This Air Fryer Baked Potato is cooked to perfection. Crispy skin on the outside and a light and fluffy inside, this side will taste great with all your favorite meals – or even be the main dish!
If you love using your air fryer, make the meal even better with some air fryer bacon and air fryer pork chops.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
An Air Fryer Baked Potato is such a versatile and satisfying side dish. I love how delicious it is, and easy to make, too.
- TASTE: These potatoes have a light flavor with a touch of salt. They are a great start to a potato bar of all your favorite toppings.
- TEXTURE: Cooked until the outer skin is slightly crispy, the inside is nice and fluffy. These Air Fryer Baked Potatoes are perfect for absorbing creamy butter and sour cream on top.
- TIME: This is a quick prep dish that takes just under 50 minutes to bake.
- EASE: This recipe is so simple to make and meal prep ahead of time.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Potatoes- Russet potatoes are best for this recipe because they have a high starch content and low moisture for a fluffy inside, and a thick skin for extra crispiness.
- Toppings- You can really use any toppings you like, but savory ones like bacon and creamy butter, sour cream, and cheese all make good choices. Block cheese is best for melting.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Use a different oil- I used avocado oil, but any will do. Just look for one that has a high smoke point so it doesn’t burn.
- Substitute other potato varieties- Russets are great here, but you could also use white potatoes. Or you could cook French fries in the air fryer and then add the toppings.
- Substitute dairy-free toppings- If you want your dish to be allergy-safe, just use a dairy-free/vegan sour cream, butter, and cheese.
- Add some spices- You can add flavor to the Air Fryer Baked Potato by sprinkling some paprika, cumin, chili powder, or garlic powder on them before cooking.
How to Make an Air Fryer Baked Potato
- Wash, dry, poke, and oil the potatoes. Wash and scrub the potatoes. Then pat them dry thoroughly with a paper towel. Once dry, poke the potatoes with a fork multiple times and rub them with avocado oil.
- Season. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt to taste and then place them in the air fryer.
- Bake. Bake the potatoes for 40 minutes at 390 degrees Fahrenheit, or until fork-tender. If needed, add another 5 minutes to the cook time.
- Serve. Split the baked potatoes in half and add in your favorite toppings. Serve warm.
Pro Tip: Make sure to rub oil on the entire potato. This helps the salt stick as well as create a crisper skin as it bakes.
Recipe Tips
- Scrub them clean- Potatoes are tubers that grow in the dirt, so you want to give them a good scrub to get all the dust and such off them before baking.
- Dry the potatoes as much as possible- Get them as dry as you can because this helps the oil adhere (oil and water don’t mix!) and give the skin extra crispness.
- Preheat the air fryer- Put the potato into the air fryer after it has already reached temperature. This will cook it faster and hotter, crisping the skin.
- Don’t wrap them in foil- Because of the air circulation, they cook faster and stay moist without it. Wrapping them in foil will give them a softer skin because it traps steam.
FAQs
Your potato should be cooked in about 40-45 minutes in an air fryer at around 400˚F. You will know it’s done when a knife can easily pierce through the center.
Yes, it’s a good idea to do this because potatoes contain water. As they heat, that water turns into steam that needs to escape or it might explode the potato. A few fork pokes around the potato will do the job.
Serving Suggestions
This Air Fryer Baked Potato is great with any meal you’re serving. Enjoy it with all your favorite dishes or as a meal on its own.
- Toppings: Butter, cheese, Crispy Air Fryer Bacon, sour cream, scallions, and Mushroom Gravy all make excellent toppings for these potatoes.
- Meats: Enjoy them with Juicy Air Fryer Pork Chops (VIDEO), Cast Iron Ribeye Steak, Cedar Plank Salmon, and Air Fryer Chicken Thighs.
- Vegetables: Pair them with Crispy Air Fryer Broccoli, Bacon Wrapped Asparagus, Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts, and Roasted Air Fryer Vegetables.
- Salads: Start the meal with Avocado Corn Salad, Cabbage Cucumber Salad, Spinach Pomegranate Salad, or Caprese Salad.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: You can prepare the toppings and store them separately in the refrigerator. Bake the potatoes and add toppings when you’re ready to serve.
Storing: Store any leftover Air Fryer Baked Potatoes in the refrigerator in a ziplock bag for up to 5 days. Store toppings separately.
Freeze: Once the potatoes have cooled, wrap them individually in foil and place in a freezer ziplock bag. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat in the microwave or in the air fryer.
More Delicious Potato Dishes!
Full Recipe Instructions
Air Fryer Baked Potato
Ingredients
- 2 Russet potatoes
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- Salt to taste 
- Sour cream
- Green onion
- Crumbled Bacon
- 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese
- 2 tbsp salted butter
Instructions
- Wash and scrub the potatoes. Then pat them dry really well with a paper towel. The drier they are, the crispier the potatoes skin will be. 
- Now generously poke the potatoes with a fork and rub with avocado oil (or any other high smoke point oil).
- Then season the outside of the potatoes with salt (to taste) and let them bake in the air fryer at 390 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes or until fork-tender. Add an additional 5 minutes of cook time if needed.
- Now carefully split the hot potatoes in half and load them up with your favorite baked potato toppings. We love to place the butter and salt first, then the shredded cheddar, sour cream, green onion, and crispy bacon. Serve warm.
Notes
- Scrub them clean- Potatoes are tubers that grow in the dirt, so you want to give them a good scrub to get all the dust and such off them before baking.
- Dry the potatoes as much as possible- Get them as dry as you can because this helps the oil adhere (oil and water don’t mix!) and give the skin extra crispness.
- Preheat the air fryer- Put the potato into the air fryer after it has already reached temperature. This will cook it faster and hotter, crisping the skin.
- Don’t wrap them in foil- Because of the air circulation, they cook faster and stay moist without it. Wrapping them in foil will give them softer skin because it traps steam.
Nutrition
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