These Fluffy Baked Potatoes come out of the oven with salty, crackly skins and soft, fluffy centers. There’s no foil and no fuss, just potatoes, a little oil, salt and a hot oven.

A baked potato is about as budget-friendly as dinner gets. With grocery prices where they are, a bag of russets is still one of the best values in the store, and one potato with a few toppings can be a meal on its own.

The secret is to skip the foil. Wrapping potatoes traps steam and leaves the skins soft. Rubbing them with oil and salt and baking them bare is what makes the skin crisp.

Serve them with butter and sour cream as a side, or set out toppings for a loaded baked potato bar.

Ingredients

Potatoes: Russets are the only potato for a fluffy baked potato. Their high starch is what makes the inside light. Pick ones of similar size.
Oil and coarse salt: Rubbed on the skin, they make it crisp and seasoned enough to eat.
Toppings: Butter, sour cream and anything else you like.

Tips for Fluffy Potatoes with Crispy Skins

Skip the foil. Foil traps steam and gives you a soft, damp skin.
Dry the potatoes well. Oil and salt stick to dry skin, and dry skin crisps.
Prick them. A few fork holes let steam escape.
Bake right on the rack. Air circulates all the way around.
Open them right away. Slit and squeeze the potato as soon as it’s done so steam escapes and the inside stays fluffy.

Prices are from Walmart’s and ALDI’s websites for stores in Columbus, Ohio, checked in October 2026. Ohio’s grocery prices are within about 1% of the national average, so you may pay more or less depending on where you live, and prices change often. Here’s how we price our recipes.

Cost: Ingredients – $1.91 from Walmart, $1.84 from ALDI · Per Serving – $0.46 to $0.48

Baked potatoes with crisp skins split open with butter, sour cream and chives

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Fluffy Baked Potatoes

Russet potatoes rubbed with oil and salt and baked without foil until the skins are crisp and the centers are fluffy.

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 55

Total Time 1

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

4 large russet potatoes 8–10 ounces each
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Butter, sour cream and toppings for serving

Method

Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Scrub the potatoes and dry them well. Prick each one 6–8 times with a fork.
Rub the potatoes all over with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt.
Place them directly on the oven rack, with a sheet pan on the rack below to catch drips.
Bake for 50–60 minutes, until the skins are crisp and a fork slides easily into the center.
Slice each potato open right away, fluff the inside with a fork and add your toppings.

Notes

Choose potatoes that are about the same size so they finish together.
Very large potatoes can take up to 75 minutes.
Cutting the potato open as soon as it’s done lets the steam out and keeps the inside fluffy.
Short on time? Microwave the pricked potatoes for 5 minutes, then oil, salt and bake for 20–25 minutes.

Topping Ideas

Classic: Butter, sour cream, shredded cheddar, green onions and bacon.
Make it dinner: Chili, steamed broccoli and cheese, or shredded chicken with barbecue sauce.
For a group: Set up a Loaded Baked Potato Bar.

Storage and Leftovers

Refrigerate leftover baked potatoes for up to 4 days.
Reheat at 350°F for 15–20 minutes.
Dice leftovers and fry them for Skillet Breakfast Potatoes, or scoop them out for Loaded Potato Skins.

Baked Potato Questions

How do I know a baked potato is done?

A fork or skewer slides into the center with no resistance, and the potato gives when squeezed with an oven mitt. Inside, it should be about 205–210°F.