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    Home » Recipes » Side Dishes

    Baked Potato Without Foil

    by Mindy Boyd · Published: Oct 4, 2023 · Updated: Oct 12, 2024

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    ⏲️ 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
    Jump to Recipe

    In this blog post I will show you that you do not need aluminum foil to make oven-baked potatoes. I have been making them this way for a long time and you can too! All you need are potatoes, a little canola oil and a little bit of salt and you can make a baked potato with slightly crispy skin and fluffy insides. 

    If you have read this blog then you know that potatoes are my favorite savory food (cake is my favorite dessert). Now I love many foods, but if I had to pick one sweet and one savory, these are them. I even have a section of this blog just for all the delightful potato recipes we love. 

    Four Perfect Baked Potato in the Oven with No Foil on a rimmed baking sheet with the recipe title at the top in text.
    Jump to:
    • Why you’ll love this easy baked potato recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Ingredient Notes
    • How to bake a potato without foil
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Final thought
    • Main dishes that go well with baked potatoes
    • Baked Potato Without Foil
    One oven baked potato topped with shredded cheese on a plate.

    Why you’ll love this easy baked potato recipe

    • All you need is 3 simple ingredients (plus toppings).
    • You can make as many potatoes as needed in about the same amount of cooking time.
    • No tin foil or parchment paper is needed.
    • It is a healthy and simple side dish.
    One plain baked potato that was baked in the oven without foil.

    Ingredients

    See recipe card for the amounts we use. 

    Four raw potatoes, a small bowl of canola oil and a small bowl of salt on a rimmed baking sheet.

    Ingredient Notes

    Potatoes – we like smaller potatoes (5-8 ounces) for a side dish and larger potatoes (9-12 ounces) for a main dish. 

    Oil – we use canola oil, vegetable oil or olive oil can be used if you are keeping the temperature at 350°. Some oils may have a lower smoke point so keep that in mind if you are using a different oil. Very Well Fit has a great article about the smoke point of different oils, so if you are thinking of baking your potatoes at a higher temperature then you might want to check it out.

    Salt –  we like kosher salt for this because it is coarse and sticks to the potato well. Sea salt or regular table salt will work if you don’t have kosher salt. 

    Close up view of baked potatoes on a sheet pan after they have been cooked.

    How to bake a potato without foil

    1. Make sure one oven rack is as near the center of the oven as possible then preheat the oven to 350°. 
    2. Scrub potatoes under cold water and dry with a paper towel. Pierce several times with a fork (I usually pierce them on all 4 sides and both ends). Place potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. 
    3. Pour canola oil in a small bowl and use a basting brush to coat the outside of each potato with oil. Sprinkle salt on one side of the potatoes, turn over and sprinkle salt on that side.
    4. Bake 45-60 minutes, you will know it is done when a fork goes into the potato easily when you push it in. You can use an instant-read thermometer if you have one, the internal temperature of a cooked potato should be 200°-205°. I do have a meat thermometer but have never used it for this. I find that poking it with a fork is an easy method that is accurate. 
    5. Slit each potato lengthwise down the middle with a sharp knife, using your index finger and thumb of both hands pinch the end of the slit and push gently to pop open the potato. Be careful not to burn yourself because the potato is hot and steam will emit from it. 
    6. Top with a pat of butter, sour cream, cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, a sprinkle of salt and black pepper, or your favorite toppings. 
    Four potatoes on a sheet pan before they have been baked.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is the best kind of potato for baking?

    Any potato can be baked but we think Russet potatoes are the best potatoes for baking because of their high starch content and low moisture.  

    Is it better to bake potatoes with or without foil?

    That depends on if you want soft skins or crispy skins. Wrapping a potato in aluminum foil before baking it will essentially steam the potato and the end result will be soft skin. Baking the potato on a sheet pan without foil will result in a crispier skin. 

    What temperature should a baked potato be cooked at?

    Somewhere between 350° and 400° works best. I like to keep mine down around 350° to ensure the inside gets cooked before the potato skin gets singed. It is okay to adjust oven temperature up or down a little, especially if you are making a main dish that needs to bake at a slightly lower or higher temperature. 
    The size of the potatoes plays a part here, but below are the temperatures and approximate times to bake 6-8 ounce potatoes.
    75-90 minutes at 325°
    45-60 minutes at 350°
    35-45 minutes at 400°
    You will know the potato is done when a fork inserted into it slides in easy.

