Can you cook jacket potato in the air fryer? You certainly can cook baked potatoes in an air fryer, and they cook faster than oven baking. Our recipe is a quick and easy way to enjoy this classic dish.
We give you two tried and tested methods to make great baked potatoes in the air fryer.
- Quick Method - Microwave them first, then crisp the jacket potato in the air fryer
- Air Fry Only Method - Air fry jacket potato for the whole duration.
Either way, you'll make the best-baked potatoes with crispy skin and fluffy inside. We give timings for cooking from just one potato or cooking four at a time.
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How to cook jacket potato in the air fryer?
Here is how to cook jacket potatoes in the air fryer. Read on for more advice, serving suggestions, and storage advice.
📖 Step by Step Recipe
Jacket Potato in the Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 4 Jacket Potato - about 290g each (10.2 oz)
- 2 teaspoon Oil
- Salt
Instructions
Microwave & Air Fryer Method (Quickest Method)
- Prick each potato all over with a fork about four times. We cooked 4 Jacket Potato in this recipe.
- Place on a microwaveable plate, cook on high, turn once halfway through; Time varies depending on how many you are cooking at once, microwave power (use high) and the size of your potatoes.Times are based on large 290 gram (10.2 oz) potatoes1 Potato - 8 minutes2 Potatoes - 10 minutes3 Potatoes - 12 minutes4 Potatoes -14 minutes
- Use a knife to check they are soft all the way through. Cook in 1-minute intervals from now on until soft.
- Use spray oil to coat the skin. Or pour 2 teaspoon Oil on a plate and roll potato skin in the oil.Sprinkle with Salt.
- Transfer potatoes to the air fryer and cook at 200°C / 400°F for 8-10 minutes. You can cook for longer if you want crispier skin.
- Remove and serve with your chosen toppings.
Air Fryer Only Method (Really Crispy Skin)
- Follow the instructions above, skipping step 2 (microwave).Cook in the air fryer at 200°C / 400°F for 45 minutes. Turn once halfway through.
- To test that they're done, insert a sharp knife into the centre of the potato; if no resistance is met, they're ready to serve. If still firm inside, continue cooking in 2-minute intervals.Serve with desired toppings.
Video
Nutrition
We updated this air fryer baked potato recipe on 17/08/2024, moving the recipe card higher in the post to make it more user-friendly.
First you need to decide how much time you have. A time-saving tip that we use is microwaving them before crisping off the potato skin in the air fryer.
If you have plenty of cooking time, you can air fry jacket potatoes for the entire duration.
What Potatoes to Use?
For the best baked potato in the UK, look for large baking potatoes, usually labelled just that! 'Baking Potato' and sold singularly or in multi-packs.
You can also use large starchy potatoes such as King Edwards or Maris Piper.
These floury potatoes are better at absorbing heat, making for fluffy interiors and crispy skin.
In America, look for Russet Potatoes, aka Idaho potatoes.
Scrub potatoes clean before cooking and pat dry before cooking the potatoes.
We also have another blog post showing you how to bake jacket potatoes in a slow cooker for a hands-off approach to baking potatoes. Or if you prefer to stick to the traditional oven-baked potatoes we have advice for that too.
Another of our favourites is jacket sweet potatoes in the air fryer.
What oil to use?
When cooking jacket potatoes in an air fryer, you want to use oil with a high smoking point to withstand high temperatures without burning.
We recommend using avocado oil, rapeseed oil (canola oil), olive oil or coconut oil.
You can coat the potato skins with cooking spray oil or roll them around on a plate with oil on them.
Seasoning
I usually season with sea salt and add flavour with my favourite jacket potato toppings. However, if serving plain, you may want to add more flavour to the skin; feel free to add smoked paprika or garlic powder.
Quick Air Fry Baked Potato Method
The quickest way to cook air fry jacket potatoes is to microwave your potatoes first. Pierce each one a few times with a fork and place them on a microwave-safe plate.
Cooking Time
The amount of time needed to cook a whole potato varies depending on the microwave's power, the size of the potato, and the number you're cooking at once.
Remember to cook in the microwave first to soften the inside then use the air fryer to crisp up the skin
| How many Potatoes approx 290g each | Microwave Cook Time on High | Air Fryer Cook Time at 200°C / 400°F |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Potato | 8 minutes | 8-10 minutes |
| 2 Potatoes | 10 minutes | 8-10 minutes |
| 3 Potatoes | 12 minutes | 8-10 minutes |
| 4 Potatoes | 14 minutes | 8-10 minutes |
If cooking medium potatoes, you may need to deduct a minute, or for larger potatoes, you may need to cook in further 1-minute intervals until soft inside.
Cook on high for the above time, then use a knife to check if it is soft all the way through.
Brush oil over the skin of each potato, or use a cooking spray oil. Sprinkle with sea salt, then place them in the air fryer basket. There is no need to preheat your air fryer.
