How to Bake a Potato in a Toaster Oven?

Baking a potato can be the simplest of tasks, just pop it in the microwave, and let it soften while you prop your feet up on the couch. Nothing satisfies the craving more than digging into the fluffy innards of a baked potato and if you’ve been wondering whether you can achieve that identically soft, tender but crispy potato in a toaster oven, then you might want to keep reading!

Table of Contents

• What is a Toaster Oven?
• Can You Bake in a Toaster Oven?
• Toaster Oven Baked Potato
• Washing and Prepping your Potatoes
• How to Bake Potatoes in a Toaster Oven?
• Temperature and Time for Baking Potatoes
• How Do I Know When a Baked Potato is Done?
• Baking a Potato in a Toaster Oven
  • Ingredients
  • Method
• What to Serve with Baked Potatoes?
  • BBQ Meatloaf
    • Ingredients
    • Meatloaf
    • BBQ Glaze
  • Pan Seared T-Bone Steak
    • Ingredients
    • Method
  • Southern Coleslaw
    • Ingredients
    • Method
  • Baked Beans
    • Ingredients
    • Method
• Baking a Potato in a Toaster Oven
• FAQs

What is a Toaster Oven?

A toaster oven is a small kitchen appliance used to heat food. They include a removable wire rack and a removable baking pan. Toaster ovens use less energy than traditional ovens while cooking foods, similar to a traditional oven than a microwave.

Can You Bake in a Toaster Oven?

Toaster ovens are useful for almost everything, particularly when baking, they really are mini lifesavers especially when unexpected guests turn up! Fortunately heir great innate to heat up quickly, you can bake a dozen cookies in a toaster oven in the same time it would take to preheat a regular oven. Apart from the fact that they take less time to preheat, the actual baking duration is approximately two to four minutes shorter in a toaster oven.

Another great advantage of using a toaster oven to bake, is that your meal will be heated evenly, without having to continuously check and rotate your meal like you would with a regular oven, due to separate heating elements fit at the bottom of the oven.

Toaster Oven Baked Potato

To make baked potatoes in the toaster oven you will need baking potatoes to begin with. You can use starchy potatoes like Russet or Idaho. Their high starch content makes their innards more fluffy providing a pleasantly soft bite. Along with russet potatoes in this recipe you’re going to need some olive oil, and salt to create this perfect dish.

Washing and Prepping your Potatoes

Scrub each of your potatoes with water using a brush if needed, then dry them thoroughly. Once the potatoes are dry, using a pastry brush, coat the skins with a little olive oil, and sprinkle them with salt. Lastly stab each potato twice with a fork, this is to ensure that the potatoes do not split or burst as the steam builds up inside while they cook.

How to Bake Potatoes in a Toaster Oven?

Preheat your toaster oven on bake for 400 degrees. Then set the timer for the number of minutes needed based on the size of your potatoes. Once it is preheated, carefully place the prepared russet potatoes on the middle rack of the toaster oven. Closing the door to let them cook. You won’t need to turn or rotate them. You’ll find that they are best completed when their skin is crisp and flesh is tender.

Temperature and Time for Baking Potatoes

In the toaster oven set to 400 degrees, below are the baking times for potatoes according to their size:

Size	Time
Small	35 to 40 minutes
Medium	45 to 50 minutes
Large	60 to 65 minutes
Extra Large	75+ minutes

When using the convection setting of a regular oven preheated at 375 degrees, these are the baking times:

Size	Time
Small	30 minutes
Medium	40 minutes
Large	50 minutes
Extra Large	60+ minutes

How Do I Know When a Baked Potato is Done?

The best way to test if your potatoes have been baked thoroughly, is essentially a two-step process. The first step is to give them a gentle squeeze. Gingerly open the toaster oven door and using an oven mitt, or kitchen towel give the potato a gentle but firm squeeze. Try not to rip the skin open. If it feels firm and doesn’t collapse easily then let it keep cooking. If it does collapse, and is soft, then perhaps it is ready.

