The humble spud: so unassuming, yet so versatile and delicious. Plus, the potato is packed with vitamins and nutrients, and is a bargain to boot. Whether baked, boiled, mashed, or fried, the tasty tuber is the home cook's best friend. Potatoes make you feel full longer, especially when eaten with their skins on, and these tubers are loaded with fiber and contain resistant starches that help regulate blood sugar.
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Learn more about the different potato varieties, and find out which types are best suited for various cooking methods, with our visual guide to potatoes.
Recipes to Try Now
Stuffed Baked Potatoes with Blue Cheese and Rosemary
Ingredients:
- 6 10-ounce russet potatoes, rinsed, dried
- 1/4 cup plus 6 tablespoons sour cream
- 1/4 cup (packed) plus 6 teaspoons crumbled blue cheese
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
Preheat oven to 400°F. Pierce potatoes with fork. Place on oven rack; bake until cooked through, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet; cool 5 minutes. Cut off top third of each potato. Scoop flesh from bottoms into bowl, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shell. Scoop flesh from tops; add to bowl. Discard tops.
Add 1/4 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup blue cheese, butter, garlic and