Ah potatoes! What a great ingredient to work with in the kitchen. You can make a lot of things with a decent spud, from mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, boiled potatoes, roasted potatoes, fried spuds, fries, and my personal favorite, baked potatoes.
Just writing this article about potatoes is literally making my mouth water. Can you just imagine snacking on a perfectly cooked potato as you sit at home and be a couch potato yourself?
There’s really nothing quite like this comfort food ingredient if you ask me, that’s why I decided to create this simple guide on bake potato toaster oven.
This quick and easy guide will take you through all you need to know to make a fine piece or batch of baked potatoes using only a couple of ingredients and a toaster oven. Read on to find out how!
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Toaster Oven Safety Measures
Before we get into the nitty gritty of how to make baked potatoes using a toaster oven, let me first give you a couple of safety measures when it comes to cooking with toaster ovens.
The first thing you need to do when cooking with toaster ovens is to become aware of all the instructions in the owner’s manual. I know it can be a bit tedious to read boring manuals, but it’s still quite nice to learn all about the equipment you are using.
There aren’t really much to be mindful of when it comes to cooking with toaster ovens, but one thing that you should always practice is keeping the toaster away from combustible objects such as curtains, and hot surfaces such as stovetops and gas burners.
What Will You Need?
Potatoes
Depending on how much you will make, you will need one or more medium sized potato to make a piece or a batch of baked potatoes. I have found that the best potatoes to use for baking are russet potatoes. They tend to retain a great deal of moisture, therefore being able to give you the best results.
Olive Oil
You will need a small amount of olive oil to make those potatoes have extra crispy skin. The amount you will need should be enough to cover one or all the pieces of potatoes you will bake. Try to choose extra virgin olive oil if you are looking for healthy options. The taste doesn’t really differ any way from normal olive oil.
Knife
You will need a nice knife to cut open your potatoes. I have found that the best knife to use when cutting up baked potatoes are plain edged knives since they easily penetrate the skin of the potato without breaking it too much. Don’t try to use a chef’s knife for this one, because you might end up creating a larger cut than what is required.
Fork
You will need a nice fork for fluffing up the insides of your potatoes once it is baked. Try to use a steel fork for this one instead of using a soft plastic one. Even though baked potatoes have soft cooked insides, it’s easier to fluff things up with a hard steel fork.
Salt and Pepper
You will need a small amount of salt to lightly season your potatoes. I have found that what works best for baked potatoes are freshly ground sea salt. As for the pepper, try to use freshly cracked peppercorns for maximum flavor and aroma.
Optional:
Cheese
I personally love adding cheese to my baked potatoes. You can add any type of cheese to this dish including mozzarella, cheddar, and parmesan. You can top your potatoes with cheese after baking or during baking if you want melted cheese all over your potatoes.
Herbs
For added aromas and flavors, you may want to add some herbs such as basil and thyme. Adding herbs will not only make your dish smell fresher, but will also make it a tad healthier.
Butter
If you are a purist, you may do just fine with adding a dab of butter to your baked potatoes. You can easily add a buttery flavor to your baked potatoes by adding a dab after baking and letting it melt all over your potato.
Sour Cream
Sour cream is another favorite ingredient that I like to add as a finishing touch to baked potatoes. For a great gastronomic experience, try to add a cold tablespoon of sour cream to your baked potato while it’s still hot. The cool temperature or the sour cream mixed with the warm insides of the baked potato will certainly give you a rush.
Instructions To Follow
- Step 1: Prepare Your Toaster
The first thing you need to do is prepare your toaster. Make sure that your toaster is completely clean and has no left over ingredients inside.Once your toaster oven is ready for cooking, all you have to do is preheat it to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Optional:
You may want to place your potatoes right on your toaster’s rack if your toaster works better that way. If so, make sure that the rack itself is also free of any leftover debris.
- Step 2: Prepare Your Potatoes
The next step for you to take is preparing the potatoes. During preparation, it’s highly important to scrub the potatoes and wash them until there are no dirts left on its skin. After cleansing your potatoes, dab them dry with a clean towel.
Once your potatoes are dry and clean, you should now cover each potato with an ample amount of olive oil. Gently rub the olive oil to your potatoes’ exterior until they’re all shiny and covered.
- Step 3: Bake The Potatoes
Before you place your potatoes inside the toaster, use a fork first and stab it into two opposite sides of each potato. Doing so will ensure that the steam inside the potato will get released, therefore preventing popping potatoes that will create a mess inside your toaster.
Once the potatoes are all set, simply bake them in your toaster for about 45 minutes up to 1 hour at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
To figure out when your potatoes are done, try to press the largest potato from the batch with a fork. It should feel firm but soft. Another thing you can try is stab the potato with a fork. If the potato easily slides off the fork, that means the potato has been thoroughly cooked.
If you wish to add some of the optional ingredients I have mentioned above, I suggest that you try to put the cheeses on top of your baked potato about 5 or 10 minutes before it’s done baking so that the cheese will melt all over your potatoes.
- Step 4: Fluff The Potatoes
Once your potatoes are baked, it’s now time for fluffing. To fluff your potatoes, try to create a zig-zag cut in the middle middle of your potato. Do not cut the potato all the way, all you need to do is create somewhat of a pocket.
After creating a zigzag cut, use your fork to gently mash the insides of your potato to fluff it up. Try not to mash the insides too much. I have found that lightly mashed insides make for the best aesthetics.
- Step 5: Add Some Flavor
Once your potatoes are all fluffy, it’s now time to season your potatoes. Try to add a dash of salt and freshly cracked pepper at the top. If you have prepared any herbs, it’s now time to sprinkle them all over your potatoes.
Tips and Notes
Here are a couple of things you might as well know once you have finished baking your potatoes.
Storing Baked Potatoes
When storing your baked potatoes, try to store them using an airtight container to seal in all the freshness and moisture. You can refrigerate your baked potatoes for up to a week considering it’s uncontaminated and completely clean.
Cook Faster
What’s great about baked potatoes is that you can cook them in just half an hour. If you are in a hurry, try to preheat your oven up to 450 degrees fahrenheit. As your toaster get preheated, microwave your potatoes for 5 or 10 minutes. Do not forget to flip your potatoes in the microwave halfway through heating for even heating.
After microwaving your potatoes, let them cool for a minute or so and then continue to bake them in the toaster for 20 up to 30 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Reheating Baked Potatoes
When reheating baked potatoes, refrain from using the toaster oven. Doing so will only dry it out and will reduce all the flavors.
Instead of reheating it in the toaster oven, try to use your microwave. Cut your baked potatoes in half, and reheat them in the microwave for 1 up to 3 minutes depending on your microwave’s heat settings.
If your potatoes are a bit dry, try to add some butter or olive oil to it before you microwave it for added moisture.
A Quick Recap
Baked potatoes are a delight to eat. It’s a good thing you can easily make a piece or a batch in an hour or well under and hour using a toaster oven and a couple of ingredients.
Remember, the key to making a perfectly baked potato is not forgetting to create holes in the potato before you bake it so that the steam has a way of coming out. That way, you end up with nice potatoes that are thoroughly cooked. Another thing you shouldn’t forget is adding some olive oil to your potatoes before baking for a nice crispy exterior.
If you have any questions about the article above, please do not forget to leave a word at the comment box below. I’ll try to get back to you as soon as I can. Thank you and happy cooking!
