Baked potatoes are a fantastic hearty dinner as they are so easy to make, but the only downside is that it can take ages for them to cook in the oven.
It usually takes over an hour to fully cook a potato, which can be inconvenient if you are hungry and want your dinner as quickly as possible.
However, Karli Bitner, a cook and founder of Cooking with Karli has shared that she discovered a “game-changer” method to cook a jacket potato in only 10 minutes.
She said: “A baked potato is the perfect side for so many dinners – but I never think about making them until it’s too late to pop them into the oven.
“That’s why knowing how to make baked potatoes in the microwave in minutes is one of my favourite dinner time hacks!”
It may seem strange, but this method will dramatically reduce the cooking time and will even help make the baked potato fluffier on the inside as the microwave retains moisture in food while cooking.
Karli said: “Using a microwave to bake your potatoes is a super quick way to get a hearty side on the table. Done in minutes, these are soft and tender with the absolute minimum effort possible.”
How to cook a baked potato in the microwave
All you need to do is first wash the potatoes thoroughly, then stab each potato multiple times with a fork to allow steam to escape while it cooks.
Then place the potatoes on a heatproof plate and microwave for five minutes.
Turn the potatoes over once the time is up and cook them in the microwave for an additional five minutes.
Test if the potatoes are ready to eat by gently squeezing the potato. It should feel soft, but it still feels hard in the centre then microwave it for two minutes and then test it again.
Once fully cooked, remove from the microwave, cut the centre of the potato and press on the sides to split the potato open.
Top with your favourite toppings and your tasty baked potato is ready to serve.
If you want the baked potato to have a crispy skin then lather the potato with oil, season with salt and pepper then place in the oven at 200C for 10 minutes after microwaving it.
Your baked potato should only take 10 minutes to make from scratch or 20 minutes if using both the microwave and the oven.
