How to Cook Potatoes

Co-authored by Markeicha Dulaney and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: December 15, 2023 References

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Potatoes might be one of the world's most versatile foods. They're inexpensive, flavorful, nutritious, and you can cook them in hundreds of ways. To get you started with cooking potatoes, try roasting them in the oven with salt. If you'd like soft potatoes that you can mash, boil them in salted water until they're tender. For another quick cooking method, fry the potatoes in a skillet so they become brown and crispy.

Ingredients

Oven-Roasted Potatoes

3 pounds (1.4 kg) of potatoes
¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) of olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons (8 g) of kosher salt

Makes 8 servings

Simple Boiled Potatoes

1 pound (0.45 kg) of potatoes
1 teaspoon (5.5 g) of salt
Salt and pepper for serving

Makes 4 servings

Crispy Pan-Fried Potatoes

5 or 6 medium-sized potatoes
2 to 3 tablespoons (28 to 42 g) of butter
Salt and pepper, to taste

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making Oven-Roasted Potatoes

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1
Preheat the oven to 400 °F (204 °C) and scrub the potatoes under cold water. Get out 3 pounds (1.4 kg) of potatoes and rinse them well. If there are patches of dirt, take a produce brush and gently scrub the potatoes to remove the dirt.^{[1]
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- You can roast any type of potato. Floury potatoes, such as Russets, will have light, fluffy centers after roasting while waxy potatoes, such as yellow or red potatoes, have a rich, deep flavor.
2
Cut the potatoes into 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces. Take a sharp knife and carefully cut each potato in half. If you're preparing new potatoes that are small, you might not need to cut them further. For larger potatoes, continue to cut the potatoes until they're in even 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces.^{[2]
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- For very tender potatoes, peel them before you cut them.
- If you'd like to make fancy Hasselback-style potatoes, keep the potatoes whole but make thin slices across the surface of each potato. They'll fan out and become crisp as you roast the potatoes.
Tip: Don't cut the potatoes if you'd like to make classic baked potatoes. Instead, leave them whole and roast them for 50 to 60 minutes.

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3
Put the potatoes in a bowl and toss them with oil and your choice of seasonings. Transfer the potato pieces to a large mixing bowl and pour ¹⁄₄ cup (59 ml) of olive oil over them. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons (8 g) of kosher salt and 1 teaspoon (2 g) of freshly ground black pepper. Then, mix in another seasoning if you'd like a distinctive flavor. Try adding 1 of the following:^{[3]
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- 2 tablespoons (17 g) of minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) of curry powder
- 1 tablespoon (6 g) of garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon (6 g) of smoked paprika
4
Spread the potatoes on a sheet and put it in the preheated oven. Scoop the seasoned potato pieces onto a rimmed baking sheet or pan. Arrange the potatoes so they're in a single layer. This ensures that the potatoes cook evenly and become crisp on the sides.^{[4]
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- For easier cleanup, lay a sheet of parchment paper on the sheet before you spread the potatoes on it.
5
Bake the potatoes for 30 minutes and flip them over. Let the potatoes roast without moving them around on the pan. This helps them develop a good crust on 1 side. Then, put on an oven mitt and use a spatula to carefully flip the potato pieces over.^{[5]
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- You'll hear the potatoes sizzle as they release moisture in the hot oven.
Leave the potatoes to roast until they're browned and completely tender. To test if the potatoes are done, insert a fork, knife, or skewer into the center of a potato piece. It should slide in and out easily if the potato is finished cooking.^{[6]
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7
Remove the roasted potatoes and scatter fresh parsley over them. Turn off the oven and carefully take the baking sheet out of the oven. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons (7.5 g) of freshly minced parsley over the potatoes and serve them while they're still hot.^{[7]
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- Substitute your favorite fresh herbs for the parsley. Use finely minced rosemary, sage, or oregano, for instance.
- You can refrigerate leftover potatoes in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Tip: If you'd like a creamy topping for the potatoes, sprinkle enough freshly grated parmesan or cheddar cheese to cover the potatoes. The cheese will melt from the heat of the potatoes.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making Simple Boiled Potatoes

