Po-TAY-toes - recipes wanted

May 31, 2024 9:50 AM

In an effort to economize, I am eating more potatoes. Tell me some potato receipes!

Ideally these would be on the moderately-healthy side - if fried, more the "modest amount of oil in seasoned skillet" side than french fries; if involving cheese or butter, more on the "reasonable portions" side than "pommes aligots" side. I am more interested in recipes that include the skins, and indeed usually include the skins even when one technically should not.

For instance, I make baked potato wedges and roast potatoes a lot, and I make twice baked potatoes with a sufficient but not maxed out amount of cheese and a bunch of spinach and onion.

I do not have an air fryer.

I'm especially interested in things that can be made with cooked and cooled potatoes, since this increases the resistant starch content and also means that I can, eg, bake a bunch of potatoes on the weekend and use them during the week.

Even if it's pommes aligot, however, if you have a great recipe feel free to share. Obviously, becomes this is an economizing measure, gold plated potatoes baked in champagne probably won't be in the regular rotation.

posted by Frowner to Food & Drink (35 answers total)

Potato Croquettes are awesome and can be made so many different ways (filled with ham, cheese, etc). Including the skins would make them even better IMO.
posted by JoeZydeco at 9:55 AM on May 31

These deviled potatoes were a huge hit at a vegan potluck I took them to. And you eat them cold.
posted by FencingGal at 10:02 AM on May 31

Homemade potato gnocchi are as good with any healthy (ie heated canned tomatoes and sprinkle of parm) as with decadent sauces.
posted by Tim Bucktooth at 10:04 AM on May 31

I make this crispy smashed potatoes recipe a LOT. I cook the potatoes in the microwave or boil them (skin on), and at that point you can absolutely refrigerate them overnight. When you’re ready to cook, just toss in oil (I only use like 1.5 TBSP) and seasonings, then smash them (a glass works, or a meat mallet) and roast in the oven. These are great at breakfast topped with an egg, or as a satisfying side to any sort of lunch or dinner. Recipe works with any small-ish potatoes.
posted by little mouth at 10:12 AM on May 31

I cannot stop smashing potatoes, or crash hot potatoes if you're Down Under. And yes, that link microwaves first and then roasts them, I'm not boiling a damn thing in the summer. Also, I like a heavy pint glass for smashing/crashing, something pretty much flat on the bottom.

The beauty of these beauties is that you can make a bunch of them, eat your fill, and the leftovers can be used in a ton of ways - dice them into hashbrowns or taco filling or potato salad, just micro-reheat and top with toppings, stir into eggs or bake in a fritatta, eat them cold out of the fridge.
posted by Lyn Never at 10:12 AM on May 31

"Boil them, mash them, stick 'em in a stew"...

Plop fried eggs on them. Put cheese on them, fry them to make potato pancakes. Potatoes are just the best. Add them to anything! Experiment! Rarely fails to not make a meal better. Now I wish I had bought some frozen hash browns at the store this morning.
posted by Windopaene at 10:23 AM on May 31

Here's a great samosa-inspired potato salad. I have it as a main on salad greens. Definitely works to prep in advance (hold the papadums and, if you can, the cilantro til serving).
posted by snaw at 10:24 AM on May 31

I make variations on this skillet meal with potato, sausage and kale as a family dinner from time to time.
posted by vunder at 10:29 AM on May 31

An herb & acid-based, not mayo-based, potato salad is a great option with a huge ability to customize. I've made this one and others: https://myfoodstory.com/healthy-lemon-dill-potato-salad-no-mayo-recipe/.
posted by neutralhydrogen at 10:30 AM on May 31

Grow some dill and put that on there.

If you have an instant pot, cooking them in it is much more energy efficient than an oven or stove.
posted by amtho at 10:31 AM on May 31

Cut them in large chunks (so they don’t fall apart), boil them with some baking soda and salt, toss with oil and roast again. The baking soda makes them so crispy! I did this last weekend and seasoned with garlic, cumin seeds, black mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida, turmeric, and small green chiles fried in ghee—it was a big hit. Oh and toss with fresh cilantro at the end.

I have also done this with garlic, rosemary, oregano, olive oil, and thyme for a more Western flavor palette. (Toss with fresh parsley) —just make sure you don’t roast the garlic the same amount of time as the potatoes or it will burn. Fry the seasonings and take them out of the oil, use the flavored oil to roast, then add them back after roasting. Look up the Serious Eats crispy potato recipe for a more detailed recipe.

I love fried mashed potato cakes. You could also do these Indian-style as aloo tikki, or Western-style with chives and butter, maybe some greens mixed in.

Hasselback potatoes are fun if a bit fussy!

Scalloped potatoes/potatoes dauphinoise are classic but not so much on the lighter side.

You could make moussaka or a similar layered casserole and incorporate cooked potato slices. Bonus depth of flavor if you have the time to fry them until golden first.
posted by music for skeletons at 10:47 AM on May 31

Chop them into small cubes maybe 1/3 to 1/2 an inch, shallow fry them slowly- needs to be slow so the inside cooks before the outside is charcoal. To minimise oil, add a little bit of water to steam them for a few mins initially, the water evaporates and then they start to fry. You can add any veg, bacon etc. You could fry an egg as well. Serve with a salad. Or with sweet and sour/pickled pumpkin.

Potatoes are great in soups - either to thicken other veg or in their own right.

Boil a pot of potatoes. Skin on. Use in salads, soups, to fry etc. if you peel them when they are still warm, the skin comes off very easily.

Boiled potatoes are great with something like tzatziki.

German potato salad. A lot of written recipes call for a lot of oil. For me it is really about the hot vinaigrette style dressing. A lot of oil will change the mouthfeel but it’s not compulsory.
posted by koahiatamadl at 10:58 AM on May 31

'tis the season for new potatoes, and I am known for just having new potatoes as dinner, maybe with a side salad of lettuce and peas, but also just the potatoes. When I cook potatoes, I try to make enough to have leftovers, so I can have a potato smørrebrød. There are so many variations, so I'll let you google for inspiration, but my favorite is on a very seedy, dense rye bread, spread with a little butter and then covered with slices of new potatoes. For me, the ideal toppings are mayo + pickled red onions + fried shallots. You can put dill on top for extra color.

I'm also moderately obsessed with Korean potato salad.

In my family, we have a tradition of having roast lamb a la boulangère mainly for the potatoes. Then there will be leftover lamb, which you can use for a lot of potato-based dishes, like biksemad or skipperlabskovs, the Danish version of scouse. Our version is close to the Liverpoodlian, but doesn't have carrots and is less watery. The potatoes should dominate, so it almost looks liked mashed potatoes with little bits of meat and onions in there. You need pickled beets, mustard and either brown or Worcestershire sauce to make it perfect.
All this North Sea common culture reminds me of bubble and squeak, which is a food for gods, and again something you might find refined versions of with google.

A classic Spanish tortilla is not exactly diet food, but you do pour off most of the cooking oil (and reuse it), and you just eat a slice, not a whole one. It's very, very good cold.

Madhur Jaffreys recipe for sesame seed potatoes is always received well, and can be combined with a curry or daal and some rice.

Oh wait, I was about to end, but some recipes for salade Nicoise include potatoes. Salade Nicoise recipes are very much debated, but in your home you can do whatever you want. I like potatoes, and anchovies. Because I really like potatoes. They might be one of my favorite foods.
posted by mumimor at 11:06 AM on May 31

If you like capers/pickles, I love this salad: https://smittenkitchen.com/2014/01/warm-lentil-and-potato-salad/

I make extra dressing because it will absorb some of the sauce as it sits
posted by brilliantine at 11:31 AM on May 31

I forgot shepherds pie. You don't have to use meat, my favorite is with green lentils in the sauce. Very healthy and very cheap and great as a leftover, too.

And while I'm here, I will mention Svensk Pølseret. Now my recipe is very different from any online recipes, so I think it's something my granny just thought out for herself. It is a Danish dish, even though it is literally called Swedish sausage meal. The tradition is that it was something Danish campers made on their trips to Sweden for reasons I can't really know, but what I do know is that my gran never, ever camped in Sweden. Whatever.
I usually use baking potatoes. For each large potato, you need one onion. Finely slice and then sauté the potatoes and onions in butter or margarine till the onions are soft and sweet. Season with salt, pepper, bayleaves and paprika. Add a tbsp of vinegar, and then enough water to cover the potatoes and onions. Let them simmer until the potatoes are tender. You may have to add more water during the process. Now add 1/2 cup of cream, 2 tbsp of ketchup and some cocktail sausages or cut up normal wieners, as your budget allows. Let it simmer till all is heated through. Season to taste and serve. Also great reheated, though that will never happen in my family.
posted by mumimor at 11:38 AM on May 31

I recently made a variation on this potato salad with a mustard vinaigrette from Smitten Kitchen. It was good cold for a couple of days, and the dressing and technique would work well with all kinds of different vegetables along with the potatoes.

(on preview, this recipe and the one brilliantine linked are two of 10+ potato salad recipes on Smitten Kitchen, and they all look like winners.)

I love J. Kenji Lopez-Alt's method for crispy roast potatoes. I don't usually bother with step 2.

Mashing a combination of regular and sweet potatoes is delightful.
posted by doift at 11:43 AM on May 31

Potato mochi is pretty great. It works really well with cooked & cooled leftover potatoes.
posted by burntflowers at 11:56 AM on May 31

I like to make (vegan) bombay potatoes--most recipes involve a can of chickpeas, a couple of potatoes, a can of tomatoes, garlic, onion, and ginger along with a bunch of spices I typically already have. If I don't have it I just skip it.
posted by MagnificentVacuum at 12:08 PM on May 31

I generally just roast potatoes from raw, but when I have a little more time or energy, I first boil them and then roast them, which makes them crispier and much better. Here's the American Test Kitchen recipe I use (although I just use olive oil).
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 12:16 PM on May 31

I love baked sweet potatoes + chili on top which adds protein. Depending on what you like, that could be 3 bean chili, beef chili, or something in the middle - personally I like mine with some smoky chiles (smoked paprika or chipotle/ancho) and a bit of garam masala for warmth, but follow your heart.

Baked potatoes or sweet potatoes can be made ahead of time and refrigerated then reheated. Chili can be made in a giant batch with some of it refrigerated and some of it frozen for eating a few weeks/months in the future.

Throw a little bit of sour cream or shredded cheese on top if you're feeling decadent, or some sliced up green onions or chopped raw onion if you're not.
posted by A Blue Moon at 12:34 PM on May 31

Yunnan Street Food Style Potatoes
posted by Dr. Twist at 12:57 PM on May 31

i love this smitten kitchen lemon potatoes recipe.
posted by guybrush_threepwood at 1:00 PM on May 31

If you're looking for something healthy and cheap, vegetable soup with potatoes would work. I did tomato based and added diced tomatoes with green chiles. One drop of worcestershire sauce adds to the flavor. Don't add more than a drop or it gets overwhelming. I used frozen veg since it was going to be cooked down anyway.
posted by stray thoughts at 1:37 PM on May 31

Sichuan stir-fried potatoes are so delicious (and are excellent cold). I do recommend a mandolin or excellent knife skills.
posted by Empidonax at 1:39 PM on May 31

Rösti require cooked and cooled potatoes to be made properly. They are also extremely delicious. The recipe suggests a large amount of butter but you can likely get away with less. They are very good with Gruyere or Appenzeller cheese and a fried egg on top.
posted by kdar at 1:51 PM on May 31

My first husband's favorite dish was a potato-crusted quiche.

Basically you shred potatoes and press into the bottom and sides of a pie pan like a crust, then add whatever fillings you like, and the custard mixture gets poured over everything before baking. I seem to remember onions and cheese being involved, but anything you'd put in a quiche would be good. We'd eat it hot for supper but I remember eating the leftovers cold for breakfast.

There are a bunch of recipes online for various versions of this. Unfortunately I don't have the recipe I used, this was 40 years ago and I think the cookbook got lost in the shuffle during the divorce.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 4:20 PM on May 31

Fadge is a type of Irish potato pancake that is made with more of a dough. I used to make little ones for a St. Patrick's Day party and top with smoked salmon and cucumber, but you can just serve them as you would any other kind of potato pancake.
posted by FencingGal at 4:40 PM on May 31

GQ has a baked (425 deg) fries recipe that we have made for years with a range of salt, pepper, and sprinkled on herbs. Tossing cut-up potatoes with olive oil before seasoning is the key to healthy, tasty, potentially-mouth-burning goodness. While we don’t read GQ here, I think this was from a fast-food knockoff article with recipes that was an OP on the blue
posted by childofTethys at 6:24 PM on May 31

Potato leek soup is great, can be served cold with a little crème fraiche and chopped chives on top.

I often boil red potatoes and then drain them and put them back in the pot over the burner with a good hunk of butter and salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook them until they crisp up a bit and top with chopped parsley or dill.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 6:40 PM on May 31

I like colcannon and have used just milk or just tinned coconut milk to make it (no cream.)
posted by warriorqueen at 7:51 PM on May 31

Potatoes, onion and carrots make the Dutch dish known as 'hutspot'.

Traditionally served with some kind of meat, but that's mostly because you'll want some gravy.

There are several other Dutch dishes involving mashed potatoes, e.g. with sauerkraut or kale.
posted by demi-octopus at 7:48 AM on June 1

In the feel free to share category, Greek-Style Oven Fries are easy to make, as is the tzatziki recommended in the recipe.
posted by kingless at 10:31 AM on June 1

Just to cross-reference, see this MeFi post about rosin-baked potatoes:
https://www.metafilter.com/203989/The-most-intense-potato-flavor-youve-ever-experienc
posted by indexy at 5:13 PM on June 2

My family love fondant potatoes! I'd be willing to bet you could cut some of the butter from the recipe without sacrificing too much flavor. An incredible side.
posted by zerobyproxy at 12:09 PM on June 3

Oooh I buy potatoes by the 5kg! Some favourites:

• Bombay potatoes - I like the Prashad recipe which taught me to boil potatoes in skins to prep (I actually steam them)
• Spanish omelette - the usual method is to slice then fry the potatoes but I prefer to steam in skins as above and slice, add that to your fried onion and egg mix
• Filling the freezer with loaded skins - bake as many as you like, cool and then cut in half and scoop out the filling. Mix with a) cheese b) cheese and spices c) cheese and spices and onions d) sour cream and chive etc then stuff back into the shells. Freeze them on trays and when frozen, bag them up. Cooks from frozen in about 30 mins (high oven)
• Criss-cross potatoes: slice in half the flattest way, then criss cross the top (nearly through) with a knife, spread with small amount of butter, top with herbs, bake in oven

posted by london explorer girl at 5:06 AM on June 4