Top News

Air fryers are famous for making food faster, crispier, and often healthier, and now there's a simple way to make jacket potatoes that are perfectly crunchy on the outside and soft and buttery in the middle. For many, there's nothing better than a proper baked potato loaded with toppings like cheese, beans or tuna mayo.

And while most people still make them in the oven, one food expert says using an air fryer might actually be the better option. The key is using the right oil, the right type of potato, and a very easy method that brings everything together. It's ideal for a quick lunch or dinner, especially when you don't want to heat up your whole kitchen by turning the oven on.

You'll still get that golden, crisp skin and a fluffy centre, and it takes less time and energy than traditional baking.

The tip comes from Nicky Corbishley, a Sunday Times Best Selling author and award-winning recipe developer based in Devon, who runs the Kitchen Sanctuary blog.

Nicky said the air fryer delivers "a fantastic baked spud" and recommends using large floury potatoes like Maris Piper, King Edward or Russet for the best results.

She also suggests using avocado oil or even beef dripping to get the skin extra crispy, although the latter is not suitable for vegetarians.

To serve, she says the potatoes go well with tuna mayo, baked beans and cheese, or even crispy bacon or coleslaw. You can also plate them up with stews or casseroles.

And if you're short on time, there's a quicker method using the microwave first to speed things up before crisping them in the air fryer.

Ingredients

• 2 large baking potatoes
• 1 tbsp avocado oil (or other high smoke point oil)
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp salted butter
  

Method

Scrub the potatoes clean and prick them several times with a fork.

Coat them in the oil, salt and pepper.

Place in the air fryer basket and cook at 200C (400F) for 45-50 minutes. Shake the basket once halfway through cooking.

Remove and slice each potato in half lengthways using a tea towel to protect your hands.

Fluff the inside with a fork, then add a knob of butter to each and serve.

Speed-up method

Microwave one potato for 5 minutes or two potatoes for 7 minutes.

Carefully coat in oil, salt and pepper.

Place in air fryer at 200C (400F) for 10-12 minutes, shaking halfway through.

Slice, fluff, and butter before serving.

---