You can double check this by using a sharp thin knife. Insert it into the middle of the potato and if it slides in easily it is ready. You might want to avoid poking the potatoes too much as it’ll release too much steam, exposing the potato more than necessary. Keeping it intact allows the flesh to cook evenly.

Baking a Potato in a Toaster Oven

Making baked potatoes in the toaster oven is an easy and scrumptious way to cook this classic dish, whether you plan to have it with some beans, French fries, or as a side dish, with some cream cheese on top of it. The skin becomes crisp, with the inside soft and fluffy. If your toaster oven has a convection oven setting, this baked potato recipe would be super quick, providing you with that delicious baked potato in no time. Check the ingredients and method below:

Ingredients

• 4 russet potatoes
• Olive oil
• Salt

Method

1. Preheat the toaster oven to 400 degrees on the bake setting. Then set the timer for the number of minutes required. It should be between 35 to 75 minutes based on the size.
2. Scrub each of your potatoes with water, using a brush if needed then dry them thoroughly.
3. Once the potatoes are dry, using a pastry brush coat the skins with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, lastly poke the potatoes twice with a fork.
4. Once the toaster oven has been preheated, add the potatoes to the rack in the middle of the oven, don’t worry about moving or flipping them, allow them to bake thoroughly.
5. To test if they’re done, give them a good squeeze, carefully open the toaster oven and with an oven mitt or kitchen towel in your hand, giving the potato a gentle squeeze. Try not to break the skin open. If it feels warm with very little resistance let it keep cooking. If it collapses and feels soft then it might be ready. Once the potato collapses beautifully, you can then double check its doneness using a sharp thin knife, inserting it into the centre of the potato and if it slides in easily it is ready.
6. Cut and open up the potato then top with your favourite toppings.
7. If you have any leftovers then baked potatoes store easily in the refrigerator. Wrap each in foil and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. When you’re ready to eat it, remove the potato from the foil and place it on a microwave safe plate. Heat it in the microwave for 3 to 5 minutes or until piping hot, this will depend on the size of your potato. To heat the potato in the toaster oven set it to 400 degrees and heat it for 10 minutes.

What to Serve with Baked Potatoes?

When the craving for fully loaded potatoes crash lands into your empty stomach, once you’ve set your potato to bake in your toaster oven, you can focus on the tasty elements of toppings that will be equally as satisfying.

Perhaps you crave baked potato overflowing with bright red beans, soaking into the tender, soft potato, or a simple glop of cream cheese sprinkled with fresh chives. No matter your preference, when it comes to serving your baked potato as a main meal or side there are plenty of side dishes that will pair with it perfectly.

Could it be a spoonful of butter or sour cream? It doesn’t take much to create a picture of perfection out of this brilliant meal. As great as potatoes are served on their own, let’s take a look at some dishes that we love to serve with our baked potatoes:

• BBQ Meatloaf
• Pan Seared T-Bone Steak
• Southern Coleslaw
• Smoked Beef Roast
• Baked Beans

BBQ Meatloaf

Whether you’re planning to host a party for the weekend or a small get-together, BBQ meatloaf is definitely a crowd pleaser. In addition to the very popular meatloaf flavours, the BBQ glaze adds a brilliant tangy kick to the meal. Loading your baked potatoes with this dish will complete this main meal both sensationally and deliciously. Perfect for any meal prepping, family dinner, or any other occasion, this BBQ meatloaf is brimming with classic meatloaf flavours. This simple meatloaf recipe requires a cup of your favourite BBQ sauce so you can control the heat or sweetness of the glaze. Take a look at the recipe below:

Ingredients

• 2 lb ground beef
• 1/2 cup white onion
• 1 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tbsp meatloaf seasoning
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup BBQ sauce
• 1 tsp liquid smoke

Meatloaf

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper
2. In a large mixing bowl add the ground beef, plain breadcrumbs, diced or grated onions, beaten eggs, meatloaf seasoning, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce, mix until all the ingredients are well blended
3. Take the ground beef mixture and transfer it to your prepared baking sheet or loaf pan. Form a loaf shape with the meatloaf mixture that is mounded at the top
4. Place the meatloaf in the middle of the rack in the oven and bake at 350F for 50 minutes

BBQ Glaze

1. Pull the meatloaf out of the oven and coat it with BBQ sauce then return the meatloaf to the oven allowing it to bake for another 10 to 20 minutes. Remove the meatloaf from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 155F
2. Remove the meatloaf from the oven when the internal temperature is at 155F. Drain off the excess grease and allow your meatloaf to rest for 10 minutes
3. While resting, the meatloaf will continue to cook and will eventually reach the internal temperature of 160F, then you can slice and serve your meatloaf.

