Aglio e Olio Baked Potatoes

Updated Dec. 17, 2024

Aglio e Olio Baked Potatoes
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
1 hour 10 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Rating
5(244)
Comments
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The classic Italian combination of aglio e olio (garlic and oil) finds a melodic expression in these Parmesan-festooned baked potatoes. Underneath the fluffy mounds of cheese is garlicky mayonnaise, which, when stirred into a hot pillowy spud, brings a comforting reminder of potato salad. In this recipe, it’s the little things that make a big flavor impact: Use fresh parsley or chives, crushed red pepper that smells fruity and looks jewel-bright, black peppercorns that you’ve toasted and cracked yourself (if you have the patience) and a flavorful extra-virgin olive oil that’s bold, bright or peppery. As in the simple but impactful pasta dish aglio e olio, these baked potatoes pack the biggest punch when each piece plays its part.

Featured in: This Is the Secret to the Perfect Baked Potato

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings
  • 8small to medium red or gold potatoes, scrubbed (about 3 pounds)
  • ½cup mayonnaise
  • 1large or 2 small garlic cloves, finely grated
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • Crushed red pepper
  • Extra-virgin olive oil (see Tip)
  • 1(1-ounce) chunk Parmesan or Pecorino Romano
  • 1tablespoon finely chopped parsley or chives
  • Flaky sea salt, for topping (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 425 degrees. Pierce the potatoes all over with a fork and place them along the edges of a large rimmed sheet pan (where it gets the hottest).

  2. Step 2

    Bake until tender, about 1 hour. A fork should pierce through the largest potato’s center easily. Remove the pan from the oven and leave on the counter to finish steaming, about 15 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and garlic. Season with kosher salt, black pepper and red pepper and stir.

  4. Step 4

    When the potatoes have cooled slightly, slice each in half lengthwise and crosswise without cutting through the bottom. Then, using both hands, gently pinch the bottoms up to push out some of the potato flesh. (If you’d like, fluff with a fork.) Lightly drizzle with olive oil and season with kosher salt.

  5. Step 5

    To assemble, dollop each potato with some of the mayonnaise mixture. Using a very fine grater (such as Microplane), finely and generously grate the cheese over the potatoes so it piles high. Top with the parsley, some flaky sea salt for crunch, if using, and more red pepper. Serve warm.

Tip
  • Since olive oil is one of the main flavors in this recipe, be sure to buy one labeled “extra-virgin,” which often signifies that it comes from olives that were cold-pressed or cold-extracted, and that the oil is flavorful. Other features to look for: a dark glass or opaque container, a harvest date that’s ideally no more than a year ago, a single country of origin, a designation of authenticity like P.D.O. or D.O.P. or flavor labels like “bold,” “bright” and “peppery.”

Ratings

5 out of 5
244 user ratings
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Comments

Hi Bobot, the red potato in the photo would like to thank you for calling it a russet. Red potatoes can be fluffy too if you use this method! Try it! Eric

These were tasty. I'd never thought to use aioli this way, but, as my husband and I agreed as we shoveled it down, we love French fries with aioli, so why not a baked potato? My spuds needed just over an hour at 425.

Also: If you decide to microwave the potatoes first, a good rule of thumb is to microwave them for 5 to 6 minutes on high power, and then bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 425. Be sure to pierce the potatoes' skin before microwaving.

Great recipe and easy to play around with variety of ingredients to your taste and what products you have or tend to use. I had Kewpie mayo open so I used that instead. Yum. Ran out of parm so I used a lot of mozzarella. When I roast garlic bulbs, I usually do 7 or 8 entire bulbs so I have plenty of roasted folic to use… and I used plenty of roasted garlic in this recipe instead of minced fresh garlic. I scooped out the potato “meat” and mixed it into the other ingredients. Yum yum yum. Put it back in the potato, then the oven to stay warm until ready to serve. No leftovers…I even ate the potato skin. Thanks!

Love this simple twist on baked potatoes. I followed the recipe as written. My sons already asked for me to make this again.

Haven't tried this yet, but when I do (soon) I will bake the garlic when I bake the potatoes, then combine baked garlic with mayo and continue to follow the recipe. Any comments, other than "follow the recipe?"

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