How to Make a Baked Potato in an Air Fryer So It’s Perfectly Crispy and Fluffy

Can you cook a baked potato in an air fryer? You’re darn right, you can! In fact, it’s one of the easiest ways to make sure your spuds turn out crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and absolutely scrumptious. 

We gathered up some expert tips that can also help you dig into your potatoes quicker, prevent them from getting soggy, and pair them with the tastiest toppings — all while avoiding heating the whole kitchen up with your oven!

How to Make a Baked Potato in an Air Fryer

Whether you want a regular baked potato or a baked sweet potato, there are some key differences to traditional oven cooking techniques.

First, don’t worry about reaching for any aluminum foil to wrap them in. The hot air circulation in an air fryer will cook potatoes evenly without the extra help. You also don’t need to soak the potatoes in water before air frying, which can be helpful for other recipes like french fries or roasted spuds.

We asked Robin Fields, author of The “I Love My Air Fryer” 5-Ingredient Recipe Book (Buy on Amazon, $13.58), for some of her expert air fryer baked potato tips. Here’s what she recommends keeping in mind:

• Make sure you preheat your air fryer before popping the potatoes in. You want to cook them at a hot temperature the whole way through so they get cooked quickly and evenly. 
• If you’re cooking more than one at a time, make sure you air fry your potatoes in an even layer with plenty of space to promote air circulation through your fryer. This prevents the potatoes from becoming soggy and helps them cook evenly.
• Spritzing your potatoes with a little olive oil or cooking spray is the easiest way to get the skin that crispy texture that everyone loves. 
• Short on time? Before cooking, prick them with a fork all over and microwave on high for 4 minutes. This will soften them up a bit and help them cook up a bit quicker in the air fryer. 

Preheating the air fryer takes just about 3 to 5 minutes. For baked potatoes, turn the device to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and leave the basket empty before setting the timer. You can do this while microwaving your potato for a bit or prepping it with oil. 

For more air fryer potato recipes, check out this cooking lesson on how to make Crispy Air-Fried Potato Slices that are oil-free and delicious!

Air Fryer Baked Potato Recipe

This simple recipe is adapted from our print magazine, Food to Love: Air Fryer (Buy from Magazine Shop, $12.99). You can find plenty more delicious and easy meal ideas in those pages and on our sister site’s roundup of the best air fryer recipes. For now, let’s get cracking on baked potatoes!

Ingredients:

• Russet potato(es)
• Extra virgin olive oil cooking spray
• Flakey salt
• Butter, to serve

Instructions:

1. Preheat a 5- or 6-quart air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 minutes.
2. Prick potatoes (however many you’d like to cook and can fit in the air fryer) all over with a fork. 
3. Taking care, pull out the air fryer pan and basket. Place potato(es) in basket (work in batches if you can’t fit them all in at once), spray with oil, and sprinkle with salt flakes. Slide pan and basket back into appliance.
4. Keep temperature at 400 degrees and set timer for 40 minutes; cook, turning halfway through cooking time, until potato(es) are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife.
5. Transfer potato(es) to plates. Cut cross in the top and squeeze upwards from the bottom to open it up. 
6. Serve with butter or other toppers.

We told you it was easy! You can use the same method for multiple potatoes and different types, including sweet potatoes. Just remember that all appliances are different, check the user guide for yours for any specific needs it might have. If you’re worried about scorching your spud, you can check on it more frequently, giving it a look every 10 or 15 minutes instead of 20. 

In any case, the hardest part will be telling your tastebuds to stay patient while your taters finish cooking. That, plus deciding which yummy toppings you want to toss on the spud when it’s done. (Don’t worry, we can help with that, too!)

What do you put on top of a baked potato?

Obviously, the best baked potato toppers will depend on you and your family’s preferences — but the options are quite literally endless. You can’t go wrong keeping things simple and traditional with classic butter, sour cream, chives, and bacon bits. However, our recipes for fish ‘n’ chips baked potatoes and sloppy joe stuffed potatoes also prove there’s no topping that’s too crazy to pair with a spud.

Here are a couple more of our favorite creative recipes for a meal that will truly wow everyone around the dinner table:

Baked Potatoes with Nachos

Ingredients:

• Air fryer baked potatoes (see recipe above)
• 1 can (15 1/2 oz) chili beans
• Corn chips
• 1 cup shredded cheddar
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 fresh sliced jalapeno
• 1/4 cup chopped 

Instructions:

1. Heat chili beans in a small saucepan
2. Top baked potatoes with corn chips, beans, and cheddar. 
3. Return topped potatoes to air fryer. Keep temperature at 400 degrees Fahrenheit and set timer for 2 minutes; cook until cheese melts. 
4. To serve, top with sour cream, fresh jalapeno, and cilantro leaves. 
5. Drizzle with your favorite salsa and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Baked Potatoes with BBQ Beans

Ingredients:

• Air fryer baked potatoes (see recipe above)
• 8 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 can (15 oz) baked beans
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp smoky barbecue sauce
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan

Instructions:

1. Place halved cherry tomatoes in a medium saucepan with baked beans, Dijon mustard, and barbecue sauce; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is heated through.
2. To serve, top potatoes with baked bean mixture and Parmesan. Season to taste.

For more tater tips, check out our guides on how to clean potatoes (we have a trick that just takes 10 minutes!), how to make crispy roasted potatoes, and how to peel potatoes fast. Happy eating!