Learn how to make an air fryer baked potato with flavorful, crispy skin and fluffy insides! Enjoy it with toppings like chives, sour cream, and/or butter.
In the last year or so, this air fryer baked potato recipe has become my favorite way to cook baked potatoes. Don’t get me wrong—I still love my oven baked potato recipe. But more often than not, I only make one or two baked potatoes at a time. With such a small batch, using the air fryer just makes sense.
For one, it’s WAY quicker. My air fryer preheats in seconds, and it yields perfectly cooked baked potatoes in about 40 minutes. That’s roughly 15 minutes fewer than a typical baked potato needs in my oven.
The potatoes are also delicious. Rubbed with olive oil and sea salt, they have extra-crispy, flavorful skin and tender, fluffy insides.
If you have an air fryer, I hope you’ll try this simple recipe. You might never cook baked potatoes another way!
How to Make an Air Fryer Baked Potato
This air fryer baked recipe is super easy!
Start by preheating the air fryer to 400°F. Depending on what air fryer you have, it may not even require preheating. My Wonder Oven, for example, preheats in no time.
Next, prep the potatoes. I like to use russet potatoes here. These potatoes have a high starch content, so they become nice and fluffy inside as they bake. Their skin also gets especially crisp!
Scrub the potatoes well and pat them dry. Then, prick them a few times with a fork. Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil and use your hands to rub it into their skin. Sprinkle them liberally with sea salt and place in the air fryer basket.
Cook the potatoes in the air fryer until they’re crispy on the outside and tender in the middle, about 40 to 50 minutes. You should be able to easily pierce them with a fork.
Slice open the tops, fluff the insides, and serve with salt, pepper, and your desired toppings!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Air Fryer Baked Potato FAQs
Do I have to pierce potatoes before air frying?
Yes! Piercing the potatoes with a fork or knife allows steam to escape from them as they cook. If you skip this step, the potatoes could burst open in the air fryer.
Should I wrap potatoes in foil before air frying?
Definitely not! Wrapping potatoes in foil before air frying or baking makes the skin soggy. So skip the foil, and season the potato skins with olive oil and sea salt instead. They’ll come out super crispy!
How long should I cook baked potatoes in the air fryer?
The exact timing will depend on your specific air fryer and the size of the potatoes. In my air fryer, a large baked potato typically takes around 45 minutes at 400 degrees.
Baked Potato Toppings
My favorite part of any baked potato is always what I put on top! Here are some of my favorite toppings for these air fryer baked potatoes:
What are your favorite toppings? Let me know in the comments!
Enjoy your potato as a meal on its own, or serve it as a side dish with any simply cooked protein. I also love one alongside a hearty salad like my broccoli salad, avocado salad, or kale Caesar salad.
More Favorite Potato Recipes
If you love this air fryer baked potato, try one of these delicious potato recipes next:
