Perfect Potato Recipes

Mashed, baked, or roasted, potatoes are good in almost preparation

September 15, 2015

Few crops are as useful as the potato. A staple across the Western world, it is used in countless different ways. Far from just a filler, the potato can be an exciting, delicious ingredient. From French fries and chips to roasted and mashed potatoes, we've rounded up our favorite potato recipes.

One of our favorite down-home side dishes of all time is creamy potato salad. The mix of tender—but never mushy—potatoes and mayonnaise is incredibly comforting. For a basic potato salad, go with mayo, mustard, celery, onion, and hard-boiled eggs. From there, you can vary the recipe a million ways. We've got versions flavored with curry powder, chives, parsley, and more.

Roasted potatoes are a simple, hearty side perfect for a winter meal. All you really need to do is cook the potatoes with salt and oil, but there is lots of potential to add flavors. Try roasting potatoes with saffron or serving them with lemon olive oil. Roast chicken is another winter favorite—roast it on a bed of potatoes and the spuds will absorb all the delicious juices.

The opportunities for using potatoes are endless. Find these dishes and many more in our collection of 50 delicious potato recipes.

Potato Salad

Potato Salad with Red Onion

This cool, creamy potato salad is spiked with pickle relish and red onion. Get the recipe for Potato Salad with Red Onion »Matt Taylor-Gross
Grated Potato and Cheese Omelette

Grated Potato and Cheese Omelette

This simple potato and cheese omelette, from The Good Cook: Eggs & Cheese, was shared with us by Tim Mazurek to accompany his Back of the Bookshelf column. Accompanied with a glass of wine and a green salad, it makes a satisfying, affordable dinner.Tim Mazurek

Tacos de Papa Hwy 99 (Potato Tacos)

Tacos de Papa Hwy 99 (Potato Tacos)
Inspired by the potato tacos at Loncheria Otro Rollo in Bakersfield, these Tacolicious versions are stuffed with fluffy mashed potatoes and pan-fried until crisp. The accompanying smoky ranchero sauce also would be great as an accompaniment for meat or fish or spooned over eggs.Romulo Yanes
Brisket and Potato Kugel

Brisket and Potato Kugel

This hearty meat and potato casserole is perfect for a nontraditional Passover main.Matt Taylor-Gross
Scallops with Avocado Mashed Potatoes

Scallops with Avocado Mashed Potatoes

Guacamole meets mashed potatoes in this simple scallops dish.Farideh Sadeghin

Crispy Smashed Za'atar Potatoes

Crispy Smashed Za'atar Potatoes
Boiled buttery Yukon gold potatoes are smashed and roasted crisp in this side dish. A finishing sprinkle of za'atar, a heady Middle Eastern mix of spices, seeds, and herbs, brings these potatoes to the next level. Get the recipe for Crispy Smashed Za'atar Potatoes »Farideh Sadeghin

Pesto Potato Salad

Pesto Potato Salad
Serve this simple and bright potato salad warm or cold alongside grilled or roasted meats and seafood. Get the recipe for Pesto Potato Salad »

Potato Chips

Potato Chips
This recipe makes a party-size batch of chips, perfect as a snack (with or without a dip) or as a side dish—not only with sandwiches but also on the plate with roasted or grilled meats (or game). If there are chips left over, cover them loosely with aluminum foil and store in a cool, dry place.Matt Taylor-Gross

Ignacio Mattos' Potato Salad

Ignacio Mattos' Potato Salad
Boiling potatoes whole and unpeeled means they don't absorb too much water as they cook. Mixing them with an egg yolk and olive oil yields a rich dressing without the heavy creaminess of mayonnaise.Marcus Nilsson

Ricotta and Egg Gnocchi with Olives, Capers, and Tomato Sauce

Ricotta and Egg Gnocchi with Olives, Capers, and Tomato Sauce
These soft gnocchi from Tuscany are the ultimate version of the kind most commonly served at Italian-American restaurants. The dish is amped up with briny chopped capers and green olives.Con Poulos

Spinach and Potato Dumplings with Cold Tomato Sauce

Spinach and Potato Dumplings with Cold Tomato Sauce
A chilled tomato sauce with sundried tomatoes makes a pleasant contrast to these hot potato and spinach dumplings, which chef Josita Hartanto of Berlin's Lucky Leek binds together with firm tofu and durum wheat semolina. Dry the potatoes and spinach thoroughly so the dumplings will hold their shape. Get the recipe for Spinach and Potato Dumplings with Cold Tomato Sauce »Matt Taylor-Gross
Farro Gnocchi with Pork Ragù

Farro Gnocchi with Pork Ragù

In this Umbrian ragù, fennel pollen adds a sweet aroma and a flavor similar to that of the fennel-laced sausages found in Italian butcher shops.Con Poulos
Potatoes Roasted with Saffron

Potatoes Roasted with Saffron

The pleasantly bitter and floral flavor of saffron adds a complex taste to these otherwise ordinary roasted potatoes.Farideh Sadeghin

