Crispy Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
Making Baked Potatoes in an air fryer is so simple! The best part is that they come out perfectly light and flakey on the inside with extra crispy skin on the outside. These Air Fryer Baked Potatoes are going to change the way you make baked potatoes!
Air Fryer Baked Potatoes are absolutely amazing, and I can’t believe it took me so long to hear about them. If you already have an air fryer, it’s time to give these a try. Consider this your wake-up call. Seriously!
Most air fryer potato recipes call for you to rub the potatoes in oil before cooking, but we know that from a heart-healthy standpoint, oil is not good for you. Thankfully, there are a few options for coating the potatoes before they are cooked that do not involve oil at all, and they help the potato to achieve a nice crispy skin.
Reasons you will love these potatoes
- Perfectly Tender and Flaky Inside: Enjoy the ideal texture with air fryer baked potatoes that are tender and flaky on the inside. Every bite melts in your mouth, making them a delightful side dish or main course.
- Crispy and Golden Outside: Achieve the perfect crispiness with air-fried baked potatoes. The air fryer ensures a crispy, golden exterior that contrasts beautifully with the soft inside, giving you the best of both worlds.
- Super Simple to Make: These air fryer baked potatoes are incredibly easy to prepare. With minimal effort and ingredients, you can have a delicious and satisfying dish ready in no time, making them perfect for busy weeknights or lazy weekends.
- Filling and Delicious: Not only are these air fryer baked potatoes delicious, but they are also filling and nutritious. Packed with essential nutrients and fiber, they make a hearty meal that keeps you satisfied for hours. Top them with our cashew mozzarella cheese or our dairy-free tofu sour cream.
How to make baked potatoes in an air fryer
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
STEP #1: Start by choosing a couple of potatoes of approximately the same size so the cooking time should be similar for both. Wash and scrub the potatoes, and then poke a few holes in them with a fork or knife to allow the steam to escape.
STEP #2: Most recipes require you to rub the potatoes in oil, but we want to avoid oil. I have found that coating them with my 5-Minute Low-Fat Vegan Mayo is a terrific option. The coating will help crisp up the skin while cooking, and it will also allow the salt to stick to the outside. You don’t have to salt yours, but I do love that salty crispy potato skin flavor.
STEP #3: Place the potatoes in your air fryer basket and set the temperature to 400°F for 30 minutes. My air fryer only goes up to 30 minutes, so at the end of that, I check them and if they are not soft enough for a fork to pierce easily, I add an additional 10 minutes.
STEP #4: Once they are cooked, allow them to cool for a few minutes. When they can be safely handled with an oven mitt or dishtowel, slice them open. Many years ago, a friend who worked at a restaurant showed me how to press in on the ends of freshly baked potatoes to cause the flesh to break up and soften.
STEP #5: Gently press and the potato flesh will soften and be perfect for serving. Season them and serve warm. If you have any leftovers, save them in an airtight container and try making our waffle breakfast potatoes right out of the refrigerator.
STEP 6: Top them with beans, vegan cheese sauce, veggies, and anything else your heart desires. I’ve listed some of my favorites below.
Baked Potato Topping Ideas
The toppings are where people usually go wrong with potatoes because the potatoes themselves are actually very healthy. These are some of my favorite baked potato toppings.
- Tofu Sour Cream
- Easy Blender salsa
- Vegan Cheese Sauce
- Roasted garlic butter
- Beans
- Noodles
- Dairy-Free Ranch Seasoning
- Roasted veggies: corn, broccoli, asparagus, carrots
- Steamed broccoli with vegan cheese
- Chipotle Sauce
- Leftover curry or stew
- Baked beans
- Vegan Bean Chili
- Sautéed mushrooms and onions
- Easy Vegan Gravy
- Oil-Free Hummus
- Nutritional yeast
Frequently Asked Questions
No, I never soak my potatoes.
I like to use russet potatoes, but you could probably use any type preferred.
Absolutely! It’s the toppings people traditionally put on them like butter, regular sour cream, cheese, and bacon bits that turn this healthy food into something unhealthy.
I highly recommend it to keep them from possibly exploding.
Another great option would be to rub them with avocado. Not avocado oil but rather the actual avocado.
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Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 medium to large Russett potatoes
- Low-Fat Homemade Vegan Mayo or an avocado
- coarse salt
Instructions
- You’ll want to start by choosing a couple of potatoes approximately the same size so the cooking time should be similar for both.
- Wash and scrub the potatoes, and then poke a few holes in them with a fork or knife to allow the steam to escape.
- Most recipes require you to rub the potatoes in oil, but we want to avoid oil. I have found that coating them with my 5-Minute Low-Fat Mayo is a terrific option. Another great option would be to rub them with avocado. Not avocado oil but rather the actual avocado.
- Place the potatoes in your air fryer basket and set the temperature to 400°F for 30 minutes. My air fryer only goes up to 30-minutes, so at the end of that, I check them and if they are not soft enough for a fork to pierce easily, I add an additional 10 minutes.
- Once they are cooked, allow them to cool for a few minutes. When they can be safely handled with an oven mitt or dishtowel, slice them open.
- Season them and serve warm. I’ve included lots of topping options in the article above.
Video
Notes
- Q: Do I need to soak the potatoes before cooking? No, I never soak my potatoes.
- Q: What kind of potatoes should I use? I like to use russet potatoes, but you could probably use any type preferred.
- Q: Are air fryer potatoes healthy? Absolutely! It’s the toppings people traditionally put on them like butter, regular sour cream, cheese, and bacon bits that turn this healthy food into something unhealthy.
- Q: Do I have to poke holes in my potatoes before cooking? I highly recommend it to keep them from possibly exploding.
- Q: What kind of air fryer do you use? I have a Ninja 5.5 quart capacity and love it.
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- Beans
-
- Noodles
-
- Roasted veggies: corn, broccoli, asparagus, carrots
-
- Steamed broccoli with vegan cheese
-
- Leftover curry or stew
-
- Sautéed mushrooms and onions
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
About Terri Edwards
Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy. I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…
Can you repost the link to the air fryer you like? The link goes to Amazon, but then it says, “uh-oh, this link no longer exists” for me.
We habve been dabating purchasing an air fryer for a while!
Thanks! xx
Thank you for letting me know that link to the air fryer was broken. It is fixed now. I love my Ninja 5.5 qt airfryer.
I am anxious to try this method of baking potatoes.
To test fro see if a potato is ready to eat, I use an instant read thermometer.
208°F to 210°F is perfect for a baked potato.
Thank you for all your delicious recipes! ♥️
I’ve been making baked potatoes in my air fryer for years, but was unsure what to coat them with when I moved away from oil-so thank you! Also, in all the years I’ve never poked holes in the potatoes before air frying-maybe I should rethink that.
It took this baked potato post to finally tip me over to getting an air fryer!
Very good, baked 35 min., perfect fluffy inside; skin not as crisp as I had hoped but I’ll play with that. Yours is the first recipe I’ve seen for air-fryer baked potatoes – well done!!
Made vegan sour cream, vegan cheez sauce, and fat-free brown gravy.
Great toppings! This will be dinner frequently – we are Idahoans and LOVE our big fluffy russets!
I’m a long time follower of yours, from your beginning – thank you for many years of delicious plant-based eating!!
Candice- What an awesome comment to wake up to this morning! Thank you for the great feedback, and I love that you have tried so many of my recipes. LOVE this more than I can express! ♥♥