How to Pick the Right Potato for Mashing, Roasting, Frying, and So Much More

It’s hard not to love potatoes. They can be baked, boiled, fried, roasted, mashed, and more, and we love them no matter what. A common question that arises when it comes to this beloved veggie is which types of potatoes are best for which recipes. There are potatoes with varying levels of moisture and starchiness, so picking the perfect potatoes is crucial.

The Ever-Flexible Russet Potato

Russets are great for dishes like hash brownies and gratins. If you’re into classic baked or twice-baked potatoes, russets are great for that, too. They don’t have a lot of moisture and are super starchy, which makes the inside fluffy and the skin crispy. You can top them with stuff like chives, bacon, sour cream, and cheese. They’re also the right size for twice-baked potatoes.

For thin and crispy hash browns or french fries, russet potatoes are also the way to go. Yukon Golds work well if you want diced or home-style hash browns. To make crunchy latkes and potato pancakes, use russet potatoes, too. Top them with applesauce, sour cream, smoked salmon, or whatever you like. Finally, if you’re making creamy potato soup, like potato and leek soup or loaded potato soup, russet potatoes are your best bet.

Beyond Russet Potatoes

When you want to make awesome mashed potatoes, you need them to be buttery, creamy, and a little salty. To get that creaminess, you can use Yukon Gold, fingerling, or La Ratte potatoes. If you have different potatoes, you can mix russets and Yukon Gold for a smooth texture with less butter and more cream. For roasting potatoes, pick fingerlings. They have thin skin that lets them cook well. You can also use them for mashed potatoes, especially with herbs like rosemary, thyme, shallots, and garlic.

When you’re making potato salad, whether it’s the mayo-based kind or the German-style, red potatoes or Yukon Golds are good choices. Red potatoes are great because they won’t fall apart when you mix them with other stuff. Just chop them up before boiling to keep them in one piece.