Fingerling Potato Salad with Chive Mayonnaise

Fingerling Potato Salad with Chive Mayonnaise
"This recipe came about when I had a fat bunch of chives threatening to wilt in my fridge. Our test kitchen director, Farideh Sadeghin, suggested I make chive oil, and then chive mayonnaise; I had some teeny-tiny fingerlings from the farmers market sitting on my counter, and a salad was born. —Marian Bull Get the recipe for Fingerling Potato Salad with Chive Mayonnaise »Matt Taylor-Gross
Roasted Morel-Rubbed Chicken with Charred Lemon, Asparagus, and Potatoes

Roasted Morel-Rubbed Chicken with Charred Lemon, Asparagus, and Potatoes

In this recipe, dried morels are pulverized and rubbed onto the chicken before roasting to perfume the bird and help produce evenly browned skin.Joseph De Leo

Hashbrowns

Hashbrowns
Fluffy inside and golden outside, these pan-fried potatoes are a signature of the Omaha restaurant Piccolo Pete's.Ariana Lindquist
Warm Red Potato Salad

Warm Red Potato Salad

Tender grilled red-skinned potatoes are doused in herb vinaigrette in this warm salad.Laura Sant
Roasted Potato Salad with Sour Cream and Shallots

Roasted Potato Salad with Sour Cream and Shallots

Roasting potatoes for potato salad, rather than boiling them, lends a caramelized sweetness that's offset by a tangy dressing of sour cream, mustard, and shallots. Get the recipe for Roasted Potato Salad with Sour Cream and Shallots »Helen Rosner
Potato and Leek Soup (Sopa de Poro y Papa)

Potato and Leek Soup (Sopa de Poro y Papa)

This creamy, rich soup potato soup accented with leeks is a favorite in Mexico City. In spring and summer it's usually chilled, like a vichyssoise, but it's also served hot, especially in the cooler months.James Oseland

Fingerling Potatoes with Bacon

Fingerling Potatoes with Bacon
The secret to this simple dish is to use the best quality bacon available. Delicious and straightforward, you can whip this dish together quickly while keeping the oven available for other jobs.Vanessa Rees

Barbecue Potato Chips

Barbecue Potato Chips
Barbecue chips' smoky, tangy flavors are easy to create at home with a simple mixture that combines classic barbecue sauce spices such as chile powder, garlic powder, and onion powder, with the added kick of cayenne pepper.Todd Coleman

Spudnuts

Spudnuts
To ensure these potato-based donuts turn out pillowy and soft after frying, take care not to overwork the dough.Todd Coleman

Jude's Perfect Potato Salad

Jude's Perfect Potato Salad
A healthy dose of celery seeds and sharp Dijon mustard add a kick to this mashed potato and egg salad. Get the recipe for Jude's Perfect Potato Salad »James Oseland
French Bacon, Potato, and Reblochon Casserole (Tartiflette)

French Bacon, Potato, and Reblochon Casserole (Tartiflette)

Reblochon, a soft washed-rind cheese from the French Alps, adds a luxurious creaminess and delicious pungency to this simple bacon and potato gratin.Ingalls Photography
Potato Gratin

Potato Gratin

Author Mike Colameco learned how to make this indulgent custardlike potato dish from French chef Alain Senderens.James Oseland

Moroccan Potato Salad

Moroccan Potato Salad
Bright and aromatic with plenty of fresh parsley, this potato salad is definitive of Moroccan cuisine.Helen Rosner

Pomme Purée

Pomme Puree
Passing cooked potatoes through the fine holes of a potato ricer ensures a silky consistency for this ultrarich side. Get the recipe for Pomme Purée »Ingalls Photography
Potato Pancakes (Kartoffelpuffer)

Potato Pancakes (Kartoffelpuffer)

Applesauce is the perfect foil for these savory, golden fried pancakes, a mix of starchy potatoes, flour, and eggs.Todd Coleman

Padang-Style Mashed Potato Fritters (Perkedel Kenteng)

Padang-Style Mashed Potato Fritters (Perkedel Kenteng)
To make these crisp-crusted fritters, mashed potatoes blended with pan-fried shallots and freshly grated nutmeg are dipped in beaten egg and fried. Get the recipe for Padang-Style Mashed Potato Fritters (Perkedel Kenteng) »Ingalls Photography

French Piped Potatoes (Pommes Duchesse)

French Piped Potatoes (Pommes Duchesse)
Elegant potatoes are brushed with an egg wash before baking for color and crunch.Ingalls Photography
Old-Fashioned Scalloped Potatoes

Old-Fashioned Scalloped Potatoes

Thinly sliced potatoes and onions are baked in a rich cream sauce in this classic crowd-pleaser.Gemma and Andrew Ingalls

Crème Fraîche Mashed Potatoes

Creme fraiche mashed potatoes
Mashed potatoes combined with butter and crème fraîche make a rich, creamy side. Any root vegetable can be used in combination with or in place of the potatoes.Farideh Sadeghin
Swiss Hash Browns (Rösti)

Swiss Hash Browns (Rösti)

