Syracuse Salt Potatoes

Name: Syracuse Salt Potatoes
Prep time: PT0D0H0M
Cook time: PT0D0H25M
Total time: PT0D0H25M
Yield: 8–10
Ingredients: 5 lb. new potatoes, cleaned; 2½ cups (12 oz.) kosher salt; Softened unsalted butter, for serving

The humble three-ingredient side is a New York staple anybody can make.

Serves
8–10
Time
25 minutes

PHOTO: MURRAY HALL • FOOD STYLING: PEARL JONES

By Ryan McCarthy

Published on June 11, 2025

The recipe is as simple as it gets: potatoes, salt, water. In Syracuse, New York, a once-booming salt industry gave birth to one of the region’s most cherished dishes: Syracuse salt potatoes. It was popularized in the 19th century by Irish workers, who’d boil potatoes in briny water on their lunch breaks. Don’t be alarmed by the amount of salt—it doesn’t fully penetrate the spuds but leaves a crackly, frosty, well-seasoned crust. For the best results, use fresh, local new potatoes and top-quality butter.

Featured in “Signature Spuds” by Ryan McCarthy in the Spring/Summer 2025 issue. See more stories from Issue 204 here.

Ingredients

5 lb. new potatoes, cleaned
2½ cups (12 oz.) kosher salt
Softened unsalted butter, for serving

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Instructions

Step 1

To a large pot, add the potatoes and enough water to cover by 2 inches. Add the salt, bring to a boil, and cook until tender when pierced with a fork, 20–25 minutes.

Step 2

Drain the potatoes, then return them to the pot. Using a potato masher, lightly crush some of the potatoes, then transfer them all to a large bowl and top generously with pats of butter. Serve hot.

To a large pot, add the potatoes and enough water to cover by 2 inches. Add the salt, bring to a boil, and cook until tender when pierced with a fork, 20–25 minutes.
Drain the potatoes, then return them to the pot. Using a potato masher, lightly crush some of the potatoes, then transfer them all to a large bowl and top generously with pats of butter. Serve hot.