The Reddit Potato Hack We Can Totally Get Behind

I’ll just come out and say it―you’re underutilizing your microwave. It’s been sitting there, probably gathering too much dust after you got an air fryer last year. But before the days of air fryers and Instant Pots, the microwave was there for us all. And it’s time to give it some love once again. We’re always looking for more ways to make quick meals convenient and this hack is, dare we say, game-changing. Your potatoes are just begging to be microwaved.

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Reddit Agrees!

I’ve been on the Reddit bandwagon for quite some time. Every time I go to a new city, I just Google “what to eat in [insert city name here] Reddit.” I love reading from the people on the ground level. I want the inside scoop. That counts for endless food hacks as well. Reddit is always cooking up something fun (pun sort of intended). The latest hack I’ve stumbled onto is a key use for microwaving your potatoes.

The trick is that really, there is no trick. We’re just using this baby for all our potato needs. Though it’s worth clarifying that we’re only microwaving for some of the steps. We’re not cutting out everything else. It’s not like you can create Michelin worthy potatoes straight from the microwave. Let’s get into the details.

Why We Love This Hack

The most useful thing about microwaving your potatoes is cutting down cooking time. We’re always looking to spend less time in the kitchen and more time actually eating. A microwave will cook things uniformly. This way, you’re able to cook everything at once instead of, let’s say, a whole baked potato in the oven―and waiting forever to cook through the potato skin. A microwave’s uniformity helps you get the perfect taters every time.

How To Hack Your Potatoes

You can use your microwave pretty much any time you want to make potatoes. If you’re making baked potatoes, start things off in the microwave; then throw them in the oven for a few minutes to crisp up the skin. Making mashed potatoes? The microwave can soften the potatoes perfectly for mashing before you add in your extras (butter, cream, etc.). If you’re craving pan fried potatoes, the microwave is there for you, too. Cook your whole potato in the microwave, peel the skin off, cube them up, then toss into a pan with olive oil, garlic, and onions for a bit of browning.

Cooking time will certainly vary. The Redditor who posted this hack has a bit of the science down to get you in the right direction if you’re looking for specifics. They recommended 7-10 minutes in the microwave, depending on the size of your potato. On average you’ll save 30 minutes or so depending on the recipe and I’d argue you’re getting a better tater to boot.