June 3, 2014
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Three ways to cook potatoes with buttery soft centers in the oven, slow cooker, and microwave.
If there is one side dish I can always count on to please everyone, it’s a baked potato.
Whether you like to serve them loaded up with all the fixings or plain ole butter and salt, today I’m sharing three simple methods to bake perfect potatoes no matter how much or little time you have.
Ways of Cooking Potatoes
I love using baked potatoes to build a quick meal or serve alongside an entreé. You can serve them with any of your family’s favorite toppings and use the leftovers to make potato salad or pack as a loaded baked potato for lunch the next day.
When it comes to baking, the oven isn’t the only method. You can also use the microwave or slow cooker depending on how quickly you need a hot, perfectly cooked potato.
Want to make this an easy meal prep? Bake the potatoes using any of the methods below, wrap with foil, and store for up to 4 days or whenever you are ready to eat.
Love easy meal ideas that you can prep ahead like this one? Download a sample MOMables Meal Plan where you’ll find delicious recipes plus a meal prep sheet and done-for-you shopping list to go along with them!
Alright, back to the scheduled programming- baking potatoes. A note to keep in mind as you read is any of these methods work for both white AND sweet potatoes.
Now, let’s get cooking!
Slow Cooker Potatoes
When you’re on top of your meal planning game and know without a doubt that you want baked potatoes for dinner tonight, why not let the slow cooker do the work for you?
By the time dinner rolls around, they’ll be perfectly tender and ready to load up. Here’s how to make a baked potato in the slow cooker:
- Prick the potato with a fork all over and rub with olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Wrap each potato in foil, and place them at the bottom of a slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
Oven Baked Potatoes
Nothing beats an oven baked potato with crispy, golden skin and buttery soft centers. It’s the method I use when I’m not in too much of a hurry and can keep an eye on the oven while I finish the rest of the meal.
Here’s how to perfectly baked potatoes in the oven:
- Preheat your oven to 425F.
- Prick the potato with a fork all over and rub with olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Wrap the potatoes in foil and place them on a baking sheet or just place them directly onto the oven rack.
- Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until the skin is crispy and the center is tender when stuck with a fork.
Microwave Potatoes
When you need a quick side dish, the microwave and a few potatoes are the best bet! Not only will it cook potatoes quickly, but they come out with soft centers that you can stuff and load up with all your favorite toppings.
- Prick the potato with a fork all over and rub with olive oil and a dash or two of salt and pepper.
- Place the potatoes, without foil, in the microwave. Cook on high for 5 minutes.
- Turn over and cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.
- If the middle is still hard when it’s pricked with a fork, continue to cook it for 1-minute intervals until the center is tender.
More Potato Recipes
Love potatoes in every shape, form, and dish? Me too and here are more family favorite potato dishes you can serve on any occasion:
- Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
- Baked Oven Fries
- Southwest Loaded Sweet Potatoes
- Buffalo Chicken Loaded Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Salad
Ways to Cook Potatoes | 3 Easy Potato Recipes
Ingredients
- 4 medium Russet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prick each potato all over the surface with a fork and rub with olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Wrap each potato in foil and place them in the bottom of a slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
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