Martha is known for many iconic dishes, from her gooey macaroni and cheese and one-pan pasta to mile-high pies and her classic chewy chocolate chip cookies. Her baked potato is a favorite for many fans, and for good reason. She has turned an ordinary spud into something fabulous—special enough even to make it onto the menu at her restaurant, The Bedford in Las Vegas. It’s not just a baked potato, it’s a smashed potato.

Her unusual, gentle smashing technique sets her baked potato apart. It helps fluff up the interior of the warm potatoes. And Martha’s smashed potatoes are something that can easily be made at in your kitchen. All you need is a clean dish towel and a hot potato to bring The Bedford home and create a restaurant-worthy side dish for anything from a casual weeknight dinner to a comforting dinner party.

Why Martha’s Baked Potato Is Better Than the Rest

Making a baked potato is simple, right? Yes, but there is a crucial step that most people miss. If you slice directly into a baked potato while it’s hot, the interior flesh will be quite compact and dense. There’s nothing wrong with that, but, as Martha knows, there is a super simple way to lighten the flesh and make the baked potato nice and fluffy—and it involves getting some aggression out. 

Once the baked potato comes out of the oven, Martha makes a slit lengthwise down the center to open the potato a little. Then, with the potato wrapped in a clean dish towel, she gives it a firm but controlled smash on the countertop. This movement immediately breaks up the compact interior, leaving you with a fluffy baked potato every time.

How to Make Martha’s Famous Smashed Potato

Follow these four simple steps to change your baked potato game for the better. 

Choose the Right Potato

The first step is to pick the right potato for the job. We always reach for a russet, also known as an Idaho. This type of potato has a high amount of starch and low moisture levels, as opposed to more waxy potatoes like Yukon gold or red. Starch is exactly what you want in a baked potato, and the relatively low moisture content is what contributes to the interior’s fluffy texture. 

Aim for potatoes that weigh roughly 8 ounces each—just the right size for a substantial side dish. 

Prep It Properly

First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Then scrub the potatoes with water and pat them dry. Use the tines of a fork to poke holes all over the outside (this will help the potatoes release some steam so they don’t explode in the oven). Next, rub the exterior with some good extra-virgin olive oil and season generously with kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper. This way, the skin will be just as delicious as the interior.

Bake

Place the seasoned potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake them on the center rack of the preheated oven until they are easily pierced with the tip of a knife, about 1 hour. 

Slice and Smash

Remove the potatoes from the oven and use a paring knife to create a shallow slit (no more than one-third of the way into the flesh). Working carefully (the potato is hot!) transfer it to a clean dish towel and wrap it up. 

Finally, use a moderate amount of force to slam the potato against the countertop. For a more dramatic effect, do this tableside—as they do at the Bedford—so your guests can enjoy the spectacle.

Serve

Split the potato open as you would usually, season the flesh with more salt and pepper, and serve with your choice of toppings (see below for ideas). 

Serving Suggestions

At The Bedford, Martha serves her smashed potatoes with a dollop of sour cream, a hefty spoonful of caviar, and a light sprinkle of fresh snipped chives. It’s perfect for a special night out, but it can be equally as special at home. Here are a few other fun and easy ways to enjoy it:

• Topped with a compound butter, such as lemon-basil, roasted garlic, or smoky chipotle
• Loaded with sour cream, crispy crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, and thinly sliced scallions
• Filled with homemade beef chili or all-bean chili

I love a baked potato at home, and so does my family. There is just nothing better than a baked potato with crispy, salty skin, a fluffy inside, and topped with butter and all the best baked potato toppings.

My husband will make a big batch of baked potatoes at the beginning of the week, and we will cover them in beef chili one night and serve them as a side dish the next.

When I think about the perfect potato, there are a few things that pop into my head.

• A golden potato that has been baked to perfection. Its skin is shiny and crisp from oil.
• When you cut the potato in half, the middle is tender and easy to fluff with a fork.
• The inside is warm enough to melt a pat of butter in seconds.
• It’s a potato that you can’t stop eating after you’ve seasoned it perfectly with salt and pepper.
• Take this baked potato up a notch and make it a full meal by loading the baked potato with chili, sour cream, or any other toppings.

When it comes to how to bake the perfect potato in the oven, you only need 4 ingredients.

1. Russet potatoes -I recommend using large russet potatoes, especially if they are the main part of your meal. If you have Idaho potatoes, those would work too. Time may vary depending on how large the potatoes are.
2. Olive oil- I recommend olive oil because I love the flavor. If you don’t have olive oil, feel free to use avocado oil, vegetable oil, or butter. The oil is a must, it is the reason the potato skin crisps up and gets golden brown.
3. Salt- Don’t skimp on the salt it brings adds terrific flavor to the potato skin.
4. Pepper – Fresh ground pepper is a great flavor add.

Baking a potato with perfectly crispy skin and a fluffy inside is easy to do in just a few steps. It’s also easy to get the whole family involved; my nephews absolutely love to help with washing the potatoes and making sure to poke holes in the potatoes to help them bake all the way through.

1. Wash and dry the potatoes before baking. Use a fork to poke holes all over the potatoes.
2. Next, massage olive oil, salt, and pepper into the potato with your hands. Be sure the whole potato is coated to ensure the potato skin gets crispy.
3. Bake the potatoes at 425ºF for 45-60 minutes, flipping the potatoes every 20 minutes so they bake evenly.
4. Remove them from the oven once they pass the ‘fork test’. Poke a fork or knife into the center of the potato, and if it goes through the potato easily, the center of the potato is done.
5. Let the potato rest for 10 minutes and then cut the potato in half. Top with butter, salt, and pepper.

Tips for Best Results

How to Know When Your Potato is Done

There are a few different ways to know when a baked potato is done. The most common way to tell if the potato is done is the fork test. Otherwise, you can tell that a potato is done if the skin is brown and crispy or if the potato’s internal temperature is between 205-210ºF

Sometimes baked potatoes are served as the main dish, and sometimes they are served as a side to other delicious meals. Here are some of our favorite main dishes to serve with baked potatoes:

After your baked potatoes are ready, it’s time to top those taters with all of your favorite fixings. You can use super simple and classic ingredients or get creative with them.

• Broccoli and cheese
• Butter, salt, and pepper
• Hot honey
• Taco toppings (ground beef, cheese, and lettuce)
• Pizza toppings (mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, and dried oregano)

More Potato Recipes to Try

How long does it take to bake a potato at 400°F?

It takes between 60-90 minutes for a baked potato to cook through at 400ºF. It all depends on the size of your potatoes. Smaller potatoes take less time, and bigger potatoes take more time.

What temperature is best for baked potatoes (400, 425, or 450°F)?

I like to bake potatoes at 425ºF, no matter the size, because it gives a consistent bake through the potato and crisps up the skin nicely.

Should you wrap potatoes in foil when baking?

It all depends on what type of skin you want on your potato. If you want a baked potato with crispy skin, I do not recommend wrapping the potatoes in tin foil. For faster baking of potatoes with more tender insides, I recommend wrapping the potatoes in foil. For more information about baking a potato in foil, check out this baked potato in foil post.

After the baked potatoes are cool completely, you can place the baked potatoes in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for 5-7 days.

Sometimes it’s helpful to drizzle a little olive oil on the potatoes before putting them in the refrigerator to help keep them moist.

I do not recommend freezing baked potatoes.