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Did you know it’s possible to make baked potatoes without foil and have them turn out to be the best you’ve ever tasted?
Baked potatoes with crispy, salty skins are delicious with just butter. Load them up with all your favorite toppings and the potato easily becomes the entire meal. (We love ours topped with barbecue chicken!)
If you’ve been hanging out here with me for long, you already know I keep the sides honest around here. Russets are almost always my first choice for baked potatoes, but I’m not a snob about it. There isn’t a potato I won’t eat. Baked sweet potatoes in the air fryer, roasted Yukon golds with sausage, red potatoes with rosemary, they ALL get a good bit of attention in my kitchen.
But, I have to confess, a baked potato without foil wins on texture alone. The skin is my favorite. After eating all the delicious insides with toppings, I like to butter and salt and pepper the inside of the skins and enjoy them. It is the best part!
Baked Potatoes without Foil
It feels like an age-old debate, whether or not to foil your potatoes. The reality is you can certainly wrap them in foil, and if that is how you have always done it, who am I to stop you? But, I have to tell you, you’re missing out. Try making this recipe for baked potatoes without foil and you’ll see the difference for yourself! Crispy skins, fluffy insides. Every. Time.
I find the potatoes turn out a bit fluffier when they’re baked without foil versus the results when they’re baked while wrapped in foil. The foil traps steam. The open pan lets the skin dry out and crisp up the way I crave.
Absolutely the best way to bake potatoes! Soft and moist on the inside and the skin is so crispy.
– Dorothy Davenport
Ingredients and Substitutions
The Potatoes – Russets, russets, russets. You can swap for others, but they won’t be as good. I mean, let’s be real. I’m still going to eat them. But, russets are THE baked potato.
Oil – I give each potato a drizzle and brush with olive oil. You just need a thin coating to let the salt stick and help the skin blister.
Salt – Can you guess? Yes, I do use kosher salt. Also, be generous. These are big potatoes.
Notes on Equipment
- Sturdy baking sheet. Any time I’m baking or roasting, I reach for my Nordic Ware baking sheets. They’re hefty without being heavy, the price is right, and I’ve had some of mine for over 20 years. Still going strong.
- Vegetable brush or clean sponge for scrubbing
- Fork
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
How to Bake Potatoes without Foil
Preheating: Flip the oven to 400°F and let it come all the way up to temperature before the potatoes go in.
Scrubbing the Potatoes: While the oven preheats, I rinse my potatoes thoroughly with cold water, and use a brush or sponge to get the grit off.
Drying: Pat the potatoes dry and let them sit for a few minutes to air dry before oiling.
Pricking the Potatoes: While they’re drying, I start poking holes into each potato with a fork. This lets the steam escape. We’re making baked potatoes. Not exploding potatoes.
Oiling the Skins: Drizzle each potato with about a bit of olive oil and then rub it with your hands, so that the skin is coated evenly all over. Call me fancy, but I wear disposable gloves for this. They are a little life luxury when you spend as much time in the kitchen as I do and they are so worth the splurge.
Salting Generously: Sprinkle each potato generously with kosher salt. More than you think, honestly.
Arranging the Pan: I spread out the potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet so they have some breathing room. If they’re crammed together, they’ll steam one another.
Baking: Now, you just need to slide the pan into the oven and bake for 60 to 70 minutes. The skin should be crisp and firm, and a fork should slide right into the center with very little pressure.
Serving: Once the potatoes come out of the oven, I transfer them to a cutting board and slice each down the middle (not all the way through). Push in from the long ends, and the skin will pop right open for you to fluff the insides.
Expert Tip
I want to clarify one step here that a lot of people overdo. The cleaning. You do not need to scrub the skin off of the potato. You just need to give them a brush to clear away the dirt that is caked on. If you scrub them too much, you’ll end up with very thin skinned russets (that’s a bad thing). The whole point of this recipe is to transform those skins into glorious flavor and texture.
Time It Right – For most potatoes, an hour at 400 degrees is just right. But there are factors such as the size of the potato, how crowded your pan is, and of course the accuracy of your oven temperature. To ensure they are perfectly done, check them with a fork. The skin should be crispy and firm but the fork should slide in easily with very little pressure.
Dry Equals Crispy – Moisture is the biggest source of failure when it comes to baking potatoes. We want crispy skins. So, after you wash them, you really have to dry them well. Don’t skip the air dry step, either, as a dry skin crisps better in the oven.
Don’t Crowd Them – The other source of failure is crowding. Even if you dry the outsides fully, they still contain moisture within. That moisture steams out of them while they bake. So, you have to leave space for the air to flow around them and carry it away.
Bake Some Extras – You’ll find that baking extra potatoes is always the right move. They make a quick snack that you can reheat in the air fryer, or save you time when you get the craving for breakfast potatoes, loaded baked potato soup or baked potato dip. Think of cold baked potatoes as a head start on tomorrow, not leftovers.
Serving Suggestions
A crispy, salty baked potato is plenty on its own with just butter. But when I’m building a whole dinner around them, I like to keep things traditional. A slice of zucchini meatloaf for the main and a big bowl of romaine salad on the table. Almost no fuss at all.
The move I love most, though, is transforming the potato into the main event. Slice a steaming hot potato down the middle, fluff the insides with a fork, and fill it with a big scoop of taco beef with bell peppers. Top with shredded cheese, a few pickled jalapeños if you’re feeling it, maybe a spoonful of sour cream, and that’s a whole dinner right there.
Storage & Reheating
How to Store: Let the baked potatoes cool to room temperature before you put them away. Then, I just transfer to an airtight container or a zip top bag, and the leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
How to Reheat: The best way to re-crisp the skin is to use the air fryer (if reheating one) or about 10-15 minutes in the oven at 400°F (for multiple potatoes). The microwave will work in a pinch, too. Just split the potato first, and it’s about 2 minutes on high.
More Baked Potato Recipes
For most medium to large russet potatoes, plan on just over an hour at 400°F. A fork should slide into the center with very little pressure. If the potatoes are extra large, or if your oven runs a touch cool, they’ll need another 5 to 10 minutes.
Yes, just follow the recipe card below. This is the best way to do it, honestly. Foil traps steam and softens the skin. Baking without foil gives you a crispy, salty skin and a fluffier inside. Less waste, too.
You can, but you’ll lose what makes a baked potato a baked potato. The skin is what traps steam inside while the oven does its thing. Peel it first and the inside dries out instead of going fluffy.
Yes. Skip it at your own risk. Without a few holes, the steam inside has nowhere to go, and a potato really can split open in the oven. It takes about five seconds.
Baked Potatoes without Foil
Ingredients
- 6 large russet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Scrub the potatoes to remove all dirt, rinse, and pat dry thoroughly with a paper towel. Let them air dry for a few minutes too, to make sure they're truly good and dry. Poke several holes into each potato with a fork, then place them on a baking sheet.
- Drizzle each potato with about 1 teaspoon of oil. Rub the oil all over each potato. Generously sprinkle each potato with salt and then place in the oven.
- Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, until the skin is crisp and a fork slides into the center with very little pressure.
- Transfer the potatoes to a cutting board and slice each one down the center with a sharp knife. Fluff the insides with a fork, then serve with the toppings of your choice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Absolutely the best way to bake potatoes! Soft and moist on the inside and the skin is so crispy.
Thank you, Dorothy. I tend to agree, the salty, crispy outside is the best part.