes in the air fryer basket. You want to have enough space between the potatoes to make sure that the air can circulate around each potato.

The potatoes need enough space between them so that every side of the potato gets high heat and hot flowing air.

1. Cook the potatoes for 30 minutes.
2. Open the air fryer basket but be careful because hot air will escape. Check to make sure that the potatoes are tender when a fork slides into the middle easily.
3. If they aren’t, cook them in 5 minute increments until they are.
4. Remove fork tender potatoes and serve hot.
5. Add toppings as desired.

Tips And Notes

• You don’t need to wrap potatoes in aluminum foil when baking them in an air fryer.
• Have a pair of tongs on hand because the potatoes will be very hot when they are done. It is oddly tempting to reach in and grab the potato but do not do that you. You will burn yourself if you touch the hot potatoes.
• Air fryers don’t take long to preheat. If you give it 3 to 4 minutes you should be good to go.
• It only takes a little bit of oil to create that delicious crispy skin.

Can you reheat baked potatoes in the air fryer?

The air fryer is the best way to reheat baked potatoes. If you have leftover baked potatoes just preheat the air fryer to 350°F.

Then place the leftover baked potatoes in the air fryer and reheat them for 5 minutes or until they are warmed through and through.

Turn the potatoes with tongs halfway through reheating.

Favorite potato toppings

There are so many amazing toppings for baked potatoes.

Below are a few of the classic toppings that I always put on a potato and then a few inspired ideas to boot.

• Sour cream
• Butter or avocado oil
• Cheddar cheese
• Black pepper
• Chives
• Green onion pieces
• Purple onion pieces
• Pulled pork and cayenne pepper
• Smoked BBQ
• Cheesy broccoli
• Chili

The bottom line

The best thing about cooking potatoes in the air fryer is the delicious crispy skin or maybe it is that the potatoes have such fluffy insides. Honestly, I can’t decide because it is just so perfect.

This is one of my favorite air fryer recipes. It makes the best baked potatoes in a fraction of the time.

If this was your first time making perfect baked potatoes, I promise there’s no wrong way. With classic toppings like cheddar cheese, any type of potato is going to come out so good!

Do you have a leftover baked potato? Here is our list of ways to reheat a baked potato and you can use an air fryer for that, too!