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A sous vide baked potato comes out perfectly cooked every time...moist, fluffy and cooked to perfection! You can even do a quick sear on the skin afterwards to get a nice crisp on it.
So, yes, it takes a little while to sous vide a whole potato. But it's mostly hands off and you can cook it right in butter and seasonings to make it amazingly fully and delicious.
I love cooking the potatoes this way. This recipe is simple, but I've included some seasoning options down below for those who want to fancy up their potatoes.
We already make sous vide mini potatoes and sous vide sweet potatoes, so I thought why not do a sous vide baked potato!
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Why This Recipe Works
- Because we set the temperature, the potato will come out perfectly cooked every time.
- It's ultra easy to make and you can just put them in and walk away to do something else. No need to babysit them.
- The options are endless with potatoes - season them or serve them however you like! Scroll down below to see some great ideas for serving.
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What is Sous Vide?
Sous vide is basically a method of cooking using what is called an immersion circulator (i.e. the sous vide machine). This immersion circulator circulates water in a temperature controlled water bath at a certain temperature to perfectly cook your food every time.
Because the temperature doesn't change, and it keeps your meat (or dessert, veggies, etc.) at the same temperature, your risk of overcooking becomes very minimal.
To learn even more about sous vide cooking, head over and read "what is sous vide cooking and the benefits of sous vide cooking."
What is the Water Displacement Method?
The displacement method is where you slowly submerge a ziplock bag in water pushing the air out of the top of the bag (the bag should be slightly open at the top to allow air to escape).
Use a clip (I use sous vide magnets) to clip the bag to the side to keep it from floating and getting air and/or water inside.
Tools Used
You will also want to check out these posts on the best sous vide containers and the best sous vide bags for more information!
If you don't have a lot of experience cooking sous vide yet, you may want to pop over and read what sous vide cooking is and the benefits of sous vide cooking.
Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and amounts is included in the recipe card at the bottom pf the post.
The recipe calls for 2 medium sized russet potatoes. You can make 1 or you can make 20 (if you can fit that many in your sous vide container). You will want to make sure the potatoes are scrubbed clean so they don't taste like dirt when you cook them.
If your potatoes are on the large size, you will want to add 15-30 minutes to them, depending on the size, to ensure they cook all the way through.
We cook these potatoes simply with unsalted butter, salt and pepper to keep it simple. You can add fresh herbs, olive oil, truffles, whatever you'd like.
We also provide a list of potential toppings further down the post that you can put on after the potatoes are cooked.
Step By Step Instructions
Heat a sous vide water bath to 190°F (88°C) degrees.
Make sure the potatoes have been thoroughly cleaned and any blemishes or growths removed.
Use a fork to puncture small holes in each side of the potatoes in multiple places (like you would to microwave them).
Place the potatoes in a vacuum seal bag with the butter, salt and pepper.
Seal and cook for 2 hours. Will likely float so you may need to weigh it down to keep the bag submerged.
Remove from the water bath and serve immediately with toppings, or place under the broiler (after drying the skin) to crisp the skin then serve with toppings.
If broiling, rub an additional teaspoon of oil or melted butter on the outside and coat it with salt to get a nice crispy, salty skin.
**can also be placed in an ice bath for 20 minutes then kept in the fridge for 3-5 days before serving.
Expert Tips
- If the bag starts to float, weigh it down with something heavy or try these sous vide magnets or sous vide weight. The bag needs to be submerged so the potatoes cook evenly.
- If broiling/searing/torching the potato to crisp the skin, make sure the skin has been thoroughly dried so you can achieve the crispness.
- You can replace the butter with olive oil, bacon fat, duck fat or any other fat you prefer.
- To make in advance, place them in an ice bath for 20-30 minutes when they come out of the water bath (directly in the bags). Then store in the fridge or freezer until ready to use. Reheat at 190°F for 15-30 minutes (depending on whether frozen or not).
