What is the best thing to cook with an air fryer? Potatoes! It almost seems like they were made for air fryers… or it makes more sense to say they were designed for them. The baked potato is a simple yet delicious dish that gets even better with an air fryer.
This article will explain how to make the best air fryer baked potato and how to put your twist on it.
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Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
The air fryer does a lot more than frying. Let’s have a look first at how it works.
The machine warms up the air inside a frying basket and whirls it around the cooked food. Added oil to the surface of your food, making a crispy layer on top with a tender, soft, cooked middle.
We can argue that an air fryer is a compact oven that cooks with high precision—delivering crispy results like deep-frying. Why should we buy such a machine when we already have an oven?
Convenience: it doesn’t take up much space. Most models also have pre-programmed functions, allowing effortless cooking. Some models can even cook two different dishes at the same time. The air fryer doesn’t need to be preheated. If the recipe calls for it anyway, it can be blazing hot within a few minutes.
It has much lower energy consumption compared to the oven. It also won’t heat your kitchen the same way as the oven would. This comes in handy in hot climate locations. But, If you want to save on heating during winter, an oven may be more handy.
Cooking with an oven still has a lot of benefits that an air fryer won’t replace. Especially if you have big batches to roast or bake or crave an effortless dinner for one or two, you can whack your food into the air fryer: set timer, temperature, or one of the pre-programmed modes. And focus on other things while the air fryer is doing its job.
How To Make The Air Fryer Baked Potato
Crispy baked potato with a soft and fluffy texture inside not only makes a perfect side dish, but it could be the superstar of a full-course meal, as this simple technique can have a lot of variations.
- Wash and scrub the potato. Stab it a few times with a fork. Leave the skin on. It contains a lot of nutrients and gives a nice crispy texture.
- Rub it with cooking oil, olive oil if possible, in a mixing bowl, season it with salt and black pepper, and place it inside the air fryer.
- Bake it at 200℃ for 40 to 60 minutes or until cooked. Rotate the potatoes in 20-minute intervals so they will get crispy evenly. A smart air fryer can notify you when it is time to turn the sides of your ingredients. Relax and fully focus on other activities.
How do we know that the baked potato is cooked? Check if it’s soft enough. Stab it with a fork. It should be easy to take it out of the potato.
Once done, serve it warm with a topping of your choice. Nothing will beat melted butter, though!
Making air fryer baked potato is simple. To speed up the process. Make potato wedges or chips. Use the same technique just cut them into smaller pieces. Get more easy air fryer recipe ideas here.
Tips To Make Air Fryer Baked Potato Even Better
Now, take your air fryer baked potato to the next level. There are several ways you can turn it into an appetising main dish.
Use Spices And Herbs
Add more spices and herbs when you rub the potatoes with oil, salt, and black pepper. Some commonly used herbs can be a real game-changer. Choose dry herbs for air frying.
Rosemary releases its delightful aroma best during baking or roasting. And it pairs exceptionally well with potatoes.
Cumin is another spice that complements its flavour well. Try nutmeg if you are bored of ordinary combinations. See how that goes with saffron. Has your creativity woken up now?
In case you have a lot of fresh herbs on your hands or in a garden. Chop and mix them with freshly baked potatoes.
Use Oil Or Butter Infusions
Infuse butter with fresh, finely chopped garlic. Bake baby potatoes, or new potatoes, with rosemary, as mentioned before. Once baked, soft and crispy, lightly press them with a fork to break their structure. Toss them with freshly chopped parsley and homemade garlic butter in a mixing bowl. Serve warm with a simple pulled pork.
Roast With Toppings
Bacon or cheese can add a new dimension to your air fryer baked potato. Together, it can make a new universe. Cut the potato lengthways and stuff it with toppings. Make sure to add it towards the end of baking, around 10 minutes; otherwise, it may burn.
Try using cheddar or milder mozzarella. If you seek something more creative, use camembert. Cut out a piece and stuff the potato seasoned with Italian herbs. Just keep in mind that it melts easily.
Bake With Minced Meat
Fill the potatoes with a minced meat blend of your choice. Bolognese doesn’t have to go only with pasta or lasagne.
Should You Use Aluminium Foil To Bake Potato In An Air Fryer?
You don’t have to wrap potatoes in aluminium foil before baking. Use whole, washed, unpeeled potatoes.
Reheating Leftover Baked Potato
Air frying is the best way to reheat baked potatoes, bread or pizza. It delivers much better results than microwaves and reheats faster than the oven.
The 4 Best Potatoes For Baking In An Air Fryer
Nowadays, it is easy to get our hands on various types of potatoes. Each has a distinct flavour, nutrition, and other characteristics. These potatoes are easy to get in most grocery stores. Give each one a try and see the difference for yourself. Which one is your favourite?
1. Russet Potato
This is probably the most common type of potato used across Europe, if not the world. Maybe you are more used to calling it white potato. It is suitable for mashing and baking. Most store-bought french fries are made of this type of potato.
2. Maris Piper Potato
It is the most widely grown potato in the UK, maybe because of its fluffy texture and delicious flavour. It is suitable for all cooking methods, especially chips and baking.
3. Purple Potato
The vibrant purple colour will make your diet a lot more colourful. This gourmet variety tastes slightly different from white potatoes. It’s mildly sweet with nutty notes and a light citrusy aroma. What a cocktail of flavours, I know!
Pair purple potatoes with ginger, basil, coriander or bay leaves.
Bake, boil or mash. Cook them as you would any other potato. They may just take a bit longer to finish.
4. Sweet Potato
This cousin of the white potato has a very different taste and texture. While it has a similar amount of nutrients as its counterpart, it’s richer in antioxidants and may have a lower glycaemic index (GI), depending on the cooking method. Foods with high GIs increase blood sugar faster.
Its sweet, pumpkin-like taste goes well with ginger, coconut, lime, and more Asian flavours. It also pairs well with rosemary, thyme and other European ingredients.
The 3 Best Dips For Your Air Fryer Baked Potato
Match your perfectly baked potatoes with one of these dips and fillings. Make tasty appetizers, mains or easy party food everyone will love.
1. Mayonnaise, Tartar Sauce And Aioli
What gives mayonnaise its superpowers to turn any food into a delicacy? Our primal ancestors were naturally attracted to high-fat food—an important energy source. Our modern brains still have part of this behaviour coded in our subconsciousness. That’s why fat-rich dishes taste so good and made us decorate them with the name “comfort food”.
Aioli is a Mediterranean dip most commonly made with eggs, olive oil, salt and garlic. Spread it over our rosemary baked potato. Sprinkle with smoked paprika and coarse black pepper.
Tartar sauce needs a few more ingredients than Aioli. It’s easy to make, and you probably already have most ingredients in your cupboard. It’s mainly mayonnaise, pickles, mustard, lemon juice and dill. It is the best dip, especially for fried dishes. Try it with fish, too.
2. Guacamole
What grows together usually goes together. Cooking this way is useful when unsure how the ingredients will match.
Avocado originates from South America, the same as, you guessed it, potatoes! Make guacamole with ripe avocados, tomatoes, shallots, chilli and garlic. There are many recipes for this vividly green dish. Choose what suits best your palate.
Its creamy texture and spicy kick complement a baked potato’s crispy golden skin and mild flavour. Crown your creation with crispy bacon.
3. Caesar Dressing
Mixing this creamy dressing only with salad and croutons underrates its potential. Drizzle it over baked and herbal potato stuffed with leafy greens. By the way, did you know that it is not named after the Roman Emperor? It hails from its Mexico creator, Caesar Cardini.
Air Fryer Baked Potato Recipe: Summing Up
As you can see, the possibilities are limited only to your creativity. I think the best way to make air fryer baked potato is to use good quality ingredients and keep it simple.
Check this alternate recipe for baked potatoes!
How To Cook Baked Potatoes In The Ninja Foodi Grill
