Toaster Oven Baked Potato

Toaster oven baked potatoes are a classic side dish that couldn't be easier to make. Crispy skin and a fluffy inside are how these will turn out every time. Whether you want one for a busy weeknight dinner or a fancy date night at home, cooking potatoes in the toaster oven is the only way to go. Whether you call these jacket potatoes or baked potatoes, this is the best recipe for cooking them.

For the best way to bake a potato in the toaster oven, try this quick & easy recipe. Instead of turning on your big oven, bake one or more potatoes in a small or large toaster oven to save energy and time. Leftover baked potato recipes are some of my favorites, so make extras!

My toaster oven is a Breville smart oven and air fryer combination and it is great for baking potatoes. The convection in the toaster oven bakes them faster than if you cook them in a regular oven. This is a great weeknight recipe to cook potatoes fast and easy for a quick side dish.

Jump to:

• Ingredients for Baked Potatoes
• Wash and Prep the Russet Potatoes
• How to Bake Potatoes in a Toaster Oven
• How Long to Bake Potatoes in a Toaster Oven
• Russet Potato Sizes by Measurements & Weights
• How to Tell When a Baked Potato is Done
• How to Cut & Open a Hot Baked Potato
• Best Toppings for Baked Potatoes
• Storing & Reheating Baked Potatoes
• What to Serve with Toaster Oven Baked Potatoes
• Toaster Oven Baked Potato

Ingredients for Baked Potatoes

To make baked potatoes in the toaster oven you will need baking potatoes to start.  I typically use russet potatoes and all the information in this recipe will reflect using that kind.   Along with the russet potatoes, olive oil, and salt is all you need for a perfect side dish. 

Wash and Prep the Russet Potatoes

Scrub each of your potatoes with water and use a brush if needed.  Dry them thoroughly. Once the potaotes are dry, using a pastry brush, coat the skins with a little bit of olive oil.  Next, sprinkle on a bit of salt.  The last step is to poke each potato two times with a fork.  This is to make sure the potatoes do not split or burst as the steam builds up inside while they cook. 

From the image below you can see how small my potatoes are.  My kids love baked potatoes but for a complete meal and to be sure they have a balanced diet, I usually make small ones.  By the time they load it with all the good toppings, it is plenty filling and they still have room to eat the rest of the meal.  These small russet potatoes are about 4 ounces each and I will bake them for 35 minutes.  

How to Bake Potatoes in a Toaster Oven

Preheat your toaster oven on bake for 400°. Then set the timer for the number of minutes needed, see the grid below for best times based on the size of your potatoes. I have included all the information you need for cooking potatoes in the toaster oven both on bake or with a convection setting.

Once it is preheated, carefully place the prepared russet potatoes on the middle rack of your toaster oven. Close the door and let them cook.

There is no need to turn them or rotate them. The baked potatoes that are done in my Breville smart oven air fryer are the best with crispy salty skin and the flesh is soft.

How Long to Bake Potatoes in a Toaster Oven

Decide if you will be using a regular toaster oven setting, similar to "bake" on your standard oven, or if you will be using a convection setting.  Either way, you can make perfectly baked potatoes. 

Once you know which you prefer, set the temperature and timer based on the cooking guide below. If you are not sure how big your potatoes are, a grid with measurements and weights is shared below for easy reference. 

Russet Potato Sizes by Measurements & Weights

How long to bake a potato depends on its size of it.  Wondering how to figure out what size potato you have? Below is how you can calculate how big your russet potatoes are so you know how long they will take to cook.  You can measure them with a tape measure or ruler in inches. 

Or you can weigh them to figure out if you have small, medium, or large baking potatoes.  Once you know how big they are, you can then set the oven timer for the correct amount of time as shared above. 

Russet Size	Measurement in Inches	Weight in Pounds	Weight in Ounces	Weight in Grams
SMALL	1 ½ to 2 ¼″ diameter	less than .36 lbs	4 - 5 ounces	less than 160 grams
MEDIUM	2 ¼ to 3 ¼″ diameter	.37 to .56 lbs	6 – 8 ounces	170 – 255 grams
LARGE	3 ¼ to 4 ½″+ diameter	.57 - .75 lbs	9 - 11 ounces	256 - 340 gram

How to Tell When a Baked Potato is Done

The best way to test if your potatoes are done baking is actually a two-step process.  The first step is to give it a good squeeze. 

Carefully open the toaster oven door and with an oven mitt on your hand, give the potato a gentle squeeze.  Try not to break the skin open.  If it feels firm and has very little give, let it keep cooking.  If it does give and feels soft, it may be ready.

Once the potato does have a good give to it, you can then double-check it using a sharp skinny knife. Insert it into the middle of the potato and if it slides in easily, it is ready. 

I like to not poke my potatoes too many times as it releases too much steam and opens up the potato too much.  Keeping it intact helps it cook the flesh evenly. This is why I do not advise starting off with the knife method first.  It should be the final step to ensure the russet is fully cooked. 

How to Cut & Open a Hot Baked Potato

Here is my favorite way to cut and push open a baked potato.  The skin parts beautifully where the slits are. Then a little "smush" and the flesh starts to burst out.  The toppings cannot wait to be added. 

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