Servings Options
- To add some flavor to your potatoes while cooking, in addition to the butter salt, you can try these ideas:
- Add fresh thyme, rosemary, sage, or any other fresh herb in the bag. Add a couple sprigs.
- Add 1-2 teaspoon of garlic powder or use this sous vide garlic confit.
- Add some truffle zest for an even more earthy flavor.
- Add some chopped green onions or shallots to the bag. You can crisp them afterwards and serve them on top as well.
- You can also dress your potato up after it cooks with these options:
- Use the traditional sour cream, chives, bacon and salt
- Add shredded cheese like cheddar or Parmesan for extra flavor.
- Mix in some paprika, browned chorizo, and toasted cumin seeds for a smoky, meaty flavor.
- Top with chili (try this Instant Pot beef poblano chili).
- For added freshness, top with fresh pesto or this cilantro chimichurri - this red chimichurri works great also!
- This Homemade Barbecue sauce is FIRE on top of a potato - use any other BBQ sauce you like too.
- Top with this avocado dip and a fried egg to mimic avocado toast with a potato!
Frequently Asked Questions
These baked potatoes will not cook all the way at 135°F degrees. They need to be cooked at a higher temperature to get fork tender. While 190°F is the best temperature, they can also be cooked at 183°F but may not come out as creamy and soft.
Potatoes can really be overcooked too much. The longer you leave them in the water bath, the softer they will get so they may become mushy if you leave them in too long. But that may not be a problem for you! You can still crisp the skin afterwards.
The ideal temperature to to make sous vide baked potatoes is 185°F to 190°F degrees. You can possible go down to 175°F degrees, but will need to cook them 3-4 hours to get them soft all the way through.
Storage and Reheating Options
These potatoes can be made in advance. Just place in a ice bath for 20-30 minutes after it comes out of the sous vide and store in the fridge (right in the vacuum seal bag) for 5-7 days or the freezer for 3 months.
Reheat at 190°F (88°C) for 15 minutes (add 10 minutes to a frozen potato) then serve per recipe instructions (crisp skin or serve immediately).
If you love this recipe, leave a comment below and let us know your favorite thing about it. We'd also love to connect on Instagram! Follow us at @went_here_8_this for awesome recipes and all sorts of fun food stuff 🙂
Recipe
Sous Vide Baked Potato
Ingredients
- 2 medium russet potatoes scrubbed clean
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Toppings:
- Sour cream
- Crumbled bacon
- Butter
- Cheddar cheese
- Chives
Instructions
- Heat a sous vide water bath to 190°F (88°C) degrees. Make sure the potatoes are scrubbed clean.
- Use a fork to puncture small holes in each side of the potatoes in multiple places (like you would to microwave them).
- Place the potatoes in a vacuum seal bag with the butter, salt and pepper.
- Seal and cook for 2 hours. Will likely float so may need to weigh down to keep the bag submerged.
- Remove from the water bath and serve immediately with topping, or place under the broiler/cat iron skillet/torch/grill to crisp the skin then serve with toppings.
- If broiling, rub an additional teaspoon of oil or melted butter on the outside and coat it with salt to get a nice crispy, salty skin.
- **can also place in an ice bath for 20 minutes then kept in the fridge for 3-5 days before serving.
Expert Tips:
- If the bag starts to float, weigh it down with something heavy or try these sous vide magnets or sous vide weight. The bag needs to be submerged so the potatoes cook evenly.
- If broiling/searing/torching the potato to crisp the skin, make sure the skin has been thoroughly dried so you can achieve the crispness.
- You can replace the butter with olive oil, bacon fat, duck fat or any other fat you prefer.
- To make in advance, place them in an ice bath for 20-30 minutes when they come out of the water bath (directly in the bags). Then store in the fridge or freezer until ready to use. Reheat at 190°F for 15-30 minutes (depending on whether frozen or not).
Nutrition
Natalie
I was a little skeptical when I tried this but they came out really good! A great way to make them when you're trying to save room in your oven or keep cool on a hot day!
Danielle
So glad to hear that!