These Baked Potatoes in Ninja Air Fryer are crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside, with just 3 ingredients and 3 minutes prep. As a self-proclaimed air fryer expert, this is one of my favorite ways to cook potatoes!
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These air fryer baked potatoes are everything a baked potato should be: fluffy on the inside, super crisp on the outside, and endlessly customizable. A really good baked potato doesn’t need much, but I am a firm believer that the cooking method makes all the difference! This recipe is one of my favorite easy side dishes and air fryer recipes, simply because it goes with just about everything! My personal favorites to serve with baked potatoes are my Easy Ribeye Roast or Pecan Crusted Salmon!
I love my 5.5 quart Ninja air fryer, and as an air fryer teacher in my community, my mind is always spinning with what I can cook in it next. After making my Air Fryer Baked Potatoes with Pulled Pork, I realized I had officially cracked the code on making the best baked potatoes in the air fryer: simple, reliable, and downright delicious.
The skins (also called jackets) get extra crispy, there’s no waiting around for the oven to preheat, and when it’s just my husband and me at the table, this is hands-down the easiest way to get a classic side dish on the plate. It’s low effort, high reward, and just the way I like to cook!
Shortcuts
- I like to preheat the air fryer a little bit, but you can skip the preheating completely, since your air fryer heats up fast.
- Prep the potatoes earlier in the day and air fry right before dinner!
Ingredients
This recipe for baked potatoes in ninja air fryer uses just pantry ingredients that you probably already have on hand! Here's what you'll need:
Scroll down to printable recipe for exact ingredient quantities.
- Russet potatoes: These are the classic baking potatoes with fluffy interiors and sturdy skins!
- Oil: Helps the skin crisp up beautifully! You can use olive oil, vegetable oil, or avocado oil here.
- Kosher salt: Sticks better to the oiled skin and seasons that crispy potato skin.
- Butter, sour cream, chives (optional): Simple toppings that never disappoint!
Tip: Choose russet potatoes that are close in size and weight. This helps them cook evenly and finish at the same time! No guessing, no half-done potatoes.
How to Make Baked Potatoes in Ninja Air Fryer
Scroll down to the bottom for the printable recipe with detailed instructions.
- Preheat the air fryer to 375F° for 3 minutes. Wash and pat dry the potatoes. With the tines of a fork, poke holes evenly all over the potatoes about ¼-inch deep.
- Rub about 1 teaspoon of oil all over the potatoes. Sprinkle evenly with salt, pressing it onto the oiled potato to get it to stick.
- Air fry at 375F° for about 30 minutes, depending on the size of your potatoes.
- Carefully remove the potatoes from the oven or air fryer with tongs onto a cutting board. Let them stand at room temperature for about 5 minutes to cool down slightly.
- To test for doneness, insert a table knife or the tines of a fork to the center of the potato. If it goes in easily, it’s done.
Kathleen's Top Tip! I learned this trick while working at a steak restaurant in college, and I still use it every time. Once the potatoes are done, cut slits halfway through the top. Then, using two potholders or a clean kitchen towel, push the ends toward the center. The potato pops right open, ready for butter, sour cream, chives, or whatever you’re piling on top!
Gild the Lily
If you want to take things over the top, turn these into loaded baked potatoes. Once the potatoes are split open using the steakhouse trick, fluff the inside with a fork and add butter right away so it melts into every nook.
Top with shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack, crispy bacon bits, sour cream, and sliced green onions. You can even pop the loaded potatoes back into the air fryer for 2–3 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly!
Substitutions & Variations
- Use sweet potatoes instead of russets. Sweet potatoes work beautifully in the air fryer and come out tender with lightly crisped skins. Do NOT poke or prick sweet potatoes. The caramelized goodness will drip out.
- Try a different fat for extra flavor. Olive oil is classic, but avocado oil, flavored oil, or even bacon fat add great flavor and help the skin crisp up. Bacon fat in particular gives the potatoes a subtle smoky richness that is super tasty.
