Air Fryer Baked Potato (Fluffy Inside, Crispy Skin)

Name: Air Fryer Baked Potato (Fluffy Inside, Crispy Skin!)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 3 medium Russet potatoes ((washed and dried)); 1 tbsp Olive oil; 1/2 tsp Sea salt; 1 1/2 tbsp Butter ((for topping))

Free: Healthy Freezer Meals Recipe Ebook

Get It Now

This post may contain affiliate links, which help keep this content free. (Full disclosure)

Table Of Contents show

Looking for a faster way to bake potatoes? This air fryer baked potato recipe is one of the quickest methods to do it. (Instant Pot baked potatoes are even faster, but you don’t get the crispy skin that you get by cooking baked potatoes in the air fryer!) These are perfectly fluffy on the inside, with a seasoned crispy skin. They make classic sides to savory steak and chicken recipes, or as a hearty vegetarian main dish, all in less time.

Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Baked Potato Recipe

Crispy skin on the outside
Soft, fluffy inside
No foil required
Quick 5-minute prep time
Much faster total time than using a conventional oven
All the ease of roasted potatoes, with less chopping

Ingredients You’ll Need

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for air fryer baked potatoes, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

Russet Potatoes – Technically any potato can be baked, but the best potatoes for baking are Russet (a.k.a. Idaho potato) due to their starchy and absorbent texture. Get potatoes similar in size, so they’ll cook at the same rate, and scrub excess dirt off the skin. You can also mix Russets with sweet potatoes, as long as they are roughly the same size.
Olive Oil – Helps create the crispy skin! However, any neutral cooking oil works for baking potatoes in the air fryer. Avocado oil is another great option.
Sea Salt – My preference for elevating the flavors in all my recipes, but kosher salt or any other salt will do. You can also add a sprinkle of black pepper if you like.
Butter – For topping. See other topping ideas below.

How To Bake A Potato In The Air Fryer

This section shows how to make baked potatoes in the air fryer, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

Prep. Prick the potatoes all over with a paring knife or fork. This allows steam to escape, so they don’t explode.
Season. Rub or brush oil all over each potato and sprinkle with sea salt. Place potatoes in the air fryer in a single layer.

TIP: Don’t crowd the basket.

Leave space between the potatoes, so that skins crisp up and each one cooks evenly.

Potatoes seasoned in air fryer basket before cooking.

Air fry. Bake potatoes in the air fryer until tender, turning them halfway through.
Serve. Remove the potatoes with tongs and place them in bowls to cool slightly. Slice lengthwise, fluff the centers with a fork, and top with butter. See more topping ideas below.

How Long To Cook Baked Potatoes In The Air Fryer?

Cook baked potatoes in the air fryer at 400 degrees F for about 35 to 45 minutes, or until fork tender, turning halfway through.

TIP: How to check for doneness?

Cook time can vary depending on the size of your potatoes and your air fryer brand. Start checking for doneness around 30-35 minutes just in case. They are done when a fork goes in with very little resistance, and the skin will be a little puckered.

Air Fryer Baked Potato Toppings

Set out small bowls of everyone’s favorite toppings and let people create their own dinnertime masterpiece. Here’s the list of popular options:

Butter – I prefer unsalted butter, but you can also use salted butter or even compound butter. If you’re sensitive to dairy, try ghee or butter flavored coconut oil.
Sour cream – Greek yogurt also works as a similar substitute.
Greens – Sliced green onions or chives are the most popular options, but other chopped fresh herbs are also great.
Cheese – Cheddar cheese, parmesan, bleu cheese or feta crumbles, or even a melty cheese sauce.
Bacon – Crumble fresh oven baked bacon or air fryer bacon, or use store-bought bacon bits for a shortcut.
Taco Toppings – Trade the shell for a potato and add salsa, guacamole, shredded cheese, and/or sour cream.
Veggies – For a vegetarian main dish, stuff air fryer baked potatoes with vegetables, like sauteed mushrooms, sauteed broccoli, roasted zucchini, or caramelized onions.
Meats – Pile pulled pork, Mexican chorizo, or chili on top of potatoes.
Sauce – Drizzle caesar dressing or ranch dressing on top for a delectable flavor.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep air fryer baked potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Meal prep: Make in advance and use all week long, alone or in other recipes.
Reheat: To reheat a baked potato in the air fryer, simply set it to 350 degrees F for 3-5 minutes. The microwave also works.
Freeze: Cool the potatoes (without toppings), wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 8 months.

