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Air Fryer Baked Potatoes

Russet potatoes bake in the air fryer until the skins are crisp and the centers are fluffy. Butter, sour cream, and cheddar finish them at the table.

Prep
10 min
Cook
40 min
Total
50 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
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Split baked russet potatoes with fluffy centers, butter, sour cream, cheddar, and chives

Why you’ll love it

  • Circulating heat crisps the skin faster than a low oven.
  • Piercing the potatoes lets steam escape so they do not split hard.
  • A little oil and salt is the whole seasoning.
  • The toppings are pantry staples.

Ingredients

Servings4

Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.

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Instructions

  1. 1

    Scrub the potatoes and dry them. Pierce each potato 6 to 8 times with a fork so steam can escape.

  2. 2

    Rub the skins with the olive oil, then sprinkle with the salt and pepper.

  3. 3

    Set the potatoes in the air-fryer basket in a single layer. They can touch lightly, but do not stack them.

  4. 4

    Air fry at 400°F for 35 to 45 minutes, turning once halfway through. Start checking at 35 minutes.

  5. 5

    A potato is done when a skewer slides into the center with no resistance and the skin is crisp. Larger potatoes may need the full 45 minutes.

  6. 6

    Split each potato, fluff the center with a fork, and top with butter, sour cream, cheddar, and chives.

Pro tips

  • Choose potatoes of similar size so they finish together.
  • Skip foil. It steams the skin and you lose the crisp jacket.
  • If the skins brown before the centers are soft, drop the heat to 370°F and keep cooking.

Easy substitutions

Sour cream
Plain Greek yogurt.
Cheddar
Monterey Jack.
Chives
Sliced green onion tops.

Storage and reheating

Storage

Refrigerate cooled potatoes, untopped if you can, for up to 3 days.

Reheating

Air fry at 350°F for 6 to 8 minutes, until the center is hot, then add fresh toppings.

Nutrition

Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.

Calories
342
Protein
8 g
Carbs
46 g
Fat
14 g
Fiber
4 g

Budget friendly · Air Fryer

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Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.

  • A heavy 12-inch skillet

    Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.

  • An air fryer with a real basket

    The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.

  • A half-sheet pan

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  • A sharp chef’s knife

    These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.

  • A large cutting board

    Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.

  • Dry cups and a liquid cup

    Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.

  • An instant-read thermometer

    Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.

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Ingredients