What to cook with potatoes: 8 reliable dishes.
Potatoes are the cheapest, most-bought, most-misused vegetable in the American kitchen. A 5-pound bag is a week of dinners. Here are 8 potato-forward dishes — each one chosen because it does something a regular baked potato cannot.
The 8 dishes
1. Crispy roast potatoes
Parboil halved Yukon Golds 8 min in salted water with baking soda. Drain hard, rough up the edges. Toss with hot duck fat or olive oil. 425°F for 35-40 min, flipping once. Salt heavy. Uses: Yukon Gold potatoes, baking soda, duck fat or olive oil, salt, rosemary.
2. Smashed potatoes with garlic and parmigiano
Boil baby potatoes 15 min until fork-tender. Smash on sheet pan with a glass. Brush with olive oil, salt, smashed garlic. 425°F for 25 min until crispy. Top with parmigiano. Uses: baby potatoes, olive oil, garlic, parmigiano, salt, parsley.
3. Patatas bravas with smoky aioli
Cube Yukon Golds, par-cook in oil at 250°F until tender. Drain. Re-fry at 375°F until crispy. Top with bravas sauce (tomato, smoked paprika, garlic) and aioli. Uses: Yukon Gold potatoes, neutral oil, San Marzano tomatoes, smoked paprika, garlic, sherry vinegar, mayonnaise, lemon.
4. Spanish tortilla
Slow-cook potato slices and onion in olive oil 25 min, low heat. Drain. Beat 6 eggs, fold in potatoes, cook in oiled pan, flip with a plate, finish second side. Serve room temp. Uses: Yukon Gold potatoes, yellow onion, olive oil, eggs, salt.
5. Aloo gobi (potato and cauliflower)
Cube potatoes and cauliflower. Bloom whole spices (cumin, mustard, fenugreek) in oil. Add ginger, garlic, turmeric, garam masala. Add vegetables, cover, simmer with a splash of water 20 min. Tomato, cilantro, lemon. Uses: Yukon Gold potatoes, cauliflower, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek, ginger, garlic, turmeric, garam masala, tomato, cilantro, lemon, neutral oil.
6. Hash browns with crispy edges
Shred Yukon Golds, squeeze dry in a clean towel — squeeze hard, twice. Spread thin in a hot cast iron with butter and bacon fat. Don't move for 6 minutes. Flip, 4 more. Uses: Yukon Gold potatoes, butter, bacon fat, salt, pepper.
7. Loaded baked potato bar
Russet potatoes, fork-pricked, oiled, salt-crusted. 400°F for 70 min. Toppings: bacon, scallion, sour cream, sharp cheddar, butter, chives. Uses: Russet potatoes, olive oil, kosher salt, bacon, sour cream, sharp cheddar, butter, scallions, chives.
8. Potato gratin (dauphinoise)
Slice Yukon Golds 1/8" on a mandoline. Layer in cream-and-garlic-warmed baking dish with thyme and a few rasps of nutmeg. 350°F for 75 min. Rest 15. Uses: Yukon Gold potatoes, heavy cream, garlic, thyme, nutmeg, gruyère, salt, pepper.
How to store potatoes
Potatoes keep 2-3 weeks in a cool, dark, ventilated spot — never the fridge (cold turns starch to sugar and makes them sweet and mealy). Once cut, they brown fast — submerge in cold water if you're prepping ahead.
What to substitute for potatoes
Yukon Gold ↔ red potatoes for waxy applications (hash browns, gratin, potato salad). Russets are non-substitutable for baking and frying — only Russets get crispy enough. Fingerlings and baby potatoes work for smashed and roasted recipes 1:1.
FAQ
- Should I peel potatoes?
- For mashed and gratin: yes (for texture). For roasted, smashed, hash browns: no (the skin gets crispy and adds flavor). For Spanish tortilla: yes (peeled potatoes absorb the oil better).
- What's the best potato for fries?
- Russets, every time. Their high starch content lets the outside crisp while the inside stays fluffy. Yukon Golds make decent fries but never crispy ones. Sweet potatoes won't crisp without cornstarch coating.
- Why are my mashed potatoes gummy?
- Overworked. Each smash breaks more starch cells. Use a ricer or food mill, never a blender or food processor. Add warm milk and butter, fold gently. Pass once. Stop.
- Can I freeze potatoes?
- Cooked yes, raw no. Raw potatoes turn mushy when frozen and brown when thawed. Mashed potatoes freeze well (add extra butter). Roasted potatoes freeze fine and re-crisp in a hot oven.
Cook with what you already own.
Speakeater is a free Android app — pantry-first cooking and a 4,000-bottle cocktail bar. Snap your fridge, get recipes ranked by what you have. Launches May 10, 2026.
Join the beta →