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If you’re wondering “can you microwave baked potatoes?”, then you’re in luck!
The answer is yes: you can easily make a baked potato in the microwave and I’m here to show you how to get the perfect microwave baked potato in 10 minutes.
First I’ll walk you through the step-by-step instructions, then I’ll share all my favorite toppings in 8 great recipes.
Every now and then we really dive into a recipe. And so I eat at least one microwave baked potato almost every month.
All shapes and sizes, flavors and toppings. Almost endless actually. Microwave potatoes are my thing now.
Also known as jacket potatoes, baked potatoes, stuffed potatoes, these are all cooked in the microwave – so for ease of use, I’ll just call it what it is – a microwave baked potato.
I love my carbs, and to me, a diet life without carbs is a no-go. With that being said, I think it does allow for keeping an eye on carbs. A constant life off white pasta and white bread can be a dangerous line to walk according to this article.
Swapping out some bread and pasta for potatoes can’t be a bad start. Potatoes have a lot going for them (see here). But why is a microwave baked potato our favorite method?
Speed! Sheer, wicked speed! A microwave baked potato is very quick!
Just a few minutes in the microwave and they’re ready to go – a fraction of the time it takes to bake in the oven.
You can even use the cooking time to prepare potato toppings, meaning you’ll have a great snack, easy side dish or even a full meal ready in minutes. It really goes way well.
How to bake potatoes in the microwave: step by step
Preparing microwave-baked potatoes is very easy, but there are a few key things you need to remember.
Always use a microwave-safe plate and poke holes in your potatoes before you cook them. If you forget the hole, prone to explosion!
You may want to wrap your potatoes in a damp paper towel, as this is the most reliable way to ensure they don’t dry out.
Also, cooking time varies depending on the size of your potatoes and how many potatoes you want to bake. There’s an easy way to determine this and I’ve done the math to show you what should happen.
How long to microwave a jacket potato?
How long you microwave a baked potato depends on the size. How long to microwave small potatoes differs from how long to microwave large potatoes.
Don’t worry, we’ve done the math – follow our guide and you’ll be sorted.
All these microwave baked potato bars use a 1000w microwave as a base.
For example:
A large potato like this (pictured) takes about nine minutes.
A medium potato like this (pictured) takes about seven minutes.
A small potato like this (pictured) takes about five minutes.
What is the power of a potato microwave?
We based our microwave potato times on a 1000W microwave. However, of course, not every microwave is 1000w. If yours is more or less powerful, add or subtract about 1 minute for every 100w difference.
For example, looking back at the big potato. It usually takes nine minutes. If using a 1200w microwave (plus 200w) remove for two minutes (so cook for seven minutes).
If using an 800w microwave (minus 200w) then add two minutes (so cook for eleven minutes).
How to microwave more than 1 baked potato?
Are you wondering how long to microwave 2 potatoes or 3 or even 4 potatoes, all you have to do is add extra potatoes every extra minute.
For example: You want to add one more large potato. Add four minutes. To add two more large potatoes, add eight minutes (I wouldn’t cook three large potatoes at the same time).
To add a medium potato, add three minutes. To add two, add six minutes. Add nine minutes to add three. etc.
To add a small potato, add two minutes. To add two, add four minutes. 3 more potatoes is an extra six minutes. etc.
Add or subtract one minute for each potato for every 200w difference when adding additional potatoes. For example – you want to add larger potatoes in an 800w microwave – add five minutes instead of the usual four.
Summary: How to Make Baked Potatoes in the Microwave
- make a decision
Adjust the time according to the size and quantity of potatoes
- to prepare
Poke holes in your potatoes. Do this on a flat surface, carefully, holding the potato steady with one hand.
Don’t lift the potato and try to pierce it in mid-air, don’t evenly try and pierce the potato without catching it all. This is all tried and tested advice – I’ve tested it so you don’t have to.
No need to stab your hand either.
- place
Place potatoes on a microwave safe plate inside the microwave. Some people like to wrap the potato in a damp paper towel to keep it from drying out. This is optional.
- microwave
Start the microwave. Stop it half way through and flip the potato over, so that it is cooked. At this stage, you can even leave them open to speed up the process even more.
- filled
Remove from microwave and fill with your favorite toppings. Voila! Perfect baked potatoes in less time than it takes to boil pasta!
