The potato is the ultimate multi-purpose versatile side dish (or a main dish; we're also prone to the occasional irrepressible mashed potato craving). A staple across the world, it is used in countless different ways. Far from just a filler, the potato can be an exciting, delicious ingredient. Try it in a potato salad flavored with curry powder, chives, parsley, or anything, really. Roasted potatoes are another 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. But even if neither of those options appeal to you, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy this starchy staple.
Crispy Smashed Za'atar Potatoes
David Kinch's Tater Tots
Using a traditional French confit method in which the potatoes are slow-cooked in duck fat, chef David Kinch, of Michelin-starred Manresa restaurant in Los Gatos, CA, makes a particularly luxurious tot. Get the recipe for David Kinch’s Tater Tots »
Caramel-Glazed Potatoes (Brúnaðar Kartöflur)
A classic Christmastime side dish in Iceland, these butter-and-sugar-glazed potatoes are ubiquitous on many Icelandic holiday tables. Any small, waxy potato will do. Get the recipe for Caramel-Glazed Potatoes »
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Tuk (Sindhi Twice-fried Potatoes)
These crispy potato appetizers get a wonderfully tart flavor from amchur, or dried mango powder. Get the recipe for Tuk »
Israeli Fried Potatoes with Kashkaval Cheese
Pesto Potato Salad
Hot Fries
These spicy, crunchy fries are our take on the classic packaged snack. Get the recipe for Hot Fries »
Patatas Bravas
In Spain, the stopgap to late-night dinners is bar snacks like patatas bravas, crisp potatoes blanketed in mayonnaise and a thick spicy tomato sauce. Get the recipe for Patatas Bravas »
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Potatoes with Chestnuts and Clams
These stuffed potatoes, which tenderize first in foil packets then crisp up in cast iron atop the coals (or in the oven), are packed with a mix of roasted chestnuts, bacon, and juicy whole clams. “Clams and potatoes are a match made in heaven,” says Joe Beef’s Dave McMillan of the unusual, yet welcome addition of seafood to potatoes. “Just think about clam chowder.” Get the recipe for Potatoes with Chestnuts and Clams »
Vinegar-Marinated Potatoes with Olives and Capers
Vinegar-Marinated Potatoes with Olives and Capers
Olive Oil Fried Potatoes with Over Easy Eggs (Huevos Estrellados)
Noodles and Gravy
This Iowa-style noodles dish is a carb-lovers paradise: Creamy mashed potatoes, tender hand-made noodles, warm brown gravy. Get the recipe for Noodles and Gravy »
Grated Potato and Cheese Omelette
Grated Potato and Cheese Omelette
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Tacos de Papa Hwy 99 (Potato Tacos)
Avocado Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes go green with avocado and cilantro in this bright recipe. Get the recipe for Avocado Mashed Potatoes »
Crispy Smashed Za'atar Potatoes
Pesto Potato Salad
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. Get the recipe for Potato Chips »
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Ignacio Mattos' Potato Salad
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. Get the recipe for Ricotta and Egg Gnocchi with Olives, Capers, and Tomato Sauce »
Potatoes Roasted with Saffron
The pleasantly bitter and floral flavor of saffron adds a complex taste to these otherwise ordinary roasted potatoes. Get the recipe for Potatoes Roasted with Saffron »
Fingerling Potato Salad with Chive Mayonnaise
Hashbrowns
Fluffy inside and golden outside, these pan-fried potatoes are a signature of the Omaha restaurant Piccolo Pete’s. Get the recipe for Hashbrowns »
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Warm Red Potato Salad
Tender grilled red-skinned potatoes are doused in herb vinaigrette in this warm salad. Get the recipe for Warm Red Potato Salad »
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. Get the recipe for Potato and Leek Soup »
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.
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.
Spudnuts
SpudnutsTo ensure these potato-based donuts turn out pillowy and soft after frying, take care not to overwork the dough. Get the recipe for Spudnuts »
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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 »
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. Get the recipe for French Bacon, Potato, and Reblochon Casserole (Tartiflette) »
Moroccan Potato Salad
Bright and aromatic with plenty of fresh parsley, this potato salad is definitive of Moroccan cuisine.
Pomme Purée
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 »
Potato Pancakes (Kartoffelpuffer)
Applesauce is the perfect foil for these savory, golden fried pancakes, a mix of starchy potatoes, flour, and eggs. Get the recipe for Potato Pancakes »
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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) »
French Piped Potatoes (Pommes duch*esse)
Elegant potatoes are brushed with an egg wash before baking for color and crunch. Get the recipe for French Piped Potatoes (Pommes duch*esse) »
Old-Fashioned Scalloped Potatoes
Thinly sliced potatoes and onions are baked in a rich cream sauce in this classic crowd-pleaser. Get the recipe for Old-Fashioned Scalloped Potatoes »
Crème Fraîche Mashed Potatoes
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. Get the recipe for Swedish Potato Dumplings »
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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 »
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. Get the recipe for Colcannon »
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. Get the recipe for Boiled Potatoes With Dill »
Spicy Cabbage-and-Potato Curry (Bund Gobhi Aur Aloo Ki Subzi)
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. Get the recipe for Sauteed Potatoes and Chiles »
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Aloo Masala (South Indian Potatoes)
These flavorful mashed potatoes are spiced with mustard seeds, fresh curry leaves, turmeric, and ginger, and mixed with peas. Get the recipe for Aloo Masala (South Indian 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. Get the recipe for Sage Mashed Potatoes »
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.
Julia Child's Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Thirty cloves of garlic go into this creamy side dish. Get the recipe for Julia Child’s Garlic Mashed Potatoes »
Eastern Townships, Quebec
Eastern Townships, Quebec
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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.
