Do you want to have a steaming baked potato for dinner, but don't have the time or patience to cook it in the oven for an hour? Bake in the microwave! Here's how to get delicious and tender baked potatoes in less than 15 minutes.
Step
Step 1. Choose the right type of potato
Russet potatoes - also known as Idaho potatoes or baked potatoes - are the best potatoes to bake in the microwave. This is because the potato has a high starch content, which makes for an extra soft baked potato. If you don't have Russet potatoes, the next best potatoes are yellow-fleshed potatoes - like Yukon Gold potatoes - which are moderately starchy and make for a soft, slightly dense baked potato.
Step 2. Wash the potatoes
It's important to thoroughly wash your potatoes before placing them in the microwave, especially if you plan to eat the skins as well. Be sure to remove any stubborn dirt. If there are potatoes like this, clean the potatoes with a brush so that the potatoes are really clean. After washing, dry the potatoes with a clean paper towel.
Step 3. Season the potatoes
Spread a little olive oil on the potato skins, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. This is to give the potatoes a little extra flavor and help the potato skins become crunchy.
Step 4. Prick the potatoes with a fork
This will let the moisture escape and prevent the potatoes from exploding in the microwave. You'll need to pierce the potatoes three or four times in each area: top, bottom, and on both sides. Alternatively, you can make deep cuts with a knife to form an "X" on the top of the potato.
Step 5. Place the potatoes on a special plate for the microwave
If you want, you can wrap the potatoes in a wet paper towel first. This will help keep the potatoes moisturised and prevent them from wrinkling, but it will also make the skin softer.
Step 6. Place the dish in the microwave and select the cooking time
Cooking time may vary depending on the size of the potatoes and the power of the microwave. Medium and large potatoes will take between 8-12 minutes when cooked at full strength.
- Try starting by baking the potatoes for 5 minutes, then removing them and turning them over so that both sides cook evenly. Return to the microwave for 3-5 minutes, depending on how soft the potatoes have been. After that, if it's still not fully cooked, leave it in the microwave for 1 minute, checking every minute.
- If you are cooking several potatoes at once, you will need to increase the cooking time by about two-thirds longer. For example, if one large potato takes 10 minutes to cook, two large potatoes will take between 16-17 minutes.
- If you prefer crispy skin, you can microwave the potatoes for 5-6 minutes, then transfer the potatoes to a baking sheet and bake in the oven preheated to 204 degrees C for 20 minutes. This method is great if you want crispy, oven-baked potato skins in less than half the normal cooking time!
Step 7. Check if the potatoes are cooked
You can check for doneness by sticking a fork in the middle of the potato, if the fork slides in easily but the center is still firm, then the potatoes are done. When in doubt, it's best to leave one side of the potato uncooked, as overcooked potatoes can catch fire or explode in the microwave.
Step 8. Let the potatoes sit for five minutes
This is to cook the center of the potato using the heat trapped in the inner layer of the potato. It also helps to make the potatoes soft on the inside without making the outside too dry. You can speed up the process by wrapping the potatoes in aluminum foil after removing them from the microwave. Be careful when handling them - the potatoes are very hot!
If you're saving potatoes for someone who won't be eating them right now, you can wrap them in aluminum foil to keep them warm for a very long time. But you should wrap them as soon as you take them out of the microwave, so they can heat up and last a long time
Step 9. Serve the potatoes
Cut the potatoes open and garnish with your favorite toppings. In simple forms you can garnish with butter, salt and a little grated cheese, or if you want to make it more lively sprinkle with sour cream, green onions or scallions and a few slices of crispy bacon. If you want something fuller, toss the potatoes with a generous amount of chili con carne or scrambled eggs.
Tips
- Some microwaves have a "baked potato" button; use the facility when in doubt.
- If you're in a hurry, you can cut the potatoes open as soon as the microwave stops, add toppings (or don't need to), then put them back in the microwave and run the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds.
- The best way to get evenly cooked potatoes is to use a rotary carousel when baking them in the microwave. If you don't have a swivel carousel, stop the microwave twice as you bake, and flip the potatoes halfway when you stop the microwave. To determine when it's time to flip the potatoes, divide the baking time into 3 equal parts.
- Extend the time if using a low power microwave. The 800 Watt microwave takes 1.5 times longer to bake.
- You can "boil" the potatoes to get mushy potatoes in much the same way. Use thin skinned potatoes and be careful not to dry them out. Wrapping them in plastic or cooking some potatoes in a plastic bag also helps.
- Try using reusable parchment paper to wrap potatoes.
Warning
- Dishes freshly removed from the microwave will be a little hot, so use a napkin or oven mitt to remove them.
- Do not wrap potatoes in metal foil when baking them in the microwave; it can cause sparks that damage the interior surface of your microwave.