Microwave Baked Potatoes Recipe
It’s time to find your new favorite recipe for microwave baked potatoes. As a microwave jacket potato fan, I have 9 recipes. There should be some time for everyone!
original
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microwave big potato A for nine minutes Medium potatoes Seven minutes and a small potatoes Five minutes are required. Allow an additional four minutes for a large potato, three minutes for a medium potato, and two minutes for a small potato to add additional potatoes. This is using a 1000w microwave – adjust for slightly longer or shorter if you have higher or lower power. Don’t forget to pierce the potatoes with a fork a few times.
1 large potato
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When ready, cut a deep groove through the center of the potato on both sides. Repeat the process diagonally.
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add Butter, salt And pepper
1 tablespoon butter, Test for salt and pepper
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enjoy
Be sure to try the other flavors below!
nutrients
Microwave Baked Potatoes: 8 Perfect Potato Recipes
No. per job
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Value is based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Simple recipes are where it all begins. Butter with a little salt and black pepper. Very good. Vegans can use vegan margarine or a little olive oil, no problem. That goes for the rest of the toppings, too.
Recipe by: Hurry up The Foodup
Baked Beans and Cheese is an all-time classic. Brexit will not affect this. Beans and cheese are surprisingly high in protein. Butter/vegan margarine and salt/pepper are optional – and very tasty.
Recipe by: Hurry up The Foodup
A delicious combo of mashed avocado and sweet chili sauce from the bottom. A little sour cream goes very nicely.
Recipe by: Hurry up The Foodup
This cottage cheese and cucumber beauty hails from the North of England. It’s quick, easy and delicious – and the cottage cheese provides a good jolt of protein.
Recipe by: Hurry up The Foodup
Speaking of protein, this bad boy is a beast. Filled with your favorite beans, lentils and cottage cheese, its protein levels are off the charts. Embrace Gainzzz.
Recipe by: Hurry up The Foodup
Creamy garlic mushrooms with halloumi. What peace. This is a must if you love mushrooms. You can find a quick link to Creamy Garlic Mushrooms here.
This recipe can be made vegan by omitting the halloumi and making the mushrooms with coconut milk (see recipe).
Recipe by: Hurry up The Foodup
Efficient, to the point and damn delicious. Butter and salt (or vegan marg) topped with quark (or sour cream). The whole country loves it.
Recipe by: Hurry up The Foodup
Go wild and cook your favorite vegetables. We love grilled or roasted zucchini, bell peppers, carrots, onions, mushrooms, corn, and green peppers.
Cook simply in a pan (this fajita mix is perfect) or in a sauce (like this simple salsa) with a few herbs or spices.
Recipe by: Hurry up The Foodup
Even just reading the material aloud gives this one class an air (or heir?). Butter and salt under a layer of brie and cranberry lead to an irresistible sweet-salty twist. Once you’re in the upper-middle class, there’s no going back.
FAQs
Time for microwave baked potatoes ranges from 5 to 9 minutes, depending on size. A small potato takes about 5 minutes to cook, a medium potato about 7 minutes and a large potato about 9 minutes.
It’s easy to tell if your potatoes are done by poking them with a skewer, knife or fork and seeing if they’re soft.
It takes 13 minutes to microwave two large potatoes, 9 minutes to microwave two medium potatoes, and 7 minutes to microwave two small potatoes.
Yes! It is perfectly fine to microwave a whole potato. However, it is very important to remember that it should be pierced first to allow the steam to escape. If you don’t do this, you’ll probably end up with a potato explosion!
Yes! Microwave and oven baked potatoes taste basically the same. A key difference is that you don’t get the crispy skin with microwave cooking methods. But cooking potatoes in the microwave is much faster than in the oven!
In a standard microwave I’ll stick to 3 large potatoes, 5 medium potatoes or 8 small potatoes at any given time. If you have a larger microwave, feel free to increase the amount.
A large microwave potato has about 280 calories, a medium one has about 160 calories, and a small one has about 130 calories. Toppings add more calories!
All potatoes you can find in the grocery store are microwaveable, but we especially recommend russet potatoes for the best microwave baked potatoes, as they are large and have a nice, fluffy texture.
You can also make these recipes with sweet potatoes, although cooking times may vary!
And there you have it, a one-stop guide on how to microwave jacket potatoes, a main course or quick side dish that can be prepared in minutes and served in countless ways. A weeknight classic you can’t help but love.