Who doesn’t love a perfectly baked potato with crispy skin and a fluffy interior? But let’s face it, traditional oven-baked potatoes take a while to cook, and sometimes you don’t have that time. That’s where air fryers come in.
Air fryers have taken the cooking world by storm with their ability to fry food with little to no oil, but can they also bake potatoes to perfection? In this article, we’ll explore whether or not an air fryer is a viable option for making baked potatoes and share some tips on how to do it right.
So, if you’re curious about using your air fryer to whip up some delicious spuds, keep reading to find out if it’s possible and how to do it.
The Correct Way To Baked Potatoes In Air Fryer
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Potatoes | Russet (Idaho) potatoes, same size for even cooking |
| Oil | Olive oil (or cooking spray as an alternative) |
| Salt | Fine sea salt (or any salt you have on hand) |
Remember, these recommendations are for making crispy roasted potatoes. Feel free to experiment with different potato varieties, oils, and seasonings to suit your preferences.
Instructions
- Prep: Scrubbing the Russet (Idaho) potatoes under running water to remove dirt or debris. Pat them dry thoroughly with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. This step ensures clean and dry potatoes.
- Poking the Potatoes: Take a fork and poke the potatoes all over. This allows steam to escape during cooking and prevents the potatoes from bursting.
- Coating with Oil and Salt: Place the potatoes in the air fryer basket, spreading them out in a single layer for even cooking. Drizzle olive oil over the potatoes, aiming to coat all sides. Sprinkle fine sea salt (or your preferred salt) over the potatoes. Using your hands or a spatula, gently rub the oil and salt into the potatoes, ensuring they are evenly coated.
- Air Fry: Set the air fryer to 400°F (200°C). Preheat it for a couple of minutes if required. Once preheated, carefully place the basket with the potatoes into the air fryer. Cook the potatoes at 400°F for about 30 minutes.
- Flipping and Further Cooking: After 30 minutes, open the air fryer and use tongs to flip the potatoes carefully. This helps to ensure even browning on all sides. Continue cooking the potatoes for an additional 5-15 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes and the desired level of doneness. The potatoes are ready when a knife easily pierces through the center.
- Serve: Remove the potatoes from the air fryer once cooked to your liking. Let them cool for a few minutes before serving. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, these roasted potatoes make a delicious side dish or snack.
Remember to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific air fryer model, as cooking times and temperature settings may vary slightly.
How Do You Know When A Baked Potato is Done?
Baked potatoes are a delicious and versatile side dish that can be enjoyed alongside almost any meal. However, it is important to know when they are done cooking so you don’t end up with an over- or under-cooked potato.
Fortunately, it is fairly easy to tell when your baked potatoes are ready. First of all, the cooking time is largely based on the size of the potato; smaller potatoes will take less time, while larger, thicker ones may need a longer cook time.
Generally, when cooking in an air fryer machine, you must cook for around 15 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit before checking for doneness.
To test if your potatoes are fully cooked, pierce into the center of the potato with a knife – if it slides out easily, then your potato is done cooking and ready to be served. If your potatoes still feel slightly hard and need a bit longer in the air fryer, pop them back into the device for another 3-5 minute burst of heat until they finish cooking.
Once done, let your baked potatoes cool slightly before serving them alongside your favorite dishes.
What’s The Right Way to Season Potatoes?
Seasoning your potatoes before baking is key to getting the perfect dish. To start, if you don’t have cooking spray, use a drizzle of oil and spread it around with your hands to evenly coat the potato skins.
An oil such as avocado or canola with a high smoke point works best. Once you’ve done that, sprinkle the potatoes generously with sea salt and garlic powder — I usually use one-half teaspoon of each for three or four potatoes.
This will help give them flavor and help create that golden-brown crispy crust on the outside while leaving them buttery inside.
Rub everything around evenly to ensure it sticks properly so they’ll bake perfectly in the oven. With just these few simple steps, you’ll surely get delicious results.
Do You Have to Pierce A Potato Before Baking in Air Fryer?
