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Microwave Baked Potato Recipe

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A microwave baked potato is the best quick and easy side dish. Have this perfectly soft and fluffy potato on the table in only 7 minutes!

Microwave Baked Potato

This perfectly baked potato is cooked in the microwave in just 7 minutes! This quick baked potato has a soft, moist, and fluffy interior. The skin is delicious, and you can even pop it in the oven for a few minutes if you want the skin to be crispy.

This is perfect when you’re in a time pinch and want to get a side dish for your meal on the table quickly. It’s also great when you don’t want to heat up the house with the oven for an hour!

Add your favorite toppings to make this jacket potato a delicious loaded potato with all the fixings.

Ingredients

Potatoes: Russet potatoes are the best choice for baked potatoes. They have a thicker skin that crisps up perfectly, and a soft fluffy interior when it finishes cooking.

It’s best to use medium sized potatoes in this recipe (about 1/2 pound each). It’s especially important to use potatoes that are about the same size if you’re cooking more than one at a time (so they finish cooking at the same time).

Butter: There’s nothing like a dab of butter on a hot baked potato. I like to use about a Tablespoon of butter per potato.

Salt and Pepper: Seasoning the potatoes is optional, but they really do taste so much better when you top them with just a bit of salt and pepper.

How To Make A Baked Potato In The Microwave

Start by thoroughly cleaning the potato with a potato or vegetable brush. It’s best to scrub the potato in a circular motion under cool running water. Scrub off any dirt or debris, and remove any eyes (sprouts). Dry the potato completely using a paper towel or clean kitchen towel. (See the recipe card below for the full written instructions.)

Rinsing a russet potato under running water and drying the potato with a paper towel.

Use a fork to poke holes in the potato (at least 3 times per side on a medium sized potato). It’s important to poke holes so that the steam has a chance to escape while it cooks, otherwise the potato could explode in the microwave. Place the potato on a microwave safe plate.

Poking holes in a russet potato using a fork.

Place the plate in the microwave and cook the potato, using tongs to carefully flip it halfway through cooking. Once the potato is finished cooking, use oven mitts to carefully remove the plate from the microwave. Be very careful handling the plate and the potato, because they will both be very HOT.

Let the potato rest for a couple of minutes, and then use a knife to slice the potato open. Garnish the potato with butter and some salt and pepper. See the recipe card below for the full written instructions, including ingredient amounts, cooking times, and helpful tips, etc.

A russet potato being rotated with tongs in a microwave.

Best Potatoes For Baked Potatoes

Russet potatoes are the classic choice for baking potatoes. They’re so popular because they have a high starch content and a low moisture content. That means that they’ll have a nice fluffy interior when they finish cooking. Their skin also crisps up beautifully, which makes them even more popular.

Can You Microwave Potatoes From Raw?

Yes! Using a microwave to bake a potato is a fast way to cook it. Since potatoes have a very high water content, they’re great candidates for cooking in the microwave.

How Long To Cook A Baked Potato In The Microwave

I recommend using medium sized potatoes, and those will take about 7 minutes total in the microwave (about 3 1/2 minutes per side). Large russet potatoes will take longer (I start with about 5 minutes per side for large potatoes).

Cooking multiple potatoes at a time will also increase the cooking time. It’s important to make sure that the potatoes aren’t touching on the plate, and to only cook a single layer of potatoes at a time. I normally only cook 3 potatoes at a time, and cook them in rounds if I need to cook more than that. For cooking multiple medium sized potatoes, I use the following cooking times:

  • 1 potato = 3-4 minutes per side
  • 2 potatoes = 4-5 minutes per side
  • 3 potatoes = 5-6 minutes per side

How To Microwave A Potato With Crispy Skin

It’s hard to get crispy potato skins in the microwave. If the crispy skin is important to you, I recommend finishing it off in the oven using these instructions:

  • Preheat the oven to 425 F (218 C) while the potato is in the microwave.
  • Once the potato has cooled enough to safely handle it, carefully rub some olive oil onto the hot potato.
  • Place the oiled potato on a baking sheet and  bake for 10-15 minutes (or until the skin has reached your desired crispiness).

