There are plenty of ways to cook baked potatoes, but once you’ve tried steam baked potatoes it’s hard to go back. This simple two-step method combines the speed and moisture-retention of combi steam cooking with a short finishing roast to crisp the skins. The result is a perfect baked potato: fluffy, creamy interiors and crisp, salty skins that are just begging to be loaded with toppings.
Whether you’re serving these as a simple weeknight dinner, a side dish for a roast, or setting up a baked potato bar for family and friends, this method delivers consistently excellent results with very little effort.
Why do steam baked potatoes work well in a steam oven?
Steam ovens are uniquely suited to baked potatoes because the added humidity helps the potatoes cook through more evenly than a conventional oven, while preventing them from drying out. The steam gently penetrates the potatoes to create exceptionally fluffy, moist interiors. Once they’re cooked, a short blast of dry heat crisps and seasons the skins. It’s faster, more reliable, and produces a better texture than traditional baked potato methods.
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Ingredients and substitutions
See the recipe card further down for full method and ingredient quantities – it’s a short list for this recipe!
- Potatoes: Large floury or all-purpose potatoes work best for classic fluffy baked potatoes. Russet, Desiree and similar varieties are excellent choices. Waxy potatoes will also work, though the finished texture will be creamier.
- Olive oil, butter or duck fat: Brushing the potatoes with fat before the final roasting stage helps crisp the skins and adds flavor. Olive oil is my usual, but duck fat, if you happen to have some, is absolutely unbeatable for taste.
- Flaky salt: Essential for creating those irresistible savory potato skins.
Steam Baked Potato Toppings
Once you’ve mastered the basic method for steam baked potatoes, there are endless ways to customize them.
For a classic approach, top them with butter, sour cream, grated cheese and chives. To feed a crowd, create a toppings station with options like crispy bacon, shredded cheese, sweetcorn, black beans, sautéed mushrooms, green onions and fresh herbs.
For a more substantial meal, try topping baked potatoes with chili, pulled pork, shredded chicken, slow-cooked beef or leftover roast meat. They also pair beautifully with sautéed spinach, pesto, roasted vegetables or a dollop of garlic yogurt.
How to make steam baked potatoes
View, save and print the recipe card further down in this post; read on for the visual walk-through.
Preheat your oven and grab a baking sheet.
If you haven’t already, scrub the potatoes well and dry them. Use a fork to poke holes all over each potato, to allow steam to escape during cooking. Place them on a baking sheet or tray.
If your oven has a temperature probe, insert it into the center of the largest potato.
Cook the potatoes until they reach an internal temperature of 206°F/97°C. Depending on their size, this usually takes between 45 minutes and an hour.
If you don’t have a probe, check with an instant-read thermometer towards the end of cooking. The potatoes should feel completely soft when squeezed gently.
Remove the potatoes from the oven and change the oven to the same temperature without steam.
Brush the potatoes all over with olive oil, melted butter or duck fat, then sprinkle generously with flaky salt.
Return them to the oven and cook for about 15 minutes, until the skins are crisp and dry to the touch.
Split the potatoes open while they’re still hot. Fluff the interiors with a fork and add your favorite toppings before serving.
Tips for success
Choose potatoes of a similar size so they cook evenly.
If you’re using a temperature probe, rely on temperature rather than time whenever possible. Potatoes can vary enormously in size and density, and temperature is the most reliable indicator of doneness.
Don’t skip the final crisping stage. While the potatoes are fully cooked after the steam baking portion, the short roast transforms the skins from soft to crisp and flavorful.
Be generous with the salt after brushing the potatoes with fat. The salty skins are one of the best parts of the finished dish.
Steam baked potatoes serving suggestions
These potatoes are at their best served immediately while the interiors are piping hot and fluffy.
If you have leftovers, store them in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat using combi steam or a moderate oven until warmed through. While the skins won’t be quite as crisp as when freshly made, they’ll still be delicious.
This recipe is also ideal for entertaining. You can cook the potatoes ahead of time, then do the final oiling and crisping step just before serving.
Perfect potatoes don’t require complicated techniques. By combining steam cooking with a short finishing roast, you get creamy, fluffy interiors and crisp, salty skins every time. These steam baked potatoes are a simple method that delivers consistently excellent results and works beautifully whether you’re serving a casual family dinner or feeding a crowd.
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Perfect Steam Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 potatoes large, whole, scrubbed but not peeled (about 8oz/230g each)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil or butter, or melted duck fat
- 1 tsp flaky salt or more, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to Combi Steam, 375°F/190°C, 100% (high) steam.
- Use a fork to poke the potatoes all over, to allow steam to escape during cooking. Place the potatoes onto a baking sheet or tray.4 potatoes
- Optional step, if you have a temperature probe with your oven: insert the probe into the center of the largest potato.
- Put the potatoes into the oven. Connect the probe, if using, and set the target temperature to 206°F/97°C. Cook until the potatoes reach this internal temperature, about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of the potatoes. My potatoes weighed approximately 8 ounces (230g) each and took 55 minutes to reach temperature. Note: if you don't have a probe, use an instant read thermometer towards the end of cooking to check the temperature of your potatoes.
- When the potatoes are done, remove them from the oven and change your oven settings to switch off the steam (leave the temperature the same). Use a pastry brush to coat the potatoes all over with olive oil (or another fat of choice), then sprinkle with salt.2 Tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp flaky salt
- Return to the oven and cook until the skin has dried out and crisped a little, about 15 minutes.
- To serve, cut the potatoes open, fluff up the insides, and add butter, cheese or other toppings. Serve hot.
Notes
- Potato choice. I have tried this method using several different potato varieties and all have worked really well. My preference is for a floury or all-purpose potato (think Desiree or Russet), because the texture is more fluffy ‘classic baked potato’. Waxy varieties also work fine, they just have a creamier texture when baked.Â
- Potato size. It’s hopefully obvious, but the size of your potatoes will dramatically affect cooking time! Small potatoes may be done in as little as 30 minutes, extra large ones can take an hour or more. The potatoes I used in the images for this post weigh about 8 ounces (230g) each, and took 55 minutes to reach the perfect internal temperature.Â
- Toppings. This is where you can get really creative! Butter, cheese and sour cream are old school staples if you want to keep things simple. Crispy bacon bits, shredded cheese, sweetcorn, black beans and spring/green onions are regulars at my house. Other great toppings include chili con carne; pulled pork, chicken or beef; sauteed mushrooms; spinach; pesto or herbs.Â
- Nutrition data. The nutrition calculations for this recipe are ONLY for the oiled, salted potatoes as per the recipe; calculations do not include any toppings you choose to use.Â
