Ina Garten Always Does THIS to Her Baked Potatoes
What’s not to love about a baked potato? With its crispy skin and fluffy interior, it’s delicious on its own but also super customizable. You can load it up with classic toppings like scallions, sour cream, cheese, and bacon, or get creative and top it with something like curry chicken. No matter how you choose to dress it, Ina Garten has one simple tip that she recommends you follow to make sure your baked potatoes turn out extra flavorful every time.
“Now I’m going to make an herb and lemon rub that I’m going to put on the potatoes, and it makes them taste so good,” Garten said in an episode of Barefoot Contessa.
Garten’s secret to guaranteeing that her baked potatoes are flavorful, regardless of the fixings, is to dress them with an herb-salted crust.
Here’s how to make it: Start by chopping rosemary sprigs, and dump them into a food processor. Next, add thyme leaves, lemon zest, and sea salt. Garten prefers sea salt because it imparts a “briny flavor” rather than a sharp taste. Pulse everything together until finely chopped. Next, rub your potatoes with olive oil, then roll them in the salt-herb mixture so they stick to their skin. After that, follow your favorite baked potato recipe to finish cooking them.
Garten’s herb-salt hack infuses your baked potato with delicious, aromatic flavors and creates a crunchy, flavorful crust that’s perfect to enjoy before you dig into the soft, fluffy center.
You don’t have to stick to just thyme, rosemary, and lemon zest for this baked potato hack, either: Feel free to get creative and customize this salt blend. For an Italian flavor, add oregano or marjoram. For a Southeast Asian twist, try Thai basil or lemongrass. Or, for a Jamaican-inspired version, mix in scotch bonnet peppers or curry powder.
No matter which flavor combination you choose for this salt blend trick, Garten promises, “If you make these, people are gonna say they’re the best baked potatoes they ever had.”
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