Baked potatoes are amazing and loved by millions of people around the world. This perfect baked potato with an amazing outer skin, stuffed with butter, sour cream, cheddar cheese, bacon, and green onion is one of my all-time favorite comfort foods.
How can you go wrong with a baked potato? Once you bake it there are all sorts of toppings that you can put on it. It is a great side dish to go with a steak, piece of chicken, ribs, etc. They are really easy to make, if I can do it, you can do it. Let’s get started!
Step 1: Gather the ingredients

In order to make this perfect baked potato you just need a few ingredients:
- Potatoes – I always use a large Idaho Russet potato. But there are a variety of potatoes that you can use.
- Oil – I typically use olive oil or canola oil or vegetable oil, but you can use other oils as well if you like.
- Kosher Salt – This course salt helps make the outer skin flavorful.
Toppings
There are a number of different toppings you can put on your perfect baked potato, here are some of my favorites:
- Butter
- Sour cream
- Chopped yellow onion
- Cheddar cheese
- Bacon, mmmm bacon
- Green onion
- Salt and pepper to taste
Step 2: How to make the perfect baked potato

First, preheat the oven to 350 F/176 C. Now wash and dry your potato or potatoes. Next poke holes in it with a fork. The reason why this is done is so the steam will be released while it bakes.
Step 3: Creating that perfect outer skin

The skin is one of my favorite parts when prepared this way. Place the potato in a bowl and then drizzle some oil on it. Next make sure the potato is evenly coated with the oil and then sprinkle on some kosher salt or other course salt.
The combination of the salt and oil makes a wonderful outer skin after the potato is baked. You won’t want to leave this skin on the plate!
Set the potato or potatoes direct on the middle rack in your oven. Do not cover it with foil. For medium to large potatoes it will take 75 to 90 minutes. You also might want to put a sheet pan on the rack beneath the potatoes to catch any oil that drips off.
Step 4: Fixings for that perfect baked potato

Use tongs to remove the potato or potatoes from the oven. Place them on a plate or cutting board and allow them to cool for a few minutes.
Now slice a slit in the middle, lengthwise, of the potato. Grabbing each end of the potato squeeze inward a little bit which will cause the slit to oven creating a nice cavity in the baked potato.

Then stuff that potato with your favorite toppings. Some popular toppings are butter, cheese, onion, and bacon. Now behold the perfect baked potato is ready to be eaten. Serve it up with a steak and a side of grilled asparagus or roasted Brussel sprouts and you have an amazing meal. Enjoy!
How to store the baked potato?
You can store uneaten baked potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. The leftovers make perfect twice-baked potatoes or hash browns. You can even just reheat them in the oven or in the microwave.
Perfect Baked Potato
Equipment
- Fork
- Bowl
- spoon
- Tongs
- Cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 large russet potato you can use other kinds
- 2 tsp of Olive oil you can use vegetable or canola (8ml)
- 1 pinch of kosher salt or any coarse salt
Toppings
- 1 tbsp butter 14g
- 2 tbsp sour cream 30g
- 1 tbsp chopped yellow onion 4g
- 2 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese 12g
- 1 strip of bacon, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- a pinch of green onion
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F/176 C. Set the rack in the middle position.
- Wash and dry your potatoes. Then poke holes in them with a fork.
- Place the potato or potatoes in a bowl and drizzle the oil on them. Make sure they are coated all over. Then sprinkle on the Kosher salt.
- Place the potatoes in the oven directly on the rack and bake for 75 to 90 minutes. Until they are soft when poked with a fork. The outer skin will be a little crispy/crunchy. You may put a sheet pan on the rack below the potatoes to catch any drippings if desired.
- Remove the potatoes with tongs and allow them to cool for a few minutes. Then slit them lengthwise with a knife and press on the ends to open up the potato. Top with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Video
Notes

Do you like this recipe? Please give it a rating and comment down below, I really appreciate it. If you make it tag me on Instagram @inthekitchenwithmatt. Also, sign up for the newsletter so you wonβt miss out on any of my new posts and recipes.
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This lives up to its name- the perfect baked potato! It is really one of a kind- a perfect blend of all the ingredients.
Thank you, Jessie! π
a baked potato is one of my favs. great tips. makes me hungry right now.
Thanks! Same with me, I love baked potatoes!
This looks delicious! I love the tip of drizzling oil on top. I will do this next time I make baked potatoes! Thanks for sharing!
You are welcome! And thank you! π
One of my family’s favorite lunches is a baked potato bar. It is so fun!
Yes!! Potato bars are awesome!
Nnnnniiiicccceeeeeeee….minus the butter, this is a potato I would so much want to make myself.
Thanks, man!
I adore a good baked potato, but most of my family doesnβt so I donβt get to enjoy them as often as Iβd like. However, I gott a few great tips from your post
Thanks, Romy!
Potato are my all time favourite and this looks so yummy, will surely try this π
Awesome! Good luck, let me know how it turns out once you try it.
I like that your Perfect Baked Potato is so cheesy! I like it with explosive cheese. So good! Yummy!
Thank you! Yes! I love lots of cheese on them.
This looks very delicious! I can’t wait to try this soon. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! You are welcome. π
I’m going to give this a try! Last time I made my recipe, they blew up in the oven!
hahaha exploding spuds! π
i love a good baked potato as long as there is a great nosh bar to go with it! but my favorite part of your recipes are the amazing tips you give like today about how to store a baked potato. thanks!!
You are welcome! π
Yes please! I love a good baked potato but it has to be done right so it is all yummy and fluffy x
π π Glad you like it! π
Oh, I loved baked potato and seeing this on makes me so hungry. I am going to make this for our dinner, tonigth.
Awesome! I love baked potatoes too. Good luck, let me know how it turns out if you wind up making it. π
Oh wow, this looks like such a delicious recipe for me to try out! Iβll give it a try this week.
Thank you! π
I’m hungry thanks to your delicious potato! I’m making it now!
Awesome! π Let me know how it turns out if you wind up making it. π
I happen to have a full bag of potatoes that I’ve been waiting to find the perfect recipe for. This is it!
Awesome! π
So basic yet delicious. Hard to beat a really good baked spud.
I totally agree!
You’re not lying when you say this is the perfect baked potato! I love all that delicious filling you have crammed in there. Om nom nom.
Thanks, Bill!!! π
I think you’re right. This sounds like the perfect potato for sure. All my favorites. Yum!
Thanks, Krissy! π
These were the perfect baked potato, the whole family loved them.
So glad you made them and liked them Stephanie!
In my opinion, the toppings make the potato! This is a good side and even a light dinner.
So true! Toppings make the potato for sure!