How to Make a Baked Potato in Toaster Oven

A perfect potato for your dinner tonight! These oven baked potatoes are as crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle. With this guide, you’ll be able to cook up a delicious meal with ease from start to finish allowing more time than ever before for getting together with friends or family while still having food everyone will love at home instead of ordering takeout.

Baked Potato in Toaster Oven Ultimate Guide

Nothing beats the feeling of taking a big bite into an overstuffed baked potato.

And you can always rely on your toaster oven for comfort foods regardless of the season. From hot summer nights or cold winter days, there’s nothing that takes away from this feeling like a tasty baked potato smothered in butter and salt-cod!

Everything You Need To Know

• Toaster ovens are a great way to make healthier, more versatile food that is also easy on the wallet. You can cook
• just about anything you would normally bake in your regular oven with this appliance and it’s much easier than
• using two different appliances! To get started check out our handy guide below:
• Photo instructions with step-by-step photos
• A way for preparing them in 30 minutes or less!
• Convection Changes in the time and temperature of the toaster oven
• What to do with leftovers and how to reheat them
• There are a plethora of delectable toppings and combos to choose from.

Special Tools

When you bake potatoes directly on the rack of your toaster oven, the heat will circulate more evenly throughout the potatoes.

If you gently boil your potatoes for a crispy exterior, though, the oil will collect in the bottom of your toaster oven.

We prefer to use a baking sheet and rack combination for simpler cleaning.

The Chicago Metallic Set (affiliate) comes with a rack and pan that fits in most small and medium toaster ovens and can fit two big potatoes.

It’s also great for baking sweet potatoes in the toaster oven that is sticky.

You may use a rimmed 1/4 sheet pan (affiliate) with a small oven-safe baking rack (affiliate) rated up to 450 degrees if you have a bigger toaster oven or countertop oven like our Breville Smart Oven Pro (BOV845BSS).

This recipe serves 4 giant potatoes or 6 small to medium potatoes.

Only You Can Prevent Toaster Oven Fires

You’re a wise cookie who would never put foil in the toaster oven’s bottom. In a toaster oven, placing anything near the heating components can result in a fire.

However, if a fire does occur, switch off your toaster oven and keep the door shut until the fire has been extinguished.

Also, if you believe it’s essential, dial 911.

Baked Potatoes in a Toaster Oven: Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

Remove the cooking rack from your toaster oven, or take a baking sheet and place a cooling rack inside if one is available.

Preheat the toaster oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 4 medium Russet potatoes, washed, scrubbed, and dried.

Carefully pierce each potato twice on each side with a small steak knife or fork.

You’re just attempting to penetrate the middle of the potatoes, not to have the knife/fork pass through to the other side. The potato might burst in your oven if the steam can’t escape.

Why isn’t there any foil?

Unless you want to steam rather than bake your potatoes, skip the foil. There will be no crispy skin if you steam it.

Apply a little layer of olive oil to each potato (approximately 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon) and set them on the baking rack or cookie sheet you prepared earlier in the toaster oven.

Return the potato-topped rack to the preheated toaster oven and bake the potatoes for 45 minutes to an hour or longer, depending on the size of the potatoes.

Your potatoes may take longer or shorter depending on their size. For smaller potatoes, start testing for doneness at 40 minutes.

How To Know When Your Baked Potato Is Ready

When you squeeze the potatoes, they should feel soft, a knife or fork should easily slide in, and the skin should be lightly browned and crispy to the touch.

Remove the cookie sheet or the individual potatoes with tongs.

When cooking directly on the rack of our toaster oven, I find it easier to carefully remove the entire rack.

Time To Fluff

You’re almost done, woo-hoo… Last but not least, fluff those potatoes!

It’s critical to remove the steam from freshly baked potatoes to avoid them becoming soggy.

Try the ways below or just slice each potato open lengthwise and fluff the flesh.

Zig-Zag Method

Cut a zig-zag pattern over the length of the potato using a steak knife. Place your thumbs on the potato’s ends and push towards the middle.

When the potato pops open (look out for steam), fluff the inside with a fork.

Thwack Method

A thwacked potato has a rustic appearance and is a lot of fun.