If Plato had imagined hash browns, they'd have been rösti: fresh potatoes coarsely grated, pressed, and fried. In the dish's native Switzerland, recipes include bacon, rosemary, caraway seeds, eggs, pasta, cheese, even coffee. These variations can be delicious, but we found the definitive version in Bern, at Restaurant Della Casa—golden, impeccable, ideal.Todd Coleman
Swedish Potato Dumplings Stuffed with Bacon and Onion (Kroppkakor)

Swedish Potato Dumplings Stuffed with Bacon and Onion (Kroppkakor)

Kroppkakor, hearty mashed potato dumplings stuffed with an allspice-laden filling of bacon and onion, are a specialty of Oland, an island off the southern coast of Sweden.Ingalls Photography

Irish Potato Bread

Irish Potato Bread
These squares of crispy potato flatbread are similar to potato farls, the fried potato bread that's a traditional part of the Northern Irish breakfast known as an Ulster Fry. Get the recipe for Irish Potato Bread »Farideh Sadeghin
Colcannon

Colcannon

Leave it to the potato-loving Irish to dream up colcannon, spuds mashed with finely chopped cabbage and enriched with lots of cream. There are as many versions of this classic dish as there are Irishmen: Some cooks add carrots or kale to the mix, others incorporate butter, bacon, and caramelized onions.Penny De Los Santos
Roasted Potatoes

Roasted Potatoes

Seniard Creek cook Clarence Bratton's method for roasted potatoes, which calls for cooking them at a high temperature, turns them golden brown on the outside and creamy within.Todd Coleman
Bistro Pommes Frites (Bistro French Fries)

Bistro Pommes Frites (Bistro French Fries)

The secret to the stellar bistro fries? Duck fat, a superior frying medium that gives the potatoes a deep, meaty flavor.Helen Rosner
Twice-Baked Potatoes

Twice-Baked Potatoes

The buttery, creamy indulgence of mashed potatoes meets the visceral joy of digging into a baked potato in this iconic side dish.Todd Coleman
Curried Potato Salad

Curried Potato Salad

Subarna Bhattachan, a Nepalese chef living in Lawrence, Kansas, folds a purée of cool yogurt, nutty tahini, and spicy red chiles into his fragrant take on potato salad. Get the recipe for Curried Potato Salad »James Oseland
Boiled Potatoes With Dill (Kartupeli ar Dillēm)

Boiled Potatoes With Dill (Kartupeli ar Dillēm)

Use Yukon Golds or other waxy potatoes, such as red or new potatoes, for this simple, comforting side dish.Landon Nordeman

Spicy Cabbage-and-Potato Curry (Bund Gobhi Aur Aloo Ki Subzi)

Spicy Cabbage-and-Potato Curry (Bund Gobhi Aur Aloo Ki Subzi)
This vibrant Indian curry comes from the Meghwal tribe of Gujarat’s Thar Desert. Since there is little local agriculture—the closest vegetable market is in the capital city of Bhuj, 35 miles away—the cuisine is spare, but it is delicious in its simplicity. This tribal cabbage-and-potato curry is traditionally cooked over a wood fire, along with millet rotla, a flatbread, but the stovetop works just as well.James Roper
Sauteed Potatoes and Chiles (Papas con Rajas)

Sauteed Potatoes and Chiles (Papas con Rajas)

Smoky roasted poblano chiles add deep flavor to starchy potatoes in this side dish typical of central Mexico.Penny De Los Santos

Lemon Mayonnaise Smashed Potato Salad

Lemon Mayonnaise Smashed Potato Salad
Homemade lemon mayonnaise adds zesty flavor to these tender, coarsely mashed potatoes.Gemma and Andrew Ingalls

Aloo Masala (South Indian Potatoes)

Aloo Masala (South Indian Potatoes)
These flavorful mashed potatoes are spiced with mustard seeds, fresh curry leaves, turmeric, and ginger, and mixed with peas.Ingalls Photography
Sage Mashed Potatoes

Sage Mashed Potatoes

Leaving the skins on your potatoes saves on prep time and gives a rustic feel to the finished dish. We love the technique of infusing the milk and butter with sage—start heating a saucepan of milk and sage when you set the water to boil to speed up this process.Todd Coleman
Potato and Squash Gratin (Gratin de Courge)

Potato and Squash Gratin (Gratin de Courge)

The Provençal version of this gratin calls for a French pumpkin called potiron, but a combination of acorn and butternut squash will make a good substitute.Laura Sant
Julia Child's Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Julia Child's Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Thirty cloves of garlic go into this creamy side dish.Romulo Yanes

Classic Gravy Fries (Poutine)

Classic Gravy Fries (Poutine)
An unabashedly savory collage of french-fried potatoes, beef gravy, and squeaky-fresh cheese curds, poutine is perhaps the ultimate late-night snack.Maxime Iattoni
Roasted Potatoes with Lemon Olive Oil

Roasted Potatoes with Lemon Olive Oil

Simple roasted baby potatoes with whole garlic cloves are the perfect foil for a zesty lemon and olive oil emulsion.Ingalls Photography

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