A microwave baked potato is a great side dish for any meal. It only takes a little olive oil, salt, and pepper and an 8-minute cook time and your side dish is ready.
Microwave Baked Potato
There is no question that potatoes may be the most beloved vegetable in all of the land. These microwave baked potatoes are just as tasty as baked potatoes in foil or crock pot baked potatoes, just done in less time.
Why make potatoes in the microwave
Reasons why you’ll love it.
These baked potatoes are ready in 8 minutes.
You can rub these baked potatoes with any dry rub you would like.
It’s an easy way to prepare baked potatoes for other recipes.
A great way to prep food for the family.
Featured Ingredients
- Potatoes- russet potatoes or Idaho potatoes are usually used for baked potatoes. Be sure to leave the skin on.
- Olive oil– olive oil keeps the potato moist and aids in cooking the potato in the microwave. We like the taste of olive oil but if you’d like to use a different oil, go ahead.
- Salt + pepper- we kept things simple for this sweet potato recipe. If you would like to add more flavor to these potatoes you can use any flavorful dry rub like fajita seasoning or taco seasoning.
Simple
Baked Potato Recipe
This is a classic baked potato recipe for when you want to use your oven instead of a microwave.
Make It
How to Cook a Potato in the Microwave
- Prepare the potato. Use a sharp fork or knife to carefully poke holes all over the potato. Drizzle the potato with olive oil and use your hands to massage the oil into the potato. Season with salt and pepper and massage the spices into the skin.
- Cook the potato. Place the potato on a microwave-safe plate and cook on high for 4 minutes.
- Flip the potato. Feel the potato to make sure it isn’t mushy* and then flip the potato and cook on high for another 2 minutes. If after 2 minutes the potato is fork tender, remove it from the microwave. If it isn’t quite ready, cook an additional 2 minutes.
- Enjoy the potato. Remove the potato from the microwave and cut it in half. Place the tablespoon of butter in the middle of the potato, season with salt and pepper, and enjoy.
Tips
Make sure you poke holes deep enough into the potato. It helps cook the potato a bit quicker as well as any accidental potato eruptions in the microwave. 😉
Remember that the size of your potato will dictate how long it has to be in the microwave. If your potato is smaller, 6 minutes may be enough. If your potato is large you may need to add a few extra minutes to the cook time.
Microwave Recipes
All of these recipes use a microwave, no stove needed!
More
FAQ
The size of your potato will determine how long your potato needs to be in the microwave, but it should need to be about 6-8 minutes.
For 2 potatoes you will need to increase the amount of time that the potatoes are in the microwave between 10-12 minutes. Be sure to check the potatoes every 4-5 minutes.
Yes, you can microwave a raw potato. Just be sure you use a fork or a knife to poke holes in the potato before microwaving it.
To prevent a potato from exploding, be sure to poke holes throughout the potato to allow air to flow through the potato.
Back-to-Basics Potato Tutorials
Potatoes are an excellent, versatile veggie to roast, puree, bake with, add to bowls, the list goes on! Check out some of our back-to-basics sweet potato tutorials.
Storage
Let the potatoes cool completely. Then, transfer them into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
Can I freeze baked potatoes?
To freeze baked potato, let it cool completely. Then, tightly wrap it in tin foil and place it in a freezer-safe gallon-size bag for up to 3 months.
Ingredients
- 1 medium to large russet potato washed
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt + more for topping
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper + more for topping
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Tips & Notes
- We tested this recipe with a medium and large potato and the cook times were similar.
- Every microwave is different so the cooking time may vary based on the potato
Nutrition facts
Calories: 137kcal Carbohydrates: 0.3g Protein: 0.2g Fat: 15g Fiber: 0.1g Sugar: 0.01g
Photography: photos taken in this post are by Ashley McGlaughlin from The Edible Perspective.