Surprisingly, Martha Stewart was the source of this food-playing notion.

Hold the potato lengthwise in your hand and thwack it against the counter or a chopping board once or twice with medium power. The potato flesh fluffs up and splits open as a result of this.

Want to Cook Them Faster?

You may shorten the cooking time in half by using your microwave.

• To begin, preheat your toaster oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and leave the oil out for now.
• Your raw potatoes should be washed, dried, and stabbed.
• Then cook for 5 to 10 minutes in the microwave, turning halfway through.
• Allow potatoes to cool somewhat before gently rubbing with oil.
• Bake potatoes directly on a toaster oven rack or a rack/pan combo for 20 to 30 minutes, or until knife tender and golden in colour.

Want to Cook Them Faster Without Using The Microwave?

Do you want fluffy, cooked potatoes? Well, look no further! I have the perfect solution for you. Check out this post and see how easy it is to bake a delicious dinner in just 30-35 minutes without using your microwave oven at all; now that’s quick baking power!

How to Bake Potatoes With A Convection Toaster Oven

Follow the steps above but reduce your oven temperature to 375F and begin checking on them about 20 minutes earlier than you normally would. Flipping these halfway through cooking led me even more browning of the skin, which is not essential for a tasty baked potato; however, it does give it that perfect golden hue!

You want to make sure you find a good quality oven for baking your potatoes, as well. There are some that can be off on one side or not have enough space in their cooking area which will leave them undercooked while others might burn from too much heat exposure before getting done at all!

It takes about 40 minutes for 3-4 lb potatoes and 50 minutes of cooking time if you have 4 to 5 pounds. Larger size may require an hour or more depending on their weight, so it is important to measure your ingredients properly before beginning the recipe!

When baking potatoes, you can increase the temperature to 400F with convection but watch out for over-browning of skin. If your spuds have a hard layer under their skins they’re probably cooked through and shouldn’t be overcooked–go with lower heat next time!

Make It A Meal

Butter, sour cream, and chives, when served in a restaurant, are usually a hit. But what if you’re looking for something a little more substantial?

Make a batch of cheesy, creamy Southwestern Twice Baked Potatoes if that’s the case.

Alternatively, add your favorite toppings to make your baked potatoes into a complete dinner. To get you started, here are a few suggestions:

• Marinara Sauce, Mozzarella, Black Olives, Bell Peppers, and Mushrooms on a Veggie Pizza
• Buffalo Shredded Kale, Chickpeas, Celery, Buffalo Sauce, Crumbled Blue Cheese Chickpea:
• Shredded Cheese, Fresh Spinach, Peppers, Black Beans, Salsa, Veggie Nachos Avocado
• Hummus, tomatoes, parsley, Kalamata olives, Feta, Lemon Wedges, Za’atar

Remember to save your leftovers!

Extra roasted vegetables, such as Jalapeno Roasted Cauliflower, Roasted Zucchini and Tomatoes, Balsamic Asparagus, and even Brussels Sprouts, make wonderful baked potato topping.

Storing & Reheating

Baked potatoes are delicious, but they can get soggy if you don’t store them correctly. Make sure to refrigerate leftover baked potatoes within two hours of baking in a covered glass container and they should stay good for up 3 or 4 days!

Reheating In Your Toaster Oven

Place the whole spud directly on a rack in an oven heated to 350 F and cook for 20-25 minutes until warmed through.

Reheating In Your Microwave

Place the baked potato on a microwave-safe dish after slicing it in half. Microwave for 3 to 4 minutes, or until well warmed.

Place a gently moistened paper towel over the potato halves before microwaving for a more luxurious experience.

Why Foil Can Make You Sick

Refrigerating cooked potatoes in foil, according to the FDA, produces a hazardous condition that can lead to botulism.

Because baking with foil tends to result in mushy skins, it’s generally better to avoid using foil in your toaster oven cooked potatoes altogether.

Now What?

You know a basic recipe, have seen step-by-step instructions, can bake your potatoes faster, have a bunch of toppings ideas whirling around in your brain, and you know how to store and reheat your leftovers.

All that’s left to do now is Go Forth and Bake…Potatoes!