For The Crispiest Baked Potato Skin, Follow This Easy Oil Tip

Baked potatoes are an American staple; everyone enjoys them, and they're one of the easiest things to make. And while it's true that a good baked potato only requires piercing a russet potato with a fork a few times, baking it until tender, and serving it with your favorite toppings, a little extra effort can take the side from good to great. The skin, for one, can easily end up chewy or soggy without any care. You may be okay with only eating the fluffy interior, but we're here to tell you that the key to deliciously crispy baked potato skin is easy and worth it. Bake the pierced potatoes as you usually would, remove them from the oven once tender, coat them with oil, and return them to the oven for 10 minutes.

If you're wondering why you can't just oil them before you put them in the oven the first time, it's because doing so would actually backfire. When coated on raw potatoes, the oil creates a seal that locks in the moisture released during the cooking process; it can't evaporate, so the skin absorbs that moisture and becomes soggy. Waiting until the potatoes are done cooking on the inside allows ample time for that moisture to evaporate, so the skin is dry when you pull them out. A layer of oil and a quick stint back in the oven result in golden, crispy skin that is just as good as the inside of the potato.

The classic loaded baked potato ingredients include sour cream, butter, cheese, bacon, and green onions (tip: chives are a better baked potato topping than scallions!). But this is not to say you can't get creative with how you top yours. You can add your favorite creamy salad dressing to your baked potato in place of butter for more flavor. Or swap the sour cream for avocado on your baked potato for a dairy-free option that still gives you the creamy, fatty addition the fluffy potato needs.

You can even add protein to your potato to take it from side to main. Taco-seasoned ground beef with salsa and cheese make for a Mexican-inspired baked potato, while cubed steak, sauteed mushrooms, and onions give it all the steakhouse flavors. And crispy chickpeas add substance and a pleasant texture to the soft potato for a vegetarian-friendly meal.