Jacket potato or baked potato, whatever you want to call it, there's no denying that a perfectly cooked, crispy, hot and fluffy potato, topped with a delicious filling is one of the finer things in life. In fact, I'd go as far to say, if I could only eat one dish for the rest of my life, I'd probably go for a jacket potato.
Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and topped with a delicious filling, it’s a satisfying meal that warms both body and soul. And since achieving the perfect air fryer baked potatoes, I’ll never go back to cooking them in a conventional oven. But the question is always what to eat with my baked potato? The perfect filling must be comforting but healthy, indulgent yet nourishing. So recently, I've been trying out different healthy baked potato toppings - here are five of my current faves.
Tuna and Avocado
Combine canned tuna with diced avocado for a creamy, protein-rich topping for your air fryer baked potato. Drizzle with a little olive oil and a squeeze of lemon for a fresh finish.
Vegan Black Beans and Salsa
Create a vegan Mexican-inspired filling by mixing black beans with your favourite salsa. Add a sprinkle of chopped parsley, a squeeze of lime, and a dash of hot chilli sauce for extra heat. Leftover vegan chilli is also a great topping for air fryer jacket potatoes. I also love eating black beans with sweet potatoes.
Hummus and Roasted Vegetables
Here's another healthy baked potato topping that just happens to be vegan. Spread a generous dollop of hummus over your potato and top it with a mix of roasted vegetables like peppers, courgette, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes. If you have a dual air fryer, you can even air fry your roasted veggies while your jacket potato cooks.
Homemade Coleslaw
Coleslaw is a traditional topping for jacket potatoes, but supermarket coleslaws can be a little uninspiring. By making your own coleslaw, you can vary the ingredients and control how much mayonnaise you use. Alternatively, make a coleslaw with a little natural yogurt for an even healthier baked potato option. I know cabbage, carrot and onion are the traditional ingredients, but I like to use finely sliced red onion and celery, combined with grated carrot as the basis for my homemade coleslaw. You can add chopped nuts, raisins, pomegranate seeds, sliced fennel, grated apple – or whatever else your heart desires to make your own favourite coleslaw recipe. You can make this even more indulgent by mixing in a little grated cheddar cheese.
Cottage Cheese and Pineapple
I love the contrast between the hot jacket potato and the cool cottage cheese. The pineapple adds a sharp and sweet touch that cuts through the cottage cheese perfectly. I like to add lots of black pepper to enhance the low fat cottage cheese as it can be a little bland otherwise.
Perfect Air Fryer Jacket Potatoes
Make sure you get a perfect baked potato every time with these tips:
Choosing the right potato for baking in air fryer
Begin by selecting the best potatoes for baking. King Edward, Maris Piper or Russet are all great choices due to their starchy texture. Ensure they are clean and dry before air frying.
Prepping the potatoes
Give your potato a quick scrub to remove any dirt or debris. Then prick the potato in a few places with a fork or knife to create small vents. This helps steam escape during cooking and prevents them from bursting.
Before I put my potatoes in the air fryer, I like to give them a quick rub with unrefined olive oil, avocado oil or vegetable oil - whatever I have to hand. Then I sprinkle them with sea salt and pepper to enhance the flavour and create a crispy skin. I find that sea salt gives a crispier finish than regular table salt so it's definitely worth seeking out.
Air fryer setup
I don't preheat my Ninja air fryer before cooking baked potatoes and have never had any issues with the cooking time. But, if you like to preheat, you can go ahead and do that.
I put my potatoes straight into the air fryer drawer (I find there's no need for liners or inserts with my Ninja Dual). If you’re cooking more than one potato, make sure they are not overcrowded to allow proper air circulation.
Air fryer baked potatoes time and temperature
How long to cook jacket potatoes in an air fryer? Well cooking times can vary dramatically depending on the size and thickness of your potatoes. I like mine to be very soft on the inside with a super-crispy skin, so I cook a small-medium potato for around 50 minutes at 200C (400F). You can adjust this to your own preference and size of potato. I like to turn the potato half way through to ensure even cooking.
To check if your jacket potatoes are done, insert a fork or skewer into the centre. If it slides in easily and the inside is soft, they’re ready. If not, continue cooking for a few more minutes.
To check if your jacket potatoes are done, insert a fork or skewer into the centre. If it slides in easily and the interior is soft, they're ready. If not, continue cooking for a few more minutes.
Servings and toppings for loaded baked potatoes
Once your air fryer jacket potatoes are perfectly crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside, it’s time to load them up with your favourite toppings. I always add salt and pepper first and a little butter – but you can skip the butter if you prefer.
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