Baked potatoes are a delicious treat! They can be a filling and healthy dinner if you eat them aside from different dishes such as a meat of your choice or even a fresh salad.
You can combine baked potatoes with other dishes and put together a simple meal that tastes great. Even if you choose to eat them plain, they will taste delicious and you can season them with salt, pepper as well as different sauces and herbs of your choice.
To wrap it up, potatoes are some of the cheapest and most delicious veggies. And adults, as well as children, tend to find it hard to resist a tasty, baked potato.
But what to do when you have leftovers baked potatoes? There are ways to reheat them without sacrificing their taste or overcooking them.
You can easily reheat baked potatoes in the oven, microwave, stovetop, or grill and have a warm meal. Once you learn how to reheat your baked potatoes properly, you will never have to worry about leftovers again.
So, keep reading to find out everything you need to know about reheating a baked potato!
Step-by-Step Guide to Reheating a Potato
To reheat a potato you can use the regular oven that you originally baked it in or you can use the microwave and even your stove or grill.
We recommend using the oven so its taste and texture will be as close to the ones it had when you cooked it the first time.
First, you will have to take your potato out of the fridge and let it reach room temperature. This shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes and you should do that every time you reheat your baked potato, regardless of the method you choose.
Extreme changes in temperatures, like from cold to warm, can actually damage the taste of your potato and reduce its nutritional value significantly. Not to mention that they will not be as soft and fluffy as they were when you first baked them.
Reheating the potato in the oven
You will need to preheat the oven at about 350 degrees F before you use it to reheat your potato. When the temperature is reached, you will place the potato inside the oven on the grill or on a baking sheet.
If you don’t want it to stick to the grill, a baking sheet might be a great idea. You can also use a tray if you find it easier to manage or a container that is oven safe.
Leave it inside the oven for 15-20 minutes or until it is cooked all the way through. During this time, your potato will get crispy skin and it will still be soft and moist on the inside.
Reheating the potato in the microwave
Once your potato reached room temperature, you can use the microwave to reheat it faster but this might get your potato drier than you prefer it. But there is a trick to avoid the risk of getting your potato dry once you reheat it in the oven.
Cut the potato in two equal halves before you put it in the microwave and whar each half in a damp towel. Heat both halves of your potato for two minutes if it is a medium-size or three minutes if it is a large potato.
Reheating the potato on the stovetop
You might want to use your stovetop to reheat your potato and if that is the case, you will be glad to know it is rather simple.
All you have to do is cut the potatoes in half and put them in your pan along with a few drops of olive oil. Cook them like that, with the lid on for three to four minutes, and then flip them on all sides.
Flipping the potatoes will get their skin crispy and will cook them on all sides.
Reheating a potato on the grill
If you are making a barbecue, you can definitely drop your baked potatoes on the grill to heat them up.
Before you do that, wrap each potato in foil and place them on the grill for about 15 to 20 minutes. You can flip them every few minutes on different sizes too just to be sure no spot remains unheated.
Make sure to check on them to see if they are heated all the way through before you take them off the grill.
Is it OK to Reheat a Baked Potato?
If you do it the right way, reheating your baked potatoes can be a great way to have a delicious snack, lunch, or dinner with little effort.
The only risk you take when you reheat a potato is the potato going dry. However, if you follow the tips in this guide you will reduce that risk to a minimum and you will have fluffy and tasty potatoes even if they were cooked the other day.
Can You Refrigerate and Reheat Baked Potatoes?
Reheating your baked potato safely is just as important as storing it correctly. If you leave your baked potato at room temperature for more than a few hours, it will go bad. So, you will have to store it in the fridge.
You can expect your potato to stay safe and unaltered in the fridge for three to four days.
Storing your potato the right way in the fridge means wrapping it in foil and placing it on the back of the fridge where the temperature is the coolest.
Don’t forget to give them time to reach room temperature before you try to reheat them. This is extremely important if you want them to taste as freshly cooked as possible.
How Do You Reheat Potatoes Quickly?
The fastest way to reheat a potato is by using the microwave. However, this method is not also the one that will give you the best results.
Potatoes cooked or heated up in the microwave can easily turn out too dry and crumbly.
If you decide to try reheating your potatoes in the microwave, use the method in this guide and you will reduce the risk of getting them to dry.
You can also heat up your potatoes on the stovetop if you are in a hurry.
This is a healthier option that can also take less than 5 minutes. Plus, you don’t risk getting your potatoes dry and they will have a taste that is similar to freshly baked potatoes.
Even if you have these faster options to heat up potatoes, you might want to use the oven or the grill for a better result. Your potato will taste much better and you will not feel like you are eating a leftover meal.
Final Thoughts
Potatoes are some of the most popular food worldwide and baked potatoes are so versatile that you will want to enjoy them often.
You can eat them in various forms and if you reheat them the right way, you can also bake several ones at a time so you save yourself some work in the future days.
Consider these ways of reheating potatoes and you will enjoy them every time even if they are not freshly cooked.