Which potato is the standard baking potato?

• A. Russet
• B. Yukon Gold
• C. Red
• D. Fingerling

Answer: (A)

Potato varieties differ in starch content and texture, which drives how they behave when baked. For a baking potato, you want high starch and low moisture so the interior dries out slightly and becomes fluffy while the skin crisps in the oven. Russet potatoes fit this profile: they’re high-starch with a dry, fluffy interior when baked and thick skins that crisp nicely. Yukon Golds have a creamier, medium-starch flesh that’s great for mashing or roasting but doesn’t fluff up as much. Red potatoes and fingerlings are waxier with more moisture, so they tend to hold their shape rather than become light and fluffy. That combination makes russet the best standard choice for baked potatoes.