Is there anything more delicious and versatile than a baked potato? There are countless ways to make it your own. Some people choose to have a loaded baked potato with butter, sour cream, cheese, bacon, chives, and more, while others prefer a simple butter and salt topping. Whatever you're craving, you need to start with a perfectly cooked potato.
The more traditional way of cooking a baked potato is roasting it in the oven. Because that process can be incredibly time consuming, the quicker option is cooking it in the microwave. While it definitely easier to cook a baked potato in the microwave, it's also incredibly important to follow a few crucial steps or you may have a mess on your hands. With that said, let's get into it.
Brief History of the Baked Potato
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Baked potatoes have been one of those side dishes that has been around for as long as we all can remember. For years, it's been served as the perfect accompaniment to a main dish. But where did it get its start? It's known to be dated as early back as 500 B.C. in the ancient ruins of Peru and Chile, where it was worshipped. Since then it's grown in popularity and it's seen many variations.
Although it's had its fame all over the world, Idaho is its true home and it was first planted and introduced there in the 19th century. Today, whenever anyone thinks of potatoes, they ultimately think of Idaho.
Tips On Cooking Baked Potatoes in the Microwave
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As mentioned earlier, the process for cooking a baked potato in the microwave is not as complicated as it may seem, but there are specific things to remember to make sure your potato is cooked through and to make it extra tasty:
- Be sure to scrub the outside of your potato and and dry it before doing anything else.
- With a fork or a knife, poke multiple holes on either side of the potato. This allows the steam to be released from potato and prevents it from exploding in the microwave.
- Be sure to add salt to your potato and olive oil to give it that nice crunch.
- After it's done in the microwave, slide a knife into the center to make sure it's cooked thoroughly. If there is resistance, it may need to be cooked longer.
Ways to Top Your Baked Potato
Before we get ahead of ourselves and go straight to the recipe, it's important to decide how you want to enjoy your baked potato. Because there are endless ways you can top potatoes, you're likely to never run out of ideas. Here are just a few to consider:
- Taco Stuffed Baked Potato—When it's Taco Tuesday and all you want is a carb-loaded potato, this recipe has got you covered. And it's considered a main dish!
- Breakfast Baked Potato—Who knew you could enjoy a delicious baked potato at breakfast? Just top with eggs, bacon, cheese, or whatever your favorite breakfast toppings are, and you're ready to start your day.
- Easy Chili—We're a fan of this if you're trying to figure out what to do with that leftover chili. Just heat it up, stuff it into your potato, and top with shredded cheese.
- Cheddar and Spinach—This almost doesn't feel like an indulgent when you add healthy spinach to the mix. Mix in the spinach, top with cheese, and melt it a little more in the microwave!
Easy Microwave Potato Recipe
Now that you have your basics down and know how to serve it, let's show you how exactly to make the perfect potato in the microwave. Enjoy!
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Easy Microwave Potato
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Ingredients
- 4 large russet potatoes
- Butter
- 1 pint sour cream
- 1/2 c chopped green onions
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Scrub the potatoes and pierce each one several times with a fork.
- Dust potatoes lightly with sea salt and drizzle with olive oil.
- Microwave potatoes for 5-6 minutes, or until they are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Chop green onions.
- Remove the potatoes from the microwave, and let them cool for a few minutes.
- Cut a slit in the top of each potato, and fluff up the insides with a fork.
- Set out the butter, sour cream, and chopped chives in separate bowls, and place them next to the potatoes.
- Let each person build their own baked potato, by adding pat of butter, a dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkle of chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
We recommend cooking 1-2 potatoes at a time. Otherwise you may need to adjust the cooking time.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Tatiana Volgutova/Shutterstock.com.