You can also use this recipe to cook a potato before finishing it on the grill, it’s such a great way to speed up your grilling time!

How To Stop The Potato Skin From Drying Out

If you find that your potato skin is drying out when you bake it in the microwave, you can wrap it in a damp paper towel before you place it in the microwave. That will help hold moisture in.

Baked Potato Toppings

The classic baked potato toppings are butter, salt, pepper, sour cream, chives, shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, and green onions. Chili is also a really popular topping (I recommend this Chili con Carne or this Hot Dog Chili). You can even try a Mexican-inspired baked potato by topping it with Pico de Gallo, guacamole, and black beans.

A baked potato on a plate with freshly cut turkey and broccoli.

What To Serve With Baked Potatoes

I love serving microwave baked potatoes as a quick and easy side dish with pork, chicken, or beef. Some of my favorite recipes to serve this with are:

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I’d love to hear what you thought of this recipe in the comments or on Instagram! @KeyToMyLime #KeyToMyLime

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A Pinterest pin image with a picture of microwave baked potato, with title text at the top.

Side Dish Recipes

If you like this recipe, be sure to check out all of our side dishes! Some reader favorites are:

Yield: 1 serving

BEST Microwave Baked Potato Recipe

The best microwave baked potato recipe.

A microwave baked potato is the best quick and easy side dish. Have this perfectly soft and fluffy potato on the table in only 7 minutes!

Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Additional Time 1 minute
Total Time 1 minute

Ingredients

Potato:

  • 1 medium russet potato

Garnish: (optional)

  • Butter
  • Salt (to taste)
  • Pepper (to taste)

Instructions

1. Rinse the potato under cool, running water. Scrub the potato using a vegetable brush in circular motions under the running water to remove all the dirt and debris. Remove any eyes (sprouts). Completely dry the potato using a paper towel or clean kitchen towel.

2. Use a fork to poke holes all over the potato (about 3 times on each side - this allows steam to release as the potato cooks. Place it onto a small microwave safe plate, then place the plate in the microwave.

3. Microwave the potato for 3 1/2 minutes, then use tongs to carefully flip the potato over. Cook for another 3 1/2 minutes. 

4. Carefully remove the plate from the microwave (be careful and use oven mitts because the plate and the potato will be HOT). Check for doneness by inserting a knife into the center. If the knife slides in with ease, the potato is done cooking. If there is some resistance, place the plate back into the microwave for 1 minute intervals and continue cooking until the potato is done.

5. Allow the potato to cool off for 1-2 minutes (or until you're able to safely handle it).

6. Cut the potato open, and break the potato up a bit using a fork. Garnish with butter, salt, and pepper (or other desired toppings). Enjoy!

7. Optional: For a crispy skin, preheat the oven to 425 F (218 C) while the potato is in the microwave. Once the potato has cooled enough to safely handle it, carefully rub some olive oil onto the potato. Place the oiled potato on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes (or until the skin has reached your desired crispiness).

Notes

If you are cooking more than one potato at a time, make sure the potatoes are not touching while in the microwave. Adjust the cooking time by adding 1 minute per side. For example:

  • 1 potato = 3-4 minutes per side
  • 2 potatoes = 4-5 minutes per side
  • 3 potatoes = 5-6 minutes per side

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size:

1 medium potato (1/2 pound)

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 179Total Fat: 0.2gCarbohydrates: 40.8gFiber: 2.9gSugar: 1.4gProtein: 4.8g

Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

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If you’ve ever wanted to cook a baked potato in the microwave, this recipe is for you! It’s the easiest baked potato, with perfect results every time!

The best microwave baked potato recipe.

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