Now transfer the microwaved jacket potato into the air fryer and cook for 8-10 minutes (the same time for all amounts of potatoes). This will crisp up the saggy, soft skin caused by the microwave's steam.
Air Fryer Jacket Potato
It will take longer to cook if you do not use a microwave before air frying your potatoes. Preheat your air fryer to 200°C / 400°F
Brush oil around the outside of each potato, sprinkle sea salt over them and place in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
How long to cook jacket potato in air fryer?
The cooking time for baking potatoes is 40-50 minutes, flipping over halfway through. The time will vary depending on their size.
They are ready when the potatoes' skin turns golden and crisps on the outside. Check to see if they are soft in the middle.
How to check baked potatoes are cooked?
To check they are fully cooked, insert a sharp knife into the centre of the potato; once the knife pierces through the crispy potato skin, it should slide into the flesh easily with no resistance.
If it is still hard inside, air fry the potatoes in 2-minute intervals until ready. If the potatoes are huge and the skin is getting too brown for your liking, you can wrap them in foil and continue cooking them in the air fryer.
We have cooked our baked potatoes in a ninja foodi air fryer; cooking times may vary slightly for other brands of air fryers.
Serving Suggestions
Jacket potatoes are a great side dish in themselves. Cut them in half, fluff the inside with a fork, and then all they need is butter, salt, and pepper.
But if you want to get fancy, here are some of our favourite toppings to inspire your dinner tonight:
- Sour Cream & Bacon Bits
- Chili con Carne and Shredded Cheese
- Tuna Mayo
- Prawn Curry
- Egg Mayo
- Cheddar Cheese and Baked Beans
Tell us your favourite recipe to add to your air fryer baked potatoes.
Storage & Freezing
Cooked jacket potatoes are best served immediately, but they can be kept in the fridge for up to four days or frozen for up to three months.
To freeze jacket potatoes, place them on a baking tray in the freezer for two hours or until solid.
Then transfer to a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to three months. I recommend defrosting in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheating
The best way to reheat air fryer baked potatoes is in the microwave for about 3 minutes, then the air fryer basket for 5 minutes to help the skin crisp up again.
More Air Fryer Recipes UK
We have plenty of advice on how to cook everyday recipes in the air fryer.
See more air fryer recipes →
We hope this easy recipe has helped you make quick baked potatoes for the whole family in the air fryer.
Claudia says
Turned out great
Luke and Kay says
Thank you, Claudia! So happy to hear it turned out great. Did you add any special toppings? Would love to know! 🙂
Amy Liu Dong says
Taters are the best in the world, this recipe enhaces the flavor and the texture of it which is awesome, just a little bit of seasoning is enough!
Luke and Kay says
Hi Amy, thank you for trying out our air fryer jacket potatoes and leaving a review. We are thrilled to hear that you loved the flavour and texture of the taters with our recipe. We take great care in creating dishes that enhance taste, and keeping it simple with just a dash of seasoning is key! Thank you again for your positive feedback. 🙂
Kevin Smith says
Perfect for 1 potatoe as ive just learned, Shame about the overcrowding of Ads making it difficult to read
Luke and Kay says
Hello Kevin, thank you for your message and your fantastic 5-star review. Today, I also enjoyed some delicious air fryer baked potatoes for lunch. I apologize for the inconvenience caused by the excessive ads. Could you please let me know if you're viewing our website on a phone, tablet, or desktop, and identify the specific issue you encountered? I'll personally reach out to our advertising agency to investigate the matter further. While we would love to have an ad-free experience, it's currently the primary source of funding for our website and allows us to continue creating amazing recipes.
Paul Irving says
Yes, really enjoyed this recipe. I cooked a very large potato almost to perfection. I wish the skin had been crispier though! Perhap's I will use the "crispy" bake setting next time, what do you think?
Luke and Kay says
Thank you for your feedback, Paul! We are so glad that you enjoyed the Air Fryer jacket potatoes recipe. Next time you cook potatoes in your air fryer, it might be worth giving the "crispy" bake setting a try; let us know how it goes.
Or just cook it for as it was a large potato it might take longer for the potato to crisp up. 🙂
Victor says
8 mins in the microwave for one potato before the air fryer seem like way too long, that's longer than I would cook one only using the microwave.
Luke and Kay says
Hi Victor, thanks for the comment
Time varies depending on how many you are cooking at once, microwave power and the size of your potatoes.
We used a 290g potato which is a large baking potato.
If you are using a smaller potato, it will take less time 🙂
Sue says
My favourite dressing is prawns in a
seafood sauce mixed with lettuce and tomatoes.
Kay says
Thank you for trying our jacket potato in the air fryer Sue, and for sharing your feedback with us. We're so glad to hear that you enjoyed it! We love seafood sauce too and are happy to know that you found a way to enjoy it on our potatoes.
Liz says
SO easy and it was a great way to free up my oven for our Sunday night family dinner!
Kay says
Thank you so much Liz its such an easy way for cooking your jacket potatoes and they come out great 🙂