When it comes to baking potatoes in an air fryer, piercing the potato is not necessary. However, there are a few reasons why you might want to consider doing so.
The most important reason to pierce a potato before baking in an air fryer is to help steam escape from the potato as it cooks. This will help ensure your potato cooks evenly and thoroughly without becoming soggy or mushy.
Additionally, piercing a potato before baking it in an air fryer may help it crisp up on the outside. This can give you that crunchy and delicious texture that makes baked potatoes good.
Finally, piercing a potato before baking it in an air fryer can help shorten the cooking time. This is because steam trapped inside the potato will find an easy escape route, making it easier for the air fryer to do its job.
Tips for Making Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
Making baked potatoes in an air fryer is an easy and convenient way to quickly get a delicious side dish. Here are some tips for making air fryer baked potatoes:
1. Clean the potatoes and dry them off with a paper towel.
2. Pierce each potato at least twice with a fork or sharp knife; this helps the heat to cook through the potato.
3. Rub each potato with a bit of oil on the outside for a crispier skin.
4. Place potatoes in the air fryer basket and set to 380F for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
5. Check potatoes with a fork after 30 minutes; if they aren’t done cooking, add more time in 5-minute increments until cooked through.
6. Serve with butter, sour cream, cheese, or any of your favorite toppings and enjoy.
Making air fryer baked potatoes is a great way to quickly get a delicious side dish. First, choose your potatoes and make sure they’re clean and dry.
Next, pierce each potato with a fork or sharp knife at least twice to help the heat cook through them evenly. Then, apply oil outside each potato for extra crispy skin.
When the potatoes are prepped, please place them in an air fryer basket and set the temperature to 380F for 30 minutes. Flip the potatoes halfway through to ensure even cooking.
Check with a fork at the end of 30 minutes to see if they’re done; if not, add more time in 5-minute increments until cooked through. Once done, serve your air-fried potatoes with butter, sour cream, cheese, or any of your favorite toppings, and enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs]
1. Can I Use An Air Fryer To Make Baked Potatoes?
Yes, you can use an air fryer to make baked potatoes. Air frying offers a quick and efficient way to achieve crispy skin and a tender, fluffy interior.
2. How Do I Prepare The Potatoes For Air Frying?
Start scrubbing the potatoes under running water to remove dirt. Pat them dry thoroughly, then pierce the potatoes with a fork. This step helps steam escape during cooking. Rub the potatoes with a bit of oil and seasonings of your choice.
Place the potatoes in an air fryer basket and set the temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, shaking or flipping halfway through to ensure even cooking.
3. Do I Need To Preheat The Air Fryer?
Yes, you do need to preheat the air fryer to make baked potatoes. Preheating ensures that the potatoes cook evenly and thoroughly and helps to crisp up their outer skin.
To preheat an air fryer, set the temperature and timer before adding the potatoes. Generally, it is recommended to set the temperature at 400°F (204°C ) and preheat for 5 minutes.
4. Can I Use Aluminum Foil In An Air Fryer?
Yes, you can use aluminum foil in an air fryer. This can be particularly useful for baking potatoes as it helps to keep them from sticking to the basket or tray.
To do this, place a sheet of aluminum foil on the bottom of the air fryer and then put your potatoes on top. Ensure that the foil’s edges are folded up so they do not fall into the air fryer.
Conclusion
You can use an air fryer to make baked potatoes. Start by cleaning and drying the potatoes, then piercing them twice with a fork or sharp knife. You can also rub each potato with oil for extra crispy skin. Place the potatoes in the air fryer basket and set the temperature to 380F for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through. Serve your air-fried potatoes with butter, sour cream, cheese, or any of your favorite toppings, and enjoy.
Meet our air fryer recipe expert, Jenny J. Brown. Jenny is a culinary enthusiast with a passion for creating healthy, delicious meals using the latest kitchen appliances. As an experienced home cook and food blogger, Jenny has spent years experimenting with air fryer recipes and perfecting her techniques to create meals that are both nutritious and satisfying.