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1
Scrub 1 pound (0.45 kg) of potatoes and peel them if you like. Rinse the potatoes under cold water and use a scrub brush to gently remove any dirt. Then, peel the potatoes with a vegetable peeler if you want tender, boiled potatoes or if you'll be mashing them by hand.^{[8]
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- Use any type of potato that you like. You might use floury potatoes, such as Russets, for fluffy potatoes or waxy potatoes, such as yellow or red potatoes, for deeper flavor.
2
Leave the potatoes whole if you're mashing them or cut them into 1 inch (2.5 cm) chunks. Decide if you'd like to boil the potatoes whole or cut them into pieces. You might want to chop them if you're boiling potatoes for potato salad or if you're working with large potatoes.^{[9]
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- Keep in mind that large whole potatoes take longer to boil than potato cubes.
- You can save time by leaving the skins on potatoes if you'll be passing them through a ricer or food mill.
3
Put the potatoes in a pot and cover the potatoes with cold water. Transfer the whole or chopped potatoes to a large pot and pour in enough cold water to cover the potatoes by at least 1 inch (2.5 cm). Set the pot on the stove.^{[10]
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- It's important to use cold water so the potatoes cook evenly. If you use hot water, the outside of the potatoes will cook faster and could develop a gluey texture.
Tip: If you're making soup, you can place the potato pieces directly in the soup or broth. Simmer the potatoes in the liquid until they're tender.
4
Stir in 1 teaspoon (5.5 g) of salt and turn the burner to high. Stir the salt until it dissolves in the water. Then, keep the lid off of the pot and turn the burner to high. Heat the water until it begins to boil vigorously.^{[11]
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- For even more flavor, you could add a halved head of garlic and 1 bay leaf to the water or cook the potatoes in chicken stock.
5
Simmer the uncovered potatoes for between 15 and 25 minutes. Once the water is boiling, turn the burner down to medium so it bubbles gently. Cook the potatoes until they're completely tender. To test if they're done, insert a skewer or fork into the middle of a potato to see if it comes out easily.^{[12]
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- The amount of time this takes depends on the size of the potatoes or pieces. Potato cubes that are around 1 inch (2.5 cm) will take closer to 15 minutes to cook while whole potatoes will take more like 25 minutes.
- There's no need to stir the potatoes as they simmer.
6
Drain the potatoes in the sink. Set a colander in the sink and wear oven mitts to hold the pot of potatoes. Slowly pour the potatoes into the colander so the hot water drains. Then, transfer them to a serving or mixing bowl.^{[13]
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- If you're only boiling a few potatoes, you could scoop them out of the pot with a slotted spoon instead.
- Boiled potato can be canned and preserved for future use.
7
Serve the boiled potatoes or mash them to make mashed potatoes. To simply serve the boiled potatoes, toss them gently with a little butter and salt. For a smooth side dish, mash the potatoes with a potato masher or pass them through a ricer. Then, stir milk or cream into the potatoes to make homemade mashed potatoes.^{[14]
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- You could also chill the potatoes and make potato salad with them.
- Boiled potatoes last for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Tip: For loaded mashed potatoes, stir crispy bacon bits into the mashed potatoes along with cheddar cheese and chopped chives.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making Crispy Pan-Fried Potatoes

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1
Rinse the potatoes and pat them dry. Scrub 5 or 6 medium-sized potatoes under cold water to remove dirt. Then, dry them completely using a kitchen or paper towel. It's important to remove excess moisture so the potatoes fry instead of steam.^{[15]
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- Use your favorite type of potatoes. If you use large Russets, you might only need 2 or 3 potatoes since they're larger than most yellow or red potatoes.
2
Leave the peels on if you'd like rustic potatoes. For a heartier texture, keep the peels on the potatoes. If you prefer, you could peel the potatoes so they become extra crispy and light.^{[16]
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- Although you can leave the peels on any type of potato, yellow or red potatoes have thinner skins so they fry up crispier than floury potatoes.
3
Dice, slice, or shred the potatoes into small pieces. To make hashbrown-style potatoes, shred the potatoes against the coarse side of a box grater. If you prefer, use a knife or mandoline to slice the potatoes into ¹⁄₄ inch (0.64 cm) thick pieces. You could also cut the potatoes into cubes that are about ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) wide.^{[17]
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- Use caution when slicing with a mandoline since it's easy to cut yourself on the sharp blade.
Tip: If you'd like to make classic french fries, slice the potatoes into long, thin sticks and deep fry them on the stove until they're crispy.
4
Melt butter in a deep skillet over medium heat. Put 2 to 3 tablespoons (28 to 42 g) of butter into the skillet and turn the burner to medium. Let the butter melt completely and tilt the pan so the butter coats the bottom.^{[18]
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- You can also fry diced bell peppers or mushrooms along with the potatoes for a hearty breakfast.
Tip: If you'd like to fry the onions with the potatoes, add 1/2 of a diced onion to the skillet when you melt the butter. Cook the onion for 5 to 10 minutes before you add the potatoes.
5
Add the potatoes to the skillet and season them with salt and pepper. Arrange the potatoes in the skillet so they're evenly spread over the bottom. Then, sprinkle as much salt and pepper as you like over them.^{[19]
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- If you'd like to double this recipe, cook the potatoes in batches.
- You could season the potatoes with garlic salt or onion powder according to your taste.
6
Cover the skillet and cook the potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes. Put the lid on the skillet and cook the potatoes until they become tender. Wear oven mitts to take the lid off and stir the potatoes every 3 to 5 minutes so they cook evenly.^{[20]
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- Use a flat spatula or spoon to stir the potatoes.
7
Fry the uncovered potatoes for 5 to 10 minutes. Take the lid off of the skillet once the potatoes have softened. Cook them until they're as crisp on the outside as you like. Then, turn off the burner and season the potatoes with more salt and pepper.^{[21]
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- Remember to stir the potatoes frequently so they don't burn on 1 side.
- Refrigerate the leftover potatoes in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

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Question

What is the name of potatoes that have been thinly sliced but not all the way through?

Community Answer

They are called Hasselback potatoes.

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What do you mean by between 15 and 25 minutes when making simple boiled potatoes?

Linnie

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The size of the potatoes influences the amount of time they should be cooked. If you cut the potatoes into smaller pieces, they may cook in 15 minutes, while whole potatoes may take 25 minutes to cook.

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Tips

Avoid cutting the potatoes in advance of cooking them since they'll turn brown within a few hours.

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To speed up cooking time, cut your potatoes into smaller pieces. These will roast, boil, or fry faster than large chunks or whole potatoes.

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