This Quick Baked Potatoes recipe is one of our favorite recipes. It will have you making delicious baked potatoes at home more often. It’s so easy to prepare, and it requires only 3 simple ingredients and about 30 minutes.
I’m Irish to the core. Well, at least I think I am. If nothing but for my lack of self-control when anything potato is involved, I would say I’m totally Irish. That has to mean something, right?
Potatoes are a staple in our home. We have to moderate our intake and how they’re prepared, but a good baked potato is always the perfect standby for us to serve as a side, or as the main star topped with chili, or maybe even something healthy. I’ve learned a shortcut for cooking baked potatoes quicker, and I have to say, tastier. My friend, Cindy, tipped me off to this technique for cooking Quick Baked Potatoes a few years back.
Cindy is also the person that originally spurred me on to begin this site. I didn’t really know what a blog was when she suggested I look into starting one of my own. So thank you for that, Cindy! And thank you for showing me how to bake a potato faster too.
What to serve these quick baked potatoes with:
Potatoes are a great side dish that goes well with so many different meals. They are golden brown and crunchy on the outside and have a soft and crumbly texture on the inside. Their simple flavor and texture makes them the perfect side dish with almost any meal.
One of my go-to recipes that go perfectly with roasted potatoes are these Chicken Breasts in Mushroom Sauce. The mushroom sauce adds so much creaminess and balances all the flavors of the potatoes and juicy chicken breasts. I also like combining these quick baked potatoes with Glazed Salmon, Roasted Turkey, BBQ Chicken, and all other types of grilled meats.
How to Bake Potatoes Quickly
Here’s how it works. It couldn’t be easier. Begin with washed potatoes. Scrub the potatoes and remove any bad spots. We use sweet potatoes for this too. Sweet potatoes are my husband’s favorite. I always toss one in the batch for him. Once clean and when you’ve washed and removed any icky or weird-looking parts, follow these next steps.
1. Cut the potatoes in half length-wise. Then pour a little olive oil, and sprinkle a good amount of salt on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 2. Coat the cut potato halves with the olive oil and salt, place them on the baking sheet, cut side down. Just use your hands to coat the potatoes with oil and salt. It’s easier. Plus, olive oil and salt make for an excellent hand scrub. 3. Once they’re coated on all sides, sprinkle a little more salt, then bake at 400 degrees F for about 30-40 minutes, depending on your oven. Check with a fork for doneness and enjoy!
See? Isn’t that easy?
When potatoes are baked this way, they develop a super tasty skin (which I enjoy even more than the flesh), and they’re the healthiest part of the potato too. They end up being a cross between a baked potato and twice baked potato without all the scraping and re-stuffing involved. Super simple. Super quick. And super satisfying.
Try it soon and let me know what you think! Before you go, do you have any tips for cooking vegetables quicker without losing flavor and health benefits? Do share!
How To Cook: Oven Baked Potatoes
FAQ
How long does it take to bake a potato at 400?
Why are my potatoes not softening in the oven?
Do potatoes go soft in oven?
How do you cook soft potatoes in the oven?
You can also give the potato a squeeze (with oven mitts on!) to feel if it’s soft. 1 Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Scrub the potatoes clean and dry them, then prick them all over with a fork. 2 Place the potatoes on a baking sheet. Rub them all over with the canola oil and bake until they are cooked thoroughly and soft in the center, about 1 hour.
Is it beneficial to soak potatoes in cold water?
Yes. Soaking potatoes in cold water before frying can have some benefits, such as: Remove the starch from the surface of the potatoes, so that they do not stick and become soft during frying; Hydrate the potatoes, improving moisture retention and leaving them soft inside and crispy outside; Prevent potatoes from browning, as cold water prevents surface oxidation.
Can You soften potatoes if they have already been added?
It is difficult to try and soften potatoes that have already been added to a dish, but if your potatoes haven’t been, then there are a few things you can do. You can parboil, steam, or put them in a slow cooker. If you have them in a dish already, add ½ tsp of baking soda into the dish.
How to soften potatoes in the microwave?
To soften your potatoes in the microwave, you can follow these simple steps: Carefully take the bowl out of the microwave and drain the water. Now you can cook the potatoes through roasting or frying, and you will have lovely soft potatoes to serve. Another method you can try is to parboil your potatoes on the stove before you roast or fry them.