Air fryer baked potato plated with one sliced open and buttered.

What To Serve With Air Fryer Baked Potatoes

Air fryer baked potatoes truly go with everything!

Steak – Make a classic steakhouse meal by serving the potatoes to go with New York strip, grilled or oven baked chuck eye steak, tender filet mignon, or ribeye for special occasions, or sirloin steak or London broil for any day. You can make the steak while you have the baked potatoes in the air fryer.
Chicken – Try chicken leg quarters, pan-fried chicken thighs, or make the fryer pull double duty with crispy air fryer chicken wings or air fryer chicken legs. If you want to impress that special someone, try my marry me chicken or paprika chicken.
Seafood – Make easy everyday fish recipes like baked salmon, rainbow trout, or cod. Or prepare a fancy meal with crab legs, Chilean sea bass, or even air fryer lobster tails.
Salads – A spinach bacon salad, cucumber salad, or simple kale crunch salad pair perfectly with these potatoes.
Vegetables – Balance out the richness with veggie sides like creamed spinach, air fryer green beans, roasted brussels sprouts, or romanesco.

More Easy Air Fryer Side Dishes

The air fryer is a handy appliance for lots of other veggies. Try these easy favorites!

Air Fryer Carrots

Air Fryer Cauliflower

Air Fryer Zucchini Chips

Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes

Recommended Tools

Air Fryer – My go-to for all my air fryer recipes. It has a roomy basket and is easy to clean!

Air Fryer Baked Potatoes Recipe

Pin It For Later!

Un-save Recipe Save Recipe

Go Ad-Free

Recipe Video

Tap on the image below to watch the video.

Review

US Customary – Metric

Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.

3 medium Russet potatoes (washed and dried) ▢
1 tbsp Olive oil ▢
1/2 tsp Sea salt ▢
1 1/2 tbsp Butter (for topping) ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C) for about 5 minutes.
Prick the potatoes all over with a knife or fork.
Drizzle the potatoes with oil and rub in, or brush the oil on with a brush. Sprinkle with sea salt.
Place the potatoes in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Make sure there is space between them to allow the skins to crisp up nicely.
Bake potatoes in the air fryer for 35-45 minutes, turning halfway through with tongs. (Cook time can vary depending on the size of the potatoes.) They are done when a fork pierced into the potatoes goes in easily.
When done, move potatoes to bowls and cool slightly. Slice lengthwise down the middle, fluff with a fork, and top each potato with ½ tablespoon of butter. See the post above for more topping ideas.

Last Step: Leave A Rating!

Rate this recipe

Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram – I’d love to see it!

Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 air fryer baked potato

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 258

Fat 10.3g

Protein 4.6g

Total Carbs 38.5g

Net Carbs 35.7g

Fiber 2.8g

Sugar 1.4g

Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keywords: air fryer baked potato, air fryer baked potatoes, baked potato in the air fryer, baked potatoes in the air fryer

Calories: 258 kcal

Want to save this recipe?

Create a free account to save your favorite recipes!

Leave a Review or Question Cancel reply

10 Comments

krista
0 April 11, 2023Reply

We just made air fryer baked potatoes last weekend, for the first time in almost 7 years since we’ve been following keto. My son ate the majority of it, but OH MY!! Those few bites that I took were like a little taste of Heaven! And that crispy skin. YUM!
VIVECCA
0 March 13, 2023Reply

Are these baked potatoes KETO?
- Wholesome Yum D
  0 March 13, 2023Reply
  
  Hi, This recipe is not keto.
  - Penelope
    0 April 6, 2023Reply
    
    Sounds wonderful, but does not make enough to serve a family.
    - Wholesome Yum D
      0 April 7, 2023Reply
      
      Hi Penelope, The recipe is written to make 3 potatoes, but you can adjust the recipe to make more.
Sharon
0 March 1, 2023Reply

Can use sweet potatoes?
- Wholesome Yum D
  0 March 2, 2023Reply
  
  Hi Sharon, Yes, you could make sweet potatoes in the air fryer.
Allyson Zea
0 February 22, 2023Reply

This is the only way that I’ll make the potatoes!
Jamie
0 February 22, 2023Reply

I’ll never make a baked potato another way again! So much easier in the air fryer! Loved how crispy the skin got too! YUM!
Kristyn
0 February 22, 2023Reply

Easiest & quickest way to make a baked potato for sure!! Baked potatoes are my favorite & I love to baked potato bars, because everyone loves them!