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Potato

Vegetables · Root vegetables

Potato

Starchy tuber with thin skin and pale flesh, eaten boiled, mashed, roasted, fried or simmered in curries worldwide.

Also called: potatoes, aloo, patates, papa, spud

Around the world: aloo, आलू (hi) · patates (tr) · papa, patata (es) · pomme de terre (fr)

225 recipes with it

Photo: Scott Bauer, USDA ARS, via Wikimedia Commons (public-domain)

What it is

The potato is the underground tuber of the potato plant, a member of the nightshade family. Skins range from thin and pale to red or purple; the flesh is white to yellow. Floury (mealy) potatoes fall apart and mash well, while waxy potatoes hold their shape in salads and stews. It is not related to the sweet potato.

Solanum tuberosum

How it’s used

  • Boiled and mashed with butter and milk
  • Roasted or fried as chips, wedges and hash browns
  • Simmered in curries such as aloo gobi and dum aloo
  • Added to soups and stews to thicken them
  • Boiled and dressed for potato salad

Characteristics

Taste
Mild, earthy and slightly sweet; absorbs fat and seasoning well.
Texture
Firm and crisp raw; fluffy (floury types) or creamy and dense (waxy types) when cooked.
When cooked
Releases starch when cut and boiled, which thickens liquids; floury types break down, waxy types hold together. Browns and crisps when roasted or fried.
Sold as
fresh, frozen, dried
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Suitable for boiling, Suitable for frying, Suitable for baking, Suitable for grilling, Used for thickening

Varieties

  • Russet / Maris Piper (floury)
  • Yukon Gold
  • Red-skinned
  • New / baby potatoes
  • Fingerling
  • Kipfler / Charlotte (waxy)

Storage

Cool, dry and dark. Keep in a cool, dark, ventilated place, away from onions; not in the fridge, which can make them taste sweet and darken when fried. Discard sprouting soft or green-skinned patches.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Green patches and sprouts contain solanine; cut them away generously and discard very green potatoes.
  • Do not store cooked potatoes warm for long; refrigerate leftovers promptly.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
77 kcal
Protein
2.05 g
Carbohydrate
17.49 g
Fat
0.09 g
Fibre
2.1 g
Sugars
0.82 g

USDA FoodData Central: Potatoes, flesh and skin, raw.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Sweet potato — Works in roasts, mashes and curries; sweeter, softer and cooks faster.
  • Celeriac — Good in mash and gratins for a lighter, celery-flavoured result; less starchy.

Related ingredients

Recipes with potato

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