Air Fryer Loaded Baked Potatoes: Quick, Easy, And Delicious!

Loaded baked potatoes are a family-friendly, vegetable option that can be made even crispier and faster in an air fryer. To make loaded baked potatoes in an air fryer, start by scrubbing and drying the potatoes. Then, prick them with a fork and rub them with olive oil or another oil of your choice. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper, and place them in the air fryer basket. Cook at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes, then flip the potatoes and cook for an additional 20 to 25 minutes. Once the potatoes are soft, remove them from the air fryer and let them cool. Finally, cut a thin slice through the top of each potato, fluff the inside with a fork, and add your desired toppings.

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F

Preheating your air fryer to 400°F is the first step to achieving the perfect loaded baked potatoes. This temperature ensures that your potatoes will cook through to the middle, resulting in fluffy insides and crispy, golden skins. Depending on your air fryer model, preheating may not be necessary, but it's always a good idea to check your specific model's instructions.

While your air fryer is preheating, you can start prepping your potatoes. Begin by selecting the right type of potatoes. Russet potatoes are a great choice due to their high starch content, which results in fluffy insides. However, feel free to use any potatoes you have on hand, such as yellow or sweet potatoes. Give them a good scrub to remove any dirt, and then pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel or some paper towels. This step is important because any moisture left on the potatoes can affect how well the skin crisps up.

Once your potatoes are clean and dry, it's time to season them. Using a fork, prick each potato a few times to create holes. This step is crucial as it allows steam to escape during the cooking process, preventing your potatoes from bursting. Then, drizzle or brush your potatoes with olive oil, avocado oil, or any other oil with a high smoke point. Use your hands to rub the oil into the skins, ensuring an even coating. This step not only helps the skin crisp up, but it also helps any seasonings stick to the potatoes.

Now, it's time to add your seasonings. Sprinkle sea salt, kosher salt, or any other type of salt you have on hand liberally over the potatoes. Don't be shy with the salt, as it will enhance the flavour and help the skins crisp up beautifully. You can also add other seasonings like garlic powder, freshly ground black pepper, or dried parsley to take your potatoes to the next level. Use your hands to ensure the seasonings are evenly distributed and coat the potatoes nicely.

Prep the potatoes

Preparing the potatoes is a simple process, but there are a few key steps to follow to ensure the best results.

First, select your potatoes. Russet potatoes are a popular choice for air fryer baked potatoes due to their high starch content, which makes them fluffy on the inside and extra crispy on the outside. However, you can use any type of potato you like, including sweet potatoes, yellow potatoes, or gold potatoes.

Once you've chosen your potatoes, give them a good scrub to remove any dirt. It's important to clean them thoroughly, as you'll be eating the skin! After scrubbing, dry the potatoes with a kitchen towel or paper towels.

Next, use a fork to prick the potatoes a few times. This step is important as it allows steam to escape during the cooking process and helps prevent the potatoes from bursting open. You can also cut the potatoes in half lengthwise before pricking the flesh; this will reduce cooking time and create more surface area for toppings later.

Now it's time to add some flavour. Drizzle olive oil, avocado oil, or any other oil of your choice over the potatoes, and use your hands to rub it into the skin. Make sure to get an even coating, as this will help the potatoes crisp up nicely.

After the oil, it's time to season. Sprinkle sea salt, kosher salt, or table salt liberally over the potatoes. You can also add black pepper and garlic powder for extra flavour. Again, use your hands to ensure the seasonings are evenly distributed.

Finally, place the potatoes in the air fryer basket, leaving a little space between each one. You don't want to overcrowd the basket, as this will prevent the skins from crisping up properly. Depending on the size of your potatoes and your air fryer, you may need to cook them in batches.

Cook the potatoes

To cook the potatoes, start by preheating your air fryer to 400°F. If your air fryer doesn't require preheating, you can skip this step.

Next, prepare the potatoes. Russet potatoes are a good choice for this recipe due to their high starch content, which makes them fluffy on the inside and gives them a crispy skin. However, you can also use yellow potatoes, sweet potatoes, or any other type of potato. Scrub the potatoes well and pat them dry. Then, use a fork to prick them a few times.

Drizzle or rub olive oil, avocado oil, or any other oil of your choice onto the potatoes. Make sure the potatoes are well-coated by rubbing the oil into their skins. This step helps to crisp up the skin and enhance the flavor.

Now, it's time to season the potatoes. Sprinkle sea salt, kosher salt, or table salt liberally over the potatoes. You can also add black pepper and garlic powder to taste. Use your hands to ensure that the seasonings are evenly distributed.

Place the potatoes in the air fryer basket, leaving a little space between each potato to ensure even cooking. Set the air fryer to 400°F and cook for 30 minutes. For smaller potatoes, you may need less time, while larger potatoes may require a few extra minutes.

After 30 minutes, use tongs to flip the potatoes and continue cooking for another 20 to 25 minutes. The total cooking time will depend on the size of your potatoes and the model of your air fryer. Check the potatoes regularly to ensure they don't burn. They are done when they are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. You should be able to easily pierce them with a fork or knife.

Add toppings

Once your potatoes are cooked, you can add a variety of toppings to make them extra tasty.

First, slice open the tops of the potatoes and fluff the insides with a fork. This will make the potatoes even fluffier and help your toppings stick to them.

Next, add your desired toppings. Some popular options include butter, sour cream, Greek yoghurt, chives, and cheddar cheese. You could also try something different like feta cheese, chopped fresh herbs like dill, or green onions. If you're feeling indulgent, load your potato with butter, cheddar cheese, sour cream or Greek yoghurt, chopped bacon, and chives. For a vegan option, top your potato with vegan sour cream and chopped fresh chives.

Finally, add some salt and pepper to taste, and your loaded baked potato is ready to serve!

Serve

Once your potatoes are cooked, remove them from the air fryer and let them cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Then, slice a thin line through the top of each potato and fluff the inside with a fork. You can add a pat of butter and a sprinkle of chives, as well as salt and pepper, to taste.

You can also add a variety of other toppings to your potatoes. For example, you could add cashew cream, sour cream, Greek yogurt, shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled feta, chopped fresh herbs like chives or dill, or chopped green onions.

If you want to make a fully loaded baked potato, you could add butter, cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped bacon, and chives.

Frequently asked questions