- Season beyond salt. While salt alone is delicious, you can add cracked black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, or even a pinch of Cajun seasoning on the skins before air frying.
Pro Tips
- Dry the potatoes really well. After washing, pat the potatoes completely dry with a kitchen towel. Any moisture left on the skin will steam the potato instead of crisping it, and that crispy skin is half the magic here!
- Give them space in the basket. Air fryers work best when hot air can circulate freely. If the potatoes are crowded or touching, they’ll cook unevenly and won’t get as crisp.
- Let them rest before cutting. Allow the potatoes to sit for about 5 minutes after cooking. This gives the interior time to finish steaming and results in a fluffier, lighter texture inside.
What to Serve with Best Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
The ways that you can serve baked potatoes in the ninja air fryer are absolutely endless! They are practically the perfect side dish, if you ask me. I recommend serving them with Air Fryer Meatloaf and Southern Fried Squash for a full Southern supper! They would also go great with an Air Fryer Whole Chicken and No Yeast Rolls. Now that’s a plate I won’t turn down!
How to Store, Freeze & Reheat
- To Store: Keep leftover Ninja air fryer baked potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To Freeze: Wrap tightly in foil and freeze for up to 2 months.
- To Reheat: Pop them back into the air fryer at 350°F about 6 minutes or until heated through and crisp again! You can also bake them in the oven at 375°F for 10 to 12 minutes.
FAQ's
The time to bake two 10 ounce baking potatoes in the air fryer is 30 to 35 minutes. The air fryer creates a crispy skin while keeping the inside fluffy and tender, all in less time than the oven.
No foil needed here, and that’s actually a good thing. Wrapping potatoes traps moisture and results in soft skin, while air frying them uncovered gives you that crispy exterior.
Poking holes in Russet and Idaho potatoes allows steam to escape as the potato cooks! This prevents pressure from building up inside and helps the potato cook evenly from the inside out and makes them more fluffy.
Leave a comment below the printable recipe if you have questions or tell me how you liked the recipe. Don't forget to rate it 5 stars if you love it!
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Baked Potatoes in Ninja Air Fryer
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 10-ounce Russet or other baking potatoes
- 2 teaspoons olive oil (vegetable oil, or other oil like avocado)
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt or about ¼ teaspoon table salt
- Butter, sour cream, and chives (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 375F° for 3 minutes.
- Wash and pat dry the potatoes. With the tines of a fork, poke holes evenly all over the potatoes about ¼-inch deep.
- Rub about 1 teaspoon of oil all over the potatoes. Sprinkle evenly with salt, pressing it onto the oiled potato to get it to stick.
- Cook on the Air Fry setting at 375F° for about 35 minutes, depending on the size of your potatoes.Pro Tip: Test for doneness by inserting a table knife or the tines of a fork to the center of the potato. If it goes in easily, it’s done.
- Carefully remove the potatoes from the oven or air fryer with tongs onto a cutting board. Let them stand at room temperature for about 5 minutes to cool down slightly.
Notes
Pro tips:
- Dry the potatoes really well. After washing, pat the potatoes completely dry with a kitchen towel. Any moisture left on the skin will steam the potato instead of crisping it, and that crispy skin is half the magic here!
- Give them space in the basket. Air fryers work best when hot air can circulate freely. If the potatoes are crowded or touching, they’ll cook unevenly and won’t get as crisp.
- Let them rest before cutting. Allow the potatoes to sit for about 5 minutes after cooking. This gives the interior time to finish steaming and results in a fluffier, lighter texture inside.
Nutrition
Nutrition for this recipe includes the skins or jackets.
Nutrition analysis on GritsAndGouda.com recipes are mostly calculated on an online nutrition calculator. I am not a dietitian and nutritional information is an estimate and can vary based on products used.
Patricia Owens
Do you use the fry or bake setting?
Kathleen
Use the air fry setting. That will give you the super heated circulated air. The bake setting takes away that circulated air that helps cook top and bottom at same time.