Air Fryer Baked Potatoes

Learn how to make the best baked potatoes using your air fryer! Air Fryer Baked Potatoes are an easy way to make this classic recipe with a crispy exterior and a soft & fluffy potato center, which is the perfect canvas for whatever toppings you want. 

For another one of our favorite air fryer recipes be sure and check out my Air Fryer Cheese Bombs. 

Air Fryer Baked Potatoes Recipe

I grew up eating baked potatoes for dinner on a weekly basis. I also grew up in Idaho so maybe it was a ‘Idaho potato’ thing 😉, either way, baked potatoes are a classic dinner recipe that is perfect for families because everyone can customize their own!

Anytime I can get my kids involved when it comes to making their food, they are more likely to willingly eat it. 

I have started to love my air fryer lately! Making baked potatoes in the air fryer takes less time, it’s all hands off time for the person making it, and the exterior gets really salty & crispy while the inside stays super soft. Don’t forget to load them up with all your favorite toppings. Read below for all my tips to making the perfect baked potato with lots of topping ideas. 

Ingredients Needed

• Russet Potatoes : Russet or baking potatoes are the best potato variety to use when making baked potatoes. They are usually larger in size which is ideal for when you add all the toppings inside of it. The center of a russet potato gets really soft which is the perfect canvas for the base of the potato with all the toppings. For this recipe you will need 3 large potatoes or 4 medium sized potatoes. 
• Oil : You can use any liquid oil that you want when making this recipe. I prefer using a extra light tasting extra-virgin olive oil. You can also use other neutral oils like canola oil or vegetable oil. Feel free to use avocado oil or liquid coocnut oil, but just realize that it may change the taste of the outside skin of the potato, which could potentially make its way into the potato. 
• Kosher Salt : You can find this with the other salt varieties at the grocery store. It is usually labeled as ‘coarse salt’. 

How to Make Baked Potatoes in the Air Fryer

It is so simple to make baked potatoes in your air fryer. The cook time is a little bit less than the classic way of cooking them in the oven, and you get the same fantastic results of the crispy exterior and soft, pillowy potato center. With only a few steps involved and 3 ingredients, you’ll know how to make this recipe in no time. 

• Preparation : Heat your air fryer (if needed) to 400 degrees F. Some air fryers preheat before you add in the food, but others don’t, it just depends on what kind you have. Wash and scrub the potatoes and pat them dry before beginning. 
• Poke Holes : Use a fork to carefully poke holes on the outside of the potato. About 6-8 fork pokes for the whole potato is fine. 
• Oil : Use your hands or a brush to brush oil onto the skin of each potato. 
• Salt : Sprinkle some josher salt onto each potato. This helps flavor the potato while it’s baking and in my opinion, it’s the ‘secret’ to a really good baked potato. 
• Cook : Place the potatoes into the air fryer basket and cook at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes. Open up the air fryer and turn the potatoes, and bake for about 15 minutes longer. Make sure that you can easily pierce the potato with a fork. If there is any resistance, it means the potato is not soft enough and it needs to cook longer. 
• Serve : While the potato are cooking, prepare all your toppings and set them out buffet-style in bowls. 

Air Fryer Baked Potatoes FAQ’s

• What Toppings Go on a Baked Potato?

  Baked Potatoes are the perfect blank canvas for any topping you want to put on them. The potato is mild in flavor which lends well to any flavor profile. Here are some toppings that my family loves, things we’ve tried, and other topping ideas for your next baked potato bar at home. 

