How to cook the perfect jacket potato

The humble jacket potato is experiencing a resurgence after being propelled into the spotlight by social media.

Waitrose reported a 178 per cent rise in online searches for the humble spud in 2025.

At the forefront of the comfort food revival is Anthea Malialis, a teaching assistant who has transformed into a prominent cooking influencer.

Known online as the “Jacket Potato Queen”, she has captivated audiences with her innovative recipes for jacket potato toppings – ranging from a full hog roast dinner to creamy garlic king prawns.

Operating under the handle @superhomecook, the 45-year-old has 673,000 followers on Instagram, 438,000 on Facebook, and 165,000 on TikTok.

Her journey began several years ago by simply sharing pictures of family meals, but it was a jacket potato recipe that took her viral.

“It went absolutely mental, like over a billion views easily,” Malialis said.

The internet’s enduring fascination with the jacket potato is likely because they are “budget-friendly, comforting and easy to make”, she said.

“I feel like I’ve come up with so many different topping ideas; it [proves] the jacket potato doesn’t have to be boring.”

Malialis has produced a cookbook, Super Home Cook, featuring many of her favourite toppings.

Here are her top tips on how to perfect the spud.

How to cook the best jacket potato

While there is lively debate about the best cooking method for a jacket potato, the key to the comfort dish lies in the potato itself, according to Malialis.

“You’ve got to have the best potato,” she says. “I’ve tried all the different supermarket potatoes, but I always come back to the same one, and that’s Tesco’s loose baking potatoes. It just works every time. It’s golden, crispy and soft in the middle.”

As for her go-to cooking process, Malialis bakes her potatoes in both the microwave and air fryer. She starts by piercing the potato and wrapping it in a kitchen towel before heating it in the microwave for six to eight minutes, depending on the size, at 200C.

Next, once the potato has cooled, she seasons it with olive oil and salt, covers it with tin foil and then bakes it in the air fryer at 180°C for 45 minutes. After removing the tin foil, she continues cooking the uncovered potato in the air fryer at the same temperature for a final 10 minutes to finish the “perfect” jacket potato.

Quick and easy jacket potato toppings

Jacket potatoes are already a quick meal, but you can cut even more time by batch-cooking toppings, Malialis says.

Instead of cooking the portion you need for one meal, consider doubling the amount and storing the rest in the freezer for later use.

“Put the portions in a Ziploc bag, flatten it down and put it in your freezer and it’ll last up to three or four months,” Malialis says. “With leftover curry, they taste even better the next day, so if you freeze it and defrost it, it would be even better.”

If you’re really strapped for time, Malialis suggests cold toppings to eliminate the cooking process entirely. Tuna or chicken and sweetcorn mayonnaise are Malialis’ top picks for easy-to-assemble but delicious toppings.

“They’re so easy to put together, particularly if you have a leftover rotisserie or roast chicken from a previous day,” she says.

Malialis goes as far as to say that her chicken sweetcorn mayo recipe is her favourite from her cookbook. “It reminds me of my school days,” Malialis says, perfect for those wanting a taste of nostalgia with their meal.

Wowing dinner party guests with jacket potatoes

There is a misconception that jacket potatoes are only suitable for a speedy lunch or dinner with family, as they can make an excellent dinner party dish, according to Malialis.

But rather than serving singular jacket potatoes to guests, Malialis suggests creating a jacket potato traybake. “I put around six in a tray and then cover them with a topping like chicken alfredo or Philly cheese steak,” she says.

Not only is this a crowd-pleaser, but it’s easy to whip up before guests arrive, meaning you can spend more time in their company rather than labouring in the kitchen.

The biggest jacket potato mistake made by home cooks

Malialis feels that home cooks are missing a trick by not exploring their spice and herb cupboards to elevate both jacket potatoes and other meals.

Malialis says different seasonings can add unique flavours to otherwise bland meals. “It doesn’t have to be boring. You can get a piece of chicken breast and season it with your heart. It might not work, but it might be the best meal you’ve ever made. Just don’t be scared. That’s what I do; I literally just wing it,” she says.

Malialis recommends always keeping seasonings like Adobo, oregano, mint, thyme and pimento seed in your kitchen to jazz up meals.

Even if your fridge is empty, Malialis says you’ll likely have all the ingredients for a snack or a meal in your store cupboard, so you won’t need a trip to the shops.

“I’ve put things like pesto and sun-dried tomato in a pitta bread, brushed it with olive oil and some herbs, then fried it,” she says.

“You could also put in some leftover chicken or cheese, if you have it, and it literally tastes like pizza but for half the price and is done in seconds.”

Lasagne-style jacket potato

Ingredients: (Serves 2)

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 65-75 minutes

Method: