These quick baked potatoes roast in half the time! This easy trick will become your go-to for a perfect potato in just 30 minutes (it tastes better, too).
Here’s a trick for making quick baked potatoes that cuts the time in half! It’s easy to throw whole potatoes into foil in the oven. But large potatoes can take 1 hour or more to bake. In this quick and easy method, the potatoes bake in about 30 minutes. This little trick takes baked potatoes from weekend affairs to weeknight meals (for us, at least!). Bonus: they taste even more flavorful than the standard method. Here’s exactly how to do it: and how to make them into a healthy dinner perfect for a crowd!
How to make quick baked potatoes
You might have guessed at our quick baked potatoes trick from the photograph. Here’s the magic: instead of baking the potatoes whole, cut them in half. That’s it! That simple 1-minute trick saves about half the baking time in the oven. Because the potatoes are half as thick, they bake in half the time. Simple as that! There are just a few things to know about this easy method:
- Bake at 450 degrees. Roasting vegetables at very high heat makes them crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
- Slice the potatoes in half, then rub them with olive oil. No need for foil! Just rub the potatoes lightly in olive oil.
- Place the cut side down. Baking the potatoes cut side down gets the best flavor (and a nice crispy exterior).
- Roast until tender, 25 to 35 minutes. Because potato size varies, taste test and remove them from the oven when they’re perfectly tender.
Baked potatoes that are quick AND taste better!
Call us crazy, but Alex and I are not huge fans of the flavor of a standard roasted potato. Throw it in foil and bake it whole, and it comes out tender but lacking in flavor. You have to seriously load it up to make it taste good. In contrast, these healthy quick baked potatoes are:
- Nicely browned and crispy on the outside
- Perfectly salted
They’re perfect for serving in all sorts of ways. Speaking of…
Ways to serve quick baked potatoes
You can easily serve up these quick baked potatoes as a side dish for salmon or meat: just top with a pat of butter or a drizzle of olive oil! But our favorite way to serve baked potatoes is as a main dish meal. Here are some baked potato topping ideas turn them into a healthy meal that can feed a crowd:
- Chili Baked Potatoes: Make up a big pot of your favorite chili (like our vegan chili or vegetarian chili). Then bake up a big sheet of these potatoes and top them with chili and lots of fixins’ like sour cream (or vegan sour cream), cheese, green onions, pickled jalapenos, and hot sauce.
- Mexican-Style Potatoes: These are fantastic with baked sweet potatoes or these potatoes. Top with black bean salsa, cilantro sauce, and corn for a delicious Latin-style meal. It’s plant-based too!
More healthy potatoes recipes
Eating potatoes in a healthy way is all about eating them in a way that doesn’t load on the calories. Top these quick baked potatoes as we noted above, and they’re a healthy dinner recipe. Or use our quick sweet potatoes recipe for a potato that’s more easily digested (especially for diabetics). Here are a few more potato recipes you might enjoy:
- Loaded Potato Soup Here is the very best easy potato soup you’ll find! Creamy and comforting, it’s made in minutes with no cream and no need for a blender. Also try: Vegan Potato Soup
- Spanish Tortilla A potato and egg omelette that is a tasty Spanish dinner or tapas recipe!
- Vegan Shepherd’s Pie Make mashed potatoes into a healthy dinner recipe by using them in shepherd’s pie! The hearty veggie and lentil filling contrasts a layer of creamy potatoes in this stunning plant based dinner recipe.
- Perfect Boiled Potatoes These potatoes are tender and buttery: the ideal easy side dish!
- Creamy Broccoli Potato Soup Just like broccoli cheese soup, but plant based! This vegan soup uses potatoes to help make a creamy base.
This quick baked potatoes recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
Print
Quick Baked Potatoes
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
These quick baked potatoes roast up in half the time! This easy trick will become your go-to for making a perfect potato in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 4 medium russet potatoes*
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Wash the potatoes and slice them in half. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the potatoes on top and rub them with olive oil, just enough to coat. Sprinkle them with kosher salt.
- Turn the potatoes cut side down and prick the tops several times with fork.
- Bake until the potatoes are tender and lightly browned on the edges, about 25 to 35 minutes depending on the exact size of the potatoes. Prick them with a fork to assess doneness. Taste and add an additional sprinkle of salt if necessary.
- To serve as a traditional baked potato, just mash the tops lightly with a fork. Serve immediately.
Notes
*This recipe is easy to double: just roast 2 sheets! The bake time will need to be increased by a few minutes since there will be more volume roasting at once. Just bake until tender!
- Category: Essentials
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Vegetables
Keywords: Quick Baked Potatoes, Quick Baked Potato, Baked Potato
More easy side dish recipes
If you love these quick baked potatoes, here are a few more easy side dish recipes to add to your repertoire!
- Peas with Lemon This quick recipe comes together in just 5 minutes, pairing frozen peas with lemon and garlic.
- The BEST Kale Salad This really is the best way to eat kale! It’s covered in a zingy lemon dressing. Or try more of our best salad recipes.
- Best Ever Sauteed Mushrooms or Roasted Mushrooms Attention, mushroom lovers: here are THE perfect sauteed mushrooms recipes! Both have the best savory flavor with lemon and fresh herbs.
- Homemade Sauerkraut A surprisingly tasty side filled with probiotics!
More recipes with potatoes? Go to our Best Potato Recipes (or Vegan Potato Recipes).
I was wondering if you knew how to adjust either the temperature or the time to cook if I wanted to implement this recipe on a 10 pound bag of russet potatoes
You’d still need to keep them somewhat spaced out on multiple racks for a good bake. It shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes longer than stated.
I can’t wait to try this! I’m going to roast some asparagus alongside the potatoes. I do have one comment – it’s best to use an oil with a high smoke point. I don’t like the taste of avocado oil so I use rice bran oil; it has a neutral flavor.