A good baked potato is one of those deceptively simple comfort foods — crispy skin, fluffy interior and just begging to be smothered in toppings. But who has the patience to wait an hour for one to roast in the oven, especially when it’s already 85 degrees outside and you’d rather not turn on the heat? If you’re looking to skip the wait without sacrificing that steakhouse-style perfection, there’s a faster way — and all you need is an air fryer.

This two-step trick cuts your cooking time way down without cutting corners on texture. You still get the golden, crackly exterior and soft center, but in a fraction of the time. No need to fire up the grill or preheat the oven for 40 minutes. If you love baked potatoes but hate the wait, this is the shortcut that’ll change your cookout game all summer long. 

With a microwave to speedily cook the inside and a powerful air fryer to crisp the skin, you’ll wonder why anyone makes baked potatoes the old-fashioned way.

My 12-Minute Baked Potato Recipe

What you need

Directions

• Step 1: Poke 10-12 air holes in the potato using a fork and salt liberally.
• Step 2: Microwave the potato on high for 8 to 10 minutes or until it’s fork-tender and cooked through.
• Step 3: Slice the potato halfway through and toss with melted butter or olive oil. You can also stuff the potato with cheese or bacon bits.
• Step 4: Air fry on high, skin side up, for 2 minutes.
• Step 5: Flip and cook for another two minutes until desired crispiness is achieved. (If topping with cheese, veggies or bacon, cook skin side down only.)

For more tips, see my list of the seven foods I’ll only air fry from now on, and learn the best way to reheat every kind of leftovers.