Use the Microwave for a Fluffy Baked Potato in a Fraction of the Time (2024)

FAQs

How long to microwave a cooked baked potato? ›

Reheating a baked potato in the microwave may be the quickest method, but it can result in dried-out potatoes if you aren't careful. To prevent that, cut the potato in half, place it in a microwave-safe dish, and cover each half with a damp paper towel—heat for two to three minutes or until the potato is heated.

Second, rapidly heating a potato causes pressure to build and cell walls to burst, releasing starch molecules that glue together the broken cell walls. This results in a potato that isn't light and fluffy, but rather dense and sticky.

Microwave for about 5 minutes, flip it over, and microwave it for about 5 more minutes. Let the potato cool for just a few minutes, until it's safe to handle. Cut the potato lengthwise so that it opens and forms a natural bowl.

Scrub potatoes, but don't peel them (or do peel them, if you wish). Cut into chunky, bite-sized pieces. Place in a microwave-safe dish, add 1 tablespoon of water, partially cover with a lid or waxed paper and microwave for 3 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly—a few minutes will do.

Baking a potato can take an hour, while microwaving takes about 10 minutes. An equally good reason is this method produces a superior baked potato. A long time in the oven can often dry out the interior of a potato, but not so with the microwave. It steams the interior of the potato, keeping it moist and fluffy.

If cooking two or more potatoes, microwave an additional 5 minutes. Check the potatoes. When done, the potatoes should be easily pierced with a fork or paring knife all the way to the center.

Poke holes in the potato: Using a fork or the tip of a knife, poke several small holes all over the potato before microwaving. This allows the potato to release steam as it cooks, resulting in a crispy skin and fluffy interior.

The two most common examples when you would need to poke them are, in the microwave (we always recommend pricking the potato with a fork so steam can dissipate into the oven cavity) or if a potato goes from refrigeration and is cold when placed into a hot 400 degrees F oven.

Crispy outside and creamy and fluffy inside, the air fryer is the BEST way to cook potatoes.

Fill the bowl 1/2 way with water. Set the potato slowly into the bowl. The water should cover at least 1/2 of the potato.

Can you cook 2 potatoes in the microwave at the same time? ›

If you're microwaving multiple potatoes, just add a minute per side for each additional potato (i.e., start at five minutes on the first side for two potatoes and six on the first side for three). Try to keep them from touching on the plate; this will allow them to cook more evenly.

Wrapping potatoes in moist paper towels is a crucial step to attain a moist and fluffy interior.

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.)

Many microwaves have moisture sensors inside so that all you need to do is press the button that says 'potato' and just wait for the microwave to beep at you. If your microwave doesn't have a potato button, a general rule is that one 7-to-8 ounce Idaho potato takes about 7 minutes to cook.

For faster weeknight potatoes, use the microwave as a first step before roasting or sautéeing. To get potatoes onto your weeknight dinner plate faster, start by cooking them in the microwave.

Reheating them in the oven at 400° will re-crisp the potato skin while keeping the filling inside nice and creamy still. The potatoes will take about 15 to 20 minutes to reheat again. If you're in a rush, microwaving them is fine too, though parts of the potato might turn a little tough due to uneven heating.

2) Can you reheat potatoes? Yes. The main issue with reheating potatoes isn't the actual reheating, it's the fact that they may have been left out for too long once cooked. If cooked potatoes are left out at room temperature for too long, the bacteria that causes botulism may form, which could make you ill.