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one whole air-fryer baked russet potato on an ordinary plate with a crisp brown skin split open to fluffy white flesh and a small pat of melting butter with a little black pepper, with no cheese, bacon, sour cream, herbs or garnish
Rachel Kim

Air Fryer Baked Potato

A baked potato is the plainest test of an air fryer: the skin should turn dry and crisp while the center becomes soft enough to fluff with a fork. Choose two medium russets of similar weight, because an extra-large potato can still be firm when its smaller neighbor is ready to split. Skip the foil and leave space around both potatoes so the moving air reaches their jackets rather than steaming them inside a tight wrapper. Pierce them before cooking, turn them halfway through and check the center with a skewer instead of trusting the skin color alone. Butter is the only topping here, giving you a simple baked potato to serve beside dinner before moving on to the filled skins and twice-baked versions later in the list.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 2
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 medium russet potatoes about 8 oz each, scrubbed and dried
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper

Method
 

  1. Preheat a 5-quart or larger air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes. Pierce each potato 6 times with a fork, then rub with olive oil and salt.
  2. Place potatoes directly in the basket with space between them, without foil. Air fry for 25 minutes.
  3. Turn the potatoes and cook for 20 to 25 minutes more until a skewer slides through the center without resistance and the skins are dry and crisp. Add 5 minutes if a center is still firm.
  4. Transfer to plates and rest for 3 minutes. Cut a long slit in each potato, press the ends inward gently and fluff the exposed flesh with a fork.
  5. Add 1 tablespoon butter and half the black pepper to each potato and serve immediately.