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You are here: Home / Recipes / Microwave Baked Potato

Microwave Baked Potato

12/07/20 | Easy Weeknight Meals, Main Courses, Recipes, Side Dishes, Tips & Tricks, Vegan, Vegetarian

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How to make a quick and easy Microwave Baked Potato. Skip the long baking time and make your “baked” potatoes in the microwave in just minutes.

When it’s a baked potato night but you’re short on time, a microwave baked potato is such a time saver.

Potatoes cooked in the microwave are ready in a fraction of the time and still come out soft and fluffy and perfect for loading with toppings.

Microwave baked potatoes on a plate with butter.

How Long to Microwave a Baked Potato

If you popped in from search looking for this info, here you go:

  • Microwave 1 potato* for 3 to 4 minutes per side
  • 2 potatoes for 4 to 5 minutes per side
  • 3 potatoes for 5 to 6 minutes per side

*Be sure to pierce potatoes with a fork before microwaving.

These times are for average-to-large-size baking potatoes of around 10 ounces. For smaller potatoes, start with one minute less, and for larger, one minute more.

Now that’s covered, if you want a little more information, keep reading. 

How to Prep Microwave Baked Potatoes

Potatoes on a plate.

  1. Always start by giving your potato a good scrub to remove any debris from its skin.
  2. Dry the potato and then pierce it all over with a fork. This allows steam to escape as the potato cooks and will prevent it from exploding in your microwave.

How to Bake a Potato in the Microwave

Potato being pierced with a fork before microwaving.

1. Once your potato is scrubbed, dried, and pierced, place it directly into the microwave. If cooking more than one potato at a time, make sure that the potatoes are not touching.

2. Cook the potato for 3 to 4 minutes and then carefully flip and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. For every extra potato you’re cooking, add 1 minute for each side. 

Potato in the microwave for cooking.

3. Use a knife to pierce the potato and check for doneness. The potato should feel tender (but not mushy) all the way through.

4. If the potato is finished, allow it to sit for 1 minute to cool slightly before removing it from the microwave. If still hard, continue to cook in 1-minute increments until the potato is tender.

Getting Crispy Skin on a Microwave Baked Potato

If you really love a baked potato with crispy skin, you can still get that even if you do most of the cooking in the microwave.

To crisp the skin of a microwave baked potato: Preheat your oven to 425°F and cook the potato(es) in the microwave according to the recipe instructions. Once cooked, rub your potato with olive oil—it will be hot, so handle with care! Sprinkle generously with salt (preferably coarse salt) and place the potato on a baking sheet.

Bake until the skin is crispy, usually 10 to 15 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Baked Potato Toppings

Once your potatoes are finished, time to load them up. You can use classic baked potato toppings like:

  • Butter
  • Cheese
  • Sour cream
  • Bacon

Or go with some non-traditional toppings like:

  • Chili
  • Broccoli and cheese sauce
  • Taco filling and nacho sauce

FAQ

How to cut a baked potato like a restaurant?

To cut a baked potato like a restaurant, slice the potato lengthwise across the top, cutting about halfway down. Then, using a thick towel to protect your hands from the hot potato, use the thumb and index finger of each hand to squeeze the sides of the potato inward until the slice splits open.

Use a fork to fluff up the insides of the potato before adding your toppings.

Microwave baked potatoes on a plate.

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.

If you’re using an older microwave without a revolving plate and find that your potato is developing hard spots before it’s cooked all the way through, try rotating it (not just flipping it) a couple times during the cooking process so it cooks evenly all over.

What to serve with baked potatoes?

A loaded baked potato (like a chili baked potato or broccoli and cheese potato) can be a meal all on its own, but baked potatoes are also classic sides for meaty mains. I recommend:

  • Tri-tip
  • Marinated Steak
  • Roasted Chicken
  • Top Sirloin Steak

More Quick Microwave Recipes

  • Microwave Sweet Potatoes
  • Broccoli in the Microwave
  • Cauliflower in the Microwave
  • Corn on the Cob in the Microwave
  • Green Beans in the Microwave
  • Carrots in the Microwave
Microwave baked potato with butter.

Microwave Baked Potato

How to make a quick and easy Microwave Baked Potato. Skip the long baking time and make your “baked” potatoes in the microwave in just minutes.
5 from 25 votes
Print Pin
Course: Dinner, Side
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes minutes
Total Time: 12 minutes minutes
Servings (Hover or Click to Change Yield): 1 serving
Calories: 265kcal
Author: Tracy

Ingredients

  • Medium-to-large baking potato scrubbed and dried*

Instructions

  • Pierce potato all over with a fork before placing it directly into the microwave. If cooking more than one potato at a time, make sure that the potatoes are in a single layer and not touching.
  • Cook the potato for 3 to 4 minutes and then carefully flip and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. For every extra potato you're cooking, add 1 minute for each side.*
  • Use a knife to pierce the potato and check for doneness. The potato should feel tender (but not mushy) all the way through.
  • If the potato is finished, allow it to sit for 1 minute to cool slightly before removing it from the microwave. If still hard, continue to cook in 1-minute increments until the potato is tender.

Notes

For Crispy Skin: Preheat your oven to 425°F and cook the potato(es) in the microwave according to the recipe instructions. Once cooked, rub your potato with olive oil—it will be hot, so handle with care! Sprinkle generously with salt (preferably coarse salt) and place the potato on a baking sheet.
Bake until the skin is crispy, abou 10 to 15 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
*These times are for baking potatoes of around 10 ounces. For smaller potatoes, start with one minute less, and for larger, one minute more.
*Baking Times for Multiple Potatoes
  • 2 potatoes for 4 to 5 minutes per side
  • 3 potatoes for 5 to 6 minutes per side
Did you make this recipe?I'd love to see it! Tag @BakingMischief or hashtag it #BakingMischief.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using them. There is absolutely no additional cost to you.

Comments | 7 comments

« Small Batch of Cut-out Sugar Cookies (No-chill)
Crispy Smashed Red Potatoes »

Comments

  1. Crystal says

    August 24, 2023 at 9:20 am

    5 stars
    THANK YOU for having the info right at the top ❤️ I appreciated getting my lunch in the microwave as soon as possible instead of scrolling through haha. Came out great! I did 2 minutes, flipped over and did another 3 minutes for a medium potato.

    Reply
  2. Mary-Anne Delaney says

    December 8, 2022 at 3:48 pm

    5 stars
    Great simple and easy instructions. I am glad I found you on Google.

    Reply
    • Madison Gebhart says

      November 28, 2023 at 7:59 am

      5 stars
      It is great you found it on google

      Reply
  3. Sharlene J McKee says

    March 21, 2022 at 4:00 pm

    5 stars
    Easy and perfect!

    Reply
  4. Linda says

    February 13, 2022 at 12:18 pm

    I put potato in baggie…pierced. for me this keeps so kin from drying out

    Reply
  5. Audrey Nall says

    January 6, 2022 at 9:48 am

    5 stars
    Great advice and instructions. Thank You

    Reply
    • Tracy says

      January 6, 2022 at 12:42 pm

      Thanks! So glad you found it useful!

      Reply
5 from 25 votes (20 ratings without comment)

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Welcome!


Hi, I'm Tracy! Welcome to Baking Mischief, where we realize that not everyone is cooking every night for a family of four. We have delicious sweet and savory recipes, mostly scaled for one or two, and we love our pop culture around here, so keep an eye out for film, book, and TV-inspired treats as well! Read more»
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