For the Best "Baked" Potato, Cook Them In the Microwave (2024)

FAQs

Should you wrap a potato in microwave? ›

Trapping the moisture in just steams the potatoes, but some people prefer it this way. Try this some time: Buy the loose potatoes, and wash and pierce them with a fork a few times to keep them from bursting. Wrap a paper towel loosely around each potato and microwave.

Cons: – Potatoes don't cook evenly; interior may have spots that aren't light and fluffy.

Don't Forget to Poke

These little holes allow steam to escape while the potato is cooking. Forget to poke, and your potato could end up exploding in your microwave from the pent-up steam.

Potatoes take about 5-6 minutes in the microwave for a 1000w microwave. We recommend cutting the potato in half lengthwise for quick, even cooking. For lower wattage microwaves, add 1-2 more minutes of cook time for a fully cooked potato.

Prep – using a fork, poke holes in each potato. Then, wrap each potato in a damp paper towel. Microwave – place the paper towel-wrapped potatoes in the microwave and microwave on high for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, using an oven mitt, squeeze the potatoes to test for doneness; if it gives, it's done.

A microwaved potato can generally offer the same texture and flavor as an oven-baked potato, says Cameron, but you do need to keep certain things in mind. Below, experts share their top tips for making baked potatoes in the microwave. Quick tip: If crispy skin is a priority, try cooking baked potatoes in an air fryer.

Because a microwave steams the inside of the potato rather than baking it from the outside, the resulting potato has a fluffier inner texture. The only downside of microwaving potatoes is that the skin gets soggy and doesn't have the crispy texture that you get from the oven.

According to USDA data, microwaving potatoes is the best way to retain its nutritional value, boiling potatoes causes the most nutrient loss, and frying adds fat and extra calories. None of the cooking methods destroy fiber. Still, potatoes are rich in key nutrients regardless of how they are cooked.

Potatoes often house Clostridium botulinum, the botulism bacteria. When they're cooked and not immediately stored in the fridge, spores of the bacteria can multiply. 6 Microwaving the potatoes won't kill the bacteria either, so your second-day potatoes could cause an upset stomach.

Method #2: Shortcut Baked Potato How-To

So, I like to jumpstart the cooking process with the microwave. Clean and poke your potatoes as described above. Then, wrap 'em in plastic wrap and pop it into a microwave for 5 minutes. (If you use this trick a lot, you can even invest in or make a reusable potato sack.)

Can you microwave a potato without saran wrap? ›

While these potatoes are marketed as an instruction-friendly convenience to consumers, you can certainly microwave any potato as-is, minus any plastic wrap and requires nothing more than a rinse and skin pierce.

Place the cut potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl. Add enough water to cover the potatoes and a dash of salt. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, poking holes in the wrap to vent. Microwave on high for 5 minutes.

Why do potatoes get hard in the microwave? Potatoes get hard in the microwave when they're overcooked and the overcooked sections lose too much moisture and become dry and hard.

Microwave potato:

Microwave on HIGH 4 minutes. Carefully turn the potato over, and microwave 3 minutes longer. To make multiple potatoes, add 1 minute of cooking time per side per potato. Test for doneness with a fork; if it slides in easily, it's done.

But remember, each microwave oven is different, so you need to stick a knife in the potato to see if it is done. The knife should slide in easily and you should be able to squeeze the potato without too much resistance.

Leftover Potatoes

Don't worry, you can still speed-cook your spuds in the microwave. But if you decide to reheat them later, take steps to keep them from becoming dangerous. Potatoes often house Clostridium botulinum, the botulism bacteria.

Wrapping potatoes in foil does not hasten baking. On the contrary, since the foil itself has to be heated before the potato begins to bake, cooking times increase slightly. Not only do you get better baked potatoes when you bake them unwrapped, you also save money.

While these potatoes are marketed as an instruction-friendly convenience to consumers, you can certainly microwave any potato as-is, minus any plastic wrap and requires nothing more than a rinse and skin pierce.

NEVER BAKE POTATOES IN FOIL.

Foil wraps will not decrease baking time, but will result in a soggy potato interior with wet skin.