Stop Sleeping On Microwave Baked Potatoes – Here's How To Make Them Taste Restaurant-Quality

It feels like an eternity to bake potatoes in the oven. You have to wait and wait and wait to finally get your oven-gloved hands on the steaming hot, golden vegetable and officially kickstart dinner night. Every now and then, we all need a little break away from this antsy slump, and the microwave is just the shortcut for it. 

Using the microwave will narrow the cook time to just about 10 minutes with no pre-heating necessary. More than just convenient, this brief cook time retains a good deal of the potato's moisture instead of drying it out like the oven. The interior remains as fluffy and starchy soft as ever, becoming even more restaurant-worthy when you pile on some unexpected baked potato toppings. Get inspired by Italian cuisine by adding pesto or marinara sauce, or take on a Mexican twist with salsa, pickled jalapeños, and refried beans. Better yet, transport your taste buds to a fancy steakhouse with steak bites, chopped veggies, and a cheese sauce.

The skin, however, can get soft when cooked in the microwave, but you can remedy that by drizzling oil over it and microwaving the potato for a bit longer. Follow up with a quick round in the oven or the air fryer at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes, or until the skin has crisped up to your liking.

Whether you use an oven or microwave, pricking your baked potatoes with a fork is always essential. This will release the steam and prevent them from exploding due to pressure build-up. As always, another one of the most important tips you need for delicious baked potatoes is to wipe the washed vegetable thoroughly. This seemingly minuscule step could be the only thing preventing you from ending up with soggy baked potatoes.

Once preparation is complete, just put the potato into a microwave-safe bowl, cover the top with a damp paper towel, and start microwaving. It might be tempting to turn the highest notch to get it done as fast as possible, but 50 percent power will do the job just fine. This will ensure that both the exterior and interior are cooked at the same rate, as opposed to the skin being overheated while the flesh is undercooked. Since microwaves are notorious for uneven heat distribution, make sure you flip the potato so all sides are properly cooked. 

The total time may vary anywhere from 7 to 10 minutes depending on the size of the potato. If you cook more than one potato at a time, add about 2 minutes to the timer for each. Test for doneness by slicing a paring knife into it. If it glides in and out smoothly, it's good to go. If there's still stickiness, put it back for another 1 or 2 minutes.