Recipes Side Dishes Potato Dishes Baked Potato This Loaded Baked Potato Is the Buttery, Bacon-y Food of Our Dreams Be the first to rate & review! A classic baked potato boasts a crispy skin, fluffy interior, and all the toppings you can handle. By Chandra Ram Chandra Ram Chandra Ram leads the digital food strategy for Food & Wine. She has 15 years experience writing and editing food content and developing recipes. A former restaurant cook and server, she also writes cookbooks. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 3, 2023 Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Tested by Food & Wine Test Kitchen Recipes published by Food & Wine are rigorously tested by the culinary professionals at the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios in order to empower home cooks to enjoy being in the kitchen and preparing meals they will love. Our expert culinary team tests and retests each recipe using equipment and ingredients found in home kitchens to ensure that every recipe is delicious and works for cooks at home every single time. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Rate Print Share Photo: Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Barrett Washburne Active Time: 10 mins Total Time: 1 hr Servings: 4 servings A baked potato can be a decadent side dish, but is hearty enough to stand on its own as a main course for lunch or dinner. Making the best baked potato might seem simple, but it’s all in the details. How to bake a potato A hot oven, a few russet potatoes, some oil, salt and pepper are all you need to bake a potato. The hot oven and oil are key to getting the potato skin nice and crispy. We prefer russet potatoes — they are low in moisture and high in starch, so yield a nice fluffy interior when baked. Their skins are thicker, and crisp up nicely in the oven. Be sure to pierce them with a fork before baking, so the steam can release as they cook. While the potatoes cook, prepare your toppings. Here, we call for butter, sour cream, bacon, scallions, and Cheddar cheese, but add whatever toppings appeal to you — chopped jalapeños, pickled peppers, chili, chopped onions, roasted corn, roast broccoli, cheese sauce, salsa, chopped herbs, feta cheese, and olives are all great options. Put out a tray of toppings and let everyone personalize their own potato. Ingredients 4 large russet potatoes (about 1 pound each), scrubbed and dried with a towel 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 4 teaspoons butter 1 cup sour cream 4 slices bacon 4 scallions, chopped (white and green parts) 1/3 cup shredded Cheddar cheese Directions Preheat oven to 425°F. Pierce potatoes all over with a fork. Rub potatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put the potatoes on the baking sheet and bake until fork-tender when pierced with a knife, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until bacon is crisp and fat is rendered, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels, and chop. Remove potatoes from oven, slice open in center, and smash and fluff the inside with a fork. Top it with butter and season with additional salt and pepper. Add sour cream, bacon, scallions, and cheese and serve. Rate It Print