Pan Seared T-Bone Steak

Impeccable steak seasoning, grilled to perfection and lathered with garlic herb butter making pan-seared T-Bone steaks so delicately juicy and tender. These sides would pair perfectly with a freshly baked potato, infused with fragrant butter, these T-Bone steaks are succulent and melt in your mouth beautifully. Take a look at the recipe below:

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 12 oz T-Bone steak
• 1/2 tbsp steak seasoning
• 3 cloves garlic
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 tbsp butter

Method

1. Preheat your oven to thoroughly cook your T-Bone steak, if you have a thick cut steak then heat the oven to 400F and make sure to use an oven-safe skillet.
2. Heat your large skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat, and as soon as it starts to release smoke, it is ready to have the steaks added
3. While the skillet is heating season both your steaks using the homemade steak seasoning. Pat the seasoning into place and do not rub it into the steak, as it can gather in one spot rather than spreading evenly
4. Place your seasoned T-bone steak, garlic, and herbs in the hot skillet and allow the steak to cook without moving it for 4 minutes or until browned and caramelisation has begun
5. Flip your steak over and cook the second side for 4 minutes, then add your tablespoon of butter. Let the butter melt, then tilt your pan towards you, and dip the spoon into the running butter throwing it over the steaks to add flavour and moisture into your cooked steak
6. The steaks are cooked when both sides are browned and have an internal temperature of 135F
7. Transfer the steaks to a platter, drizzling the pan juices along with the herbs and garlic to set on your steaks while they rest.
8. Use a square of aluminium foil to loosely tent over your steaks while they’re resting, then let them sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Southern Coleslaw

Southern coleslaw can be enjoyed with a wide variety of foods, the contrast in tangy flavours mixed with the baked fluffiness of the potato, will bring forth savoured appreciation from those who take part in this meal. Southern coleslaw pairs well with many entrees like steak, chicken, or our personal favourite – the large baked potato – whatever you’ve made give this recipe a try!

Ingredients

• 1 head green cabbage
• 1 small carrot
• 1 cup mayo
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp celery
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

Method

1. Use a food processor to shred the cabbage, or grate it using a hand grater, then shred or grate the carrot similarly.
2. Combine the shredded cabbage and carrot in a large mixing bowl with the remaining ingredients: mayo, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, onion powder, and celery seeds. Taste test your coleslaw and adjust the seasonings as needed.
3. Cover the mixing bowl with a lid or plastic wrap allowing it to chill for an hour before serving

Baked Beans

Baked beans are a sensational additional to any outdoor cookout or barbecue, not to mention their instant belonging on a fresh baked potato, the fluffy innards ready to be lathered in the thick ruby red beans. Check out this easy recipe below!

Ingredients

• 1 tin can of beans
• 1 tsp butter
• Salt
• Pepper
• mozzarella cheese

Method

1. Use a can opener to twist open the lid of the tinned beans
2. Heat a small saucepan, then add a little butter to it, waiting for the sizzle
3. drop the beans into the saucepan, and let it heat up, adding a pinch of salt and pepper to the bubbling beans
4. Add a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese, then pour it over the patiently waiting baked potato, serve immediately.

Baking a Potato in a Toaster Oven

This is hardly a chore, with the simplicity of this task being almost magical, creating some delectable sides whilst waiting for your potato to bake, is a great way to have an entire meal prepared for you to enjoy minus the hassle of rotating the potatoes when resting in the oven. A toaster oven provides the perfect amount of warmth, rendering you idle for a short period of time!

FAQs