    Final thought

    We hope you like these baked potatoes as much as we do. If you don’t want to bake your potato in the regular oven, or you need a method that takes less time, I have an air fryer recipe that is super easy and quick. 

    One oven baked potato that is topped with shredded cheese that has melted a little bit.

    Main dishes that go well with baked potatoes

    Air Fryer Cube Steak

    Marinated Pork Tenderloin

    Country Style Ribs in the Air Fryer

    Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin

    Three potatoes on a sheet pan after they have been baked in the oven without foil.

    Baked Potato Without Foil

    Mindy Boyd
    See how easy it is to make the best baked potato in the oven without any foil.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print – Email Required Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr
    Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 baked potatoes

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 Russet potatoes 5 – 8 ounces each
    • 2 tsp canola oil
    • 1 tsp salt
    Get Recipe Ingredients

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    Instructions
     

    • Make sure one oven rack is as near the center of the oven as possible then preheat the oven to 350°. 
    • Scrub potatoes under cold water and dry with a paper towel. Pierce several times with a fork (I usually pierce them on all 4 sides and both ends). Place potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. 
      4 Russet potatoes
    • Pour canola oil in a small bowl and use a basting brush to coat the outside of each potato with oil. Sprinkle salt on one side of the potatoes, turn over and sprinkle salt on the other side.
      2 tsp canola oil, 1 tsp salt
    • Bake 45-60 minutes, you will know they are done when a fork goes into the potato easily when you push it in.
    • Slit each potato lengthwise down the middle with a sharp knife, using your index finger and thumb of both hands pinch the end of the slit and push gently to pop open the potato. Be careful not to burn yourself because the potato is hot and it will emit steam.
    •  Top with your favorite toppings. 

    Notes

    Did you make this recipe? We would love it if you would leave us a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review below!
     
    Nutritional information is approximate. 
     
    See tips, notes, and suggestions in the post above.
     
    Bookmark this page to find it quickly when you are ready to make this recipe!

    Nutrition Facts

    Calories: 186kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 592mg | Potassium: 888mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was with a comment below.
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. roe says

      January 12, 2025 at 11:31 am

      5 stars
      this really worked and even though i feel like its a common sense thing to know how to bake potatoes without foul, but some of us never learned and need to be taught. i appreciate this so much and loved the ease of instruction!

      Reply
      • Mindy Boyd says

        January 12, 2025 at 12:27 pm

        Yes, it’s hard to know something like this if you were never taught. I learned by trial and error and hope to take the guess work out of cooking for new cooks. I am glad you like the recipe!

        Reply
    2. Mano says

      November 21, 2024 at 1:11 pm

      5 stars
      I was out of foil and I said, I bet there is a recipe that explains how to bake a potato without, and here it is, AND it’s fantastic. I found a use for my coarse kosher sea salt I rarely use and will NEVER go back. I used to do this but also add some pepper on it as it bakes. I had leftover shredded pork so I heated it up with some BBQ sauce, and had it with chopped onions, shredded cheddar, sour cream, the bbq pork, a dash of paprika, some pepper, all after first buttering up the potato insides. Everyone loved it!

      Reply
      • Mindy Boyd says

        November 21, 2024 at 1:25 pm

        That sounds absolutely delicious, thank you!

        Reply
    3. S. B. A. says

      October 06, 2024 at 11:45 pm

      5 stars
      I had 3 languishing russet potatoes in my pantry and I’m trying very hard to not waste any food . I’m roasting the 3 potatoes in my 375 degrees oven on a smaller oven pan after coating in oil and Kerry gold butter (has salt in butter)
      So far smells baked potato deliciousness ‼️I’ve no doubt that they will be delicious and perfectly cooked after 40-45 minutes!!! Thank you for this easy recipe that will make yummy crispy skin and fluffy potato goodness inside ❗️❗️

      Reply
      • Mindy Boyd says

        October 07, 2024 at 7:43 am

        You are welcome, thanks for commenting and reviewing!

        Reply
    5 from 5 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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