  • Butter – This is the essential baked potato topping. Use real butter and add it on first when the potato is steaming hot and it will melt right in.  
  • Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
  • Bacon – Use bacon bits or cook bacon and chop it up. I normally make it easy on myself and just use bacon bits!
  • Shredded Cheese – Any variety can be used here. Classic cheddar cheese is what I always serve, but you can use Pepper Jack for some spice, Colby Jack cheese, or try using a slice of Muenster cheese, Provolone cheese, etc. Lots of options here. 
  • Green Onions
  • Cheddar Cheese Sauce – I have made this homemade Cheddar Cheese Sauce before and its yummy!
  • Chili Topped w/ Cheese – This is a great way to use up leftover chili.
  • Sour Cream
  • Cottage Cheese – Maybe this is another weird Idaho thing that I got from childhood, but cottage cheese is actually my favorite thing to put on a baked potato! Try it.
  • Steamed, Cooked Broccoli Bits – This is really good with a cheddar cheese sauce too. 
  • Taco Style – Use up leftover taco meat, or make some, add some black beans and corn, and top it off with shredded cheese and chopped cilantro. 
  • BBQ Chicken – Make this Slow Cooker Zesty BBQ Chicken for dinner and then use up the leftover for baked potatoes. Top it off with more bbq sauce and some shredded cheese. 
  • Buffalo Chicken – Chicken + Buffalo Sauce + Bleu Cheese Crumbles is another great topping idea.
  • Roasted Vegetables – I like to steam some roasted vegetables, or roast them in the oven, and add those onto my potato with some cheese and cottage cheese.

• How To Make a Baked Potato

  • Once you have cooked the potatoes in the air fryer it’s time to create your masterpiece. Using a sharp knife, make a long slice down the center of the potato (lengthwise) and use your fingers or hands to gently press and fluff the potato up so there is room in the middle for all the toppings. 
  • Be sure and add the toppings that melt first, like butter and cheese, and cheese sauce if you’re using it. You want those ingredients against the hot potato so they will melt. You can also put the butter and cheese into the potato and then stick it into the air fryer for about 1-2 minutes, to melt the cheese. The potato should be hot enough to melt the cheese and butter itself. 
  • After you have added the butter and cheese it’s time to pile on your toppings. 

• Can I Make Baked Potatoes Ahead of Time?

  • These potatoes need to bake for about 45 minutes and it’s a hands-off recipe, which means you will have time to prepare all the toppings. I do not recommend making baked potatoes too far in advance of dinnertime because you want the potato to be nice & hot for serving. 

• What Kind of Potato is Best for Making Baked Potatoes?

  • I highly recommend using Russet Potatoes when making baked potatoes. They are larger in size, they have a more plain flavor which lends well to all the toppings, and the inside of a russet potato gets really soft while baking which is ideal for baked potatoes. 
  • I have never used anything other than a russet potato when making baked potatoes. There are ‘jumbo russet potatoes’ at the store but more than likely they are too large to fit into an air fryer basket. Stick with the regular sized russet potatoes or sometimes also called baking potatoes. 

Recipe Tips

• Use Russet Potatoes : These are the only kind I have ever used to make baked potatoes. They are larger in size, they have a mild flavor which is good for the endless topping options, and the potato center gets really soft and squishy (which is a good thing!). 
• Check Potatoes With a Fork : Use a fork to pierce the potato before taking them out of the air fryer. A fork inserted into the potato should easily go in. If there is any sort of resistance then you need to cook the potatoes longer. There is nothing worse than a baked potato with firm potato insides. The potato should very easily be pierced with a fork. 
• Cook Time : Depending on how large or small the potatoes are that you use, the cook time can vary greatly. Check the potatoes after the initial 30 minutes and go from there. On average, the potatoes usually take about 40 minutes to cook for me. The only thing that matters with the cook time is the fork piercing to ensure that they are done. 
• Serving Size : Again, depending on the size of your air fryer you may only be able to make 2 potatoes at a time. For the larger size air fryers, 4 medium potatoes or 3 large potatoes can easily fit. I have linked the air fryer I have down below in the recipe card. 

More Potato Recipes You’ll Love

• Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes – Super creamy mashed potatoes with cream cheese! These are my family’s favorite recipe for classic mashed potatoes. 
• Ranch Potatoes – Roasted potatoes in the oven seasoned with ranch seasoning mix.
• Slow Cooker Creamy Potato Soup – A dump & go crock pot recipe for the best & creamiest potato soup. This recipe starts with frozen potatoes so there is no chopping or peeling involved. Easy prep!
• Parmesan Roasted Potatoes – Buttery Yukon gold potatoes covered in a seasoned parmesan cheese mixture. Roasted to golden brown perfection with olive oil.
• Roasted Red Potatoes – Red potatoes in a zesty dried seasoning mix. 
• Shepherd’s Pie Baked Potatoes – Classic baked potatoes filled with a perfectly seasoned shepherd’s pie mixture. A twist to two classic recipes!