How Long to Microwave a Potato (Tips and Tricks)
Best Way to Microwave a Potato – Here are the quick and easy steps with no-fail tips for how to cook fluffy fork-tender baked potatoes in the microwave or air fryer. Plus our favorite baked potato toppings!
Why We Love This Recipe
Baked potatoes are an American favorite, but when you’re in a hurry, who wants to wait an hour as they bake in the oven? You can cook them faster in the microwave while creating the same soft fluffy texture on the inside.
Here we’re showing the fastest Microwave Baked Potato method, which takes 7-8 minutes. We are also sharing an air fryer method if you have a little more time. Baking a potato in the oven at 400°F takes about 50-60 minutes, but air frying a potato at 400°F takes only about 35-40 minutes.
Choose whichever easy recipe you prefer, and either way, you’ll soon be enjoying perfectly tender taters loaded up with all the best tasty toppings. (Yep, you know we’ve got suggestions for add-ons below!)
3 Ingredients You Need
- Potato – russet potatoes are classic, but this recipe works just as well with sweet potatoes or large Yukon gold potatoes
- Salt and Pepper – a bit of each to season the inside of the potato; there is no need to season the outer skin
And don’t forget those ever-so-essential baked potato toppings! Here we use a simple pat of butter, but keep reading for some tasty ideas for what to put on top of a potato.
Get the Complete (Printable) Guide for How Long to Microwave a Baked Potato + VIDEO
How to Microwave a Potato
Wash and dry the potato, but do not peel it. Pierce it several times with a fork to create vent holes. This keeps the skin from expanding and potentially exploding. Don’t skip this step!
Place the potato in the microwave on a clean glass microwave tray, or place it on a paper towel.
Microwave on high heat for 7 to 8 minutes. If the tray in your microwave rotates, there is no need to stop the cooking process. However, if there is no rotating tray in your microwave, stop the microwave and turn the potato at the 4-minute mark.
Check the potato at 7 minutes. If you can insert a fork fully into the center of the potato, it’s done. If not, microwave another one to two minutes until soft.
How to Air Fry a Baked Potato
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Wash and dry the potato, then pierce the potato several times with a fork.
Once the air fryer is hot, place a potato in the air fryer and bake for 35 minutes.
Check the potato, and if a fork can be inserted all the way to the center, the potato is done. If not, continue to bake for another five minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Let the potatoes sit at room temperature for several minutes to cool.
These beauties are perfect to enjoy with nearly any main dish. Steak and potatoes, anyone? Try our fabulous recipes for Skillet Steak Bites, Steak Diane (just like at the Cheesecake Factory), or mouthwatering Porterhouse Steaks with Compound Butter. Or pair it with hearty poultry dishes like BBQ Chicken or Grilled Maple Mustard Chicken.
Microwaved russet or sweet potatoes are also great for a healthier meal that is still delicious and satisfying. Serve them with steamed veggies for a tasty lunch or as part of a light dinner.
For basic baked potatoes, cut a slit on the top of the potato. Gently squeeze the potato to loosen the potato flesh. Add a pat of butter to the potato and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. However, feel free to add as many exciting toppings as you so desire!
Best Baked Potato Toppings
Sure, we love the taste of a tender and fluffy potato… But let’s get real. The toppings are what really shine here!
Load freshly microwaved taters with your favorite add-ons like:
- Butter – unsalted and slightly softened
- Sour cream – or Greek yogurt
- Shredded cheese – like cheddar, Italian blend, Mexican blend, Colby jack, pepper jack, or parmesan
- Chopped chives – or green onions
- Pickled jalapeños – store-bought or try our quick and easy homemade Pickled Jalapeños recipe
- Bacon bits – cook and chop the bacon a day or so ahead to make prep even easier
- Chili – like your favorite Steak Chili, Pork Green Chili (New Mexico Chile Verde), White Chicken Chili, or vegetarian Three Sisters Butternut Squash Chili
- Taco meat – try these healthier Zesty Ground Turkey Taco Meat or Shredded Chicken Tacos crockpot recipes
- Salsa – chunky, thin, jarred, or homemade – you really can’t go wrong
- Hot sauce – your favorite brand and spice level
- Guacamole – this easy Holy Guacamole recipe is always a big hit
Frequently Asked Questions
It definitely is safe! Just be sure to follow the recipe exactly, poke holes in the skin first, and always handle a hot potato with oven mitts.
If cooking multiple potatoes at the same time you may need to add an additional 1 to 3 minutes to the cooking time.
This totally depends on your goal. Do oven-baked potatoes taste better? Yes, the skin does get a bit crisper in the oven. However, we are here for the inside yumminess of the potato – which is the same whether baked or microwaved. Microwaving cuts WAY down on cook time, and is, therefore, our preferred quick and easy method.
Air frying yields the same crisp potato skin as an oven, and is faster than oven baking. So it really is the best of both worlds if you have a few more minutes.
Yes, you can cook any type of potato or yam using this method. If the potatoes are within the same weight range they will cook for the same amount of time.
You can also use this recipe to cook smaller new potatoes. Waxy potatoes and sweet potatoes may take as little as 5 minutes. Check at the five-minute mark if needed and continue cooking. Larger potatoes of any variety may take up to 10 minutes to fully cook through.
Cooked potatoes are great to include in your meal prep planning! Once they are completely cool, transfer them to an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Looking for More Easy Side Dish Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
- How to Steam Broccoli (in Microwave)
- How to BBQ Chicken
- Crispy Roasted Potatoes
- Russet Potatoes 101 (Best Recipe)
- Air Fryer Potato Wedges
How to Microwave a Potato (Recipe + VIDEO)
Ingredients
- 6-8 ounce potato
- 1 pat of butter
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Microwave baked potato instructions –
- Wash and dry the potato, but do not peel it. Pierce it several times with a fork to create vent holes.
- Place the potato in the microwave on a clean glass microwave tray, or place it on a paper towel.
- Microwave on high heat for 7 to 8 minutes. If the tray in your microwave rotates, there is no need to stop the cooking process. However, if there is no rotating tray in your microwave, stop the microwave and turn the potato at the 4-minute mark.
- Check the potato at 7 minutes. If you can insert a fork fully into the center of the potato, it’s done. If not, microwave another one to two minutes until soft.
- For basic baked potatoes, cut a slit in the top of the potato. Gently squeeze the potato to loosen the potato flesh. Add a pat of butter to the potato and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. However, feel free to add as many exciting toppings as you so desire!
Air fryer baked potato instructions –
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Wash and dry the potato, then pierce the potato several times with a fork.
- Once the air fryer is hot, place a potato in the air fryer and bake for 35 minutes. Check the potato, and if a fork can be inserted all the way to the center, the potato is done. If not, continue to bake for another five minutes.
Thank you for the tips and tricks! We love baked potatoes at home so this is very useful for us. This method cooks faster in the microwave, I love it!
I love this! Thanks for sharing it! I love a good baked potato, but never want to wait for them to cook in the oven. I will only be doing it in the microwave now!
Oh this is so handy! I can’t wait to show my son, he loves baked potatoes and this is so much quicker. Thanks for the tip!