How to microwave a baked potato
- Alice Shields
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Fancy a jacket potato for dinner? Speed it up by starting off the potato in the microwave and finishing in the oven or under the grill for a lovely crispy skin.
There’s nothing more comforting than a steaming-hot jacket potato loaded with baked beans and cheese, but waiting 90 minutes for one to cook in the oven on a time-poor weeknight can feel like a bit of a stretch. I use the microwave when I want to do it in less than half the time. Read on for my guide on how to cook the perfect microwaved jacket potatoes.
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The only downside to cooking jacket potatoes in the microwave is that you won’t get that crisp skin you’d get from long oven baking. I either halve them and turn them into loaded potato skins and grill them, or bake the jackets in the oven for a few mins to crisp up.
Microwaving potatoes whole is also a really good way to maximise the flavour of mashed potato. Once they’re cooked, I leave them to cool, then peel away the skin. Mash the flesh with butter, milk and a little grated cheese if you like, then microwave to heat through.
Alice Shields is a member of our expert food team. Microwave jacket potatoes are her go-to midweek dinner of choice, served with a generous knob of salted butter and plenty of grated Cheddar. Read on for her top jacket potatoes tips, or check out more of Alice's recipes.
For more ideas of what to serve with jacket potatoes, see our guide on how to make the ultimate baked potato, then see our best baked potato toppings for plenty of ways to pile your spud. We also have plenty of healthy jacket potato fillings and vegan jacket potato filling ideas.
Stuck on what to do with the rest of your potatoes? Find out how you can turn one bag of potatoes into 5 easy meals, or check out our most comforting potato recipes and top potato recipes.
The important thing to remember is always to prick the potatoes with a fork before cooking – this allows the steam to escape and will stop them from exploding.
Make sure you’re using top kitchen kit with our pick of the best microwaves, tried and tested.
This guide was brought to you by Cook Smart, a campaign designed by Good Food experts to help you save money and reduce food waste. Dive into more Cook Smart content in our budget hub.
How to microwave a jacket potato recipe
Serves 2
- 2 large baking potatoes
- 1 tsp olive oil
- pinch of salt
- butter
You will also need:
- 2 sheets of kitchen roll
- 1 microwave-safe plate
- Wash the baking potatoes and prick the skins all over with a fork, creating lots of little holes for steam to escape from.
- Lay a piece of kitchen roll on a microwave-safe plate, put the potatoes on it and pop another sheet of kitchen roll on top. Microwave for 4 mins, then take them out and turn the potatoes over – careful, they will be hot. Re-cover with the kitchen roll and cook for another 4 mins, then turn again. Keep cooking in 1-2 min bursts until they feel soft all the way through and the skins are wrinkled. Take them out and leave them to cool.
- Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, rub the skins all over with the olive oil and sprinkle with the sea salt. Put them in the oven for 10-15 mins or until the skins are starting to crisp. Split the potatoes open and add the butter. Serve with your favourite toppings or alongside a stew or casserole.
Tips for how to make a baked potato in the microwave
- Before microwaving, thoroughly wash your potato and pat it completely dry. Prick it several times with a fork to allow steam to escape and prevent bursting.
- For a slightly crispier skin, rub the potato with a little oil before microwaving.
- Allow your potato to sit for a couple of minutes after cooking.
- Once cooked, I split the potato down the middle and add a knob of butter, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, or a dollop of soured cream. You can also try topping with baked beans, tuna mayonnaise or chilli con carne.
How to store a microwaved baked potato
- Allow the microwaved baked potato to cool completely before storing. This helps prevent it from going soggy.
- Once cooled, slice the potato in half and place it in an airtight container. Keep in the fridge for up to five days.
Top 5 jacket potato recipes
For best results, I recommend cooking your jacket potatoes in the oven, but you can easily speed up the process by starting them off in the microwave as detailed above.
Potato skin tacos
Load up these spicy, cheesy potatoes with avocado and onion salad for a quick and easy veggie dish.
Mushroom jacket potatoes
Take just a few ingredients and rustle up these tasty jacket potatoes with mushrooms. They're healthy, low-calorie, gluten-free and ideal for a filling lunch or supper.
Jacket potato with whipped feta & sumac
The fragrant, zesty flavour of sumac is a refreshing contrast to the creamy whipped feta.
Soy-baked potatoes with tuna sriracha mayo
Perfect for a speedy supper, serve jacket potatoes with a spicy mayo that’s fragrant with ginger for a fresh take on the usual cheesy beans number.
Loaded potato skins with speedy baked beans
Try our healthier version of cheesy potato skins topped with baked beans for a satisfying weeknight supper.
See our baked potato collection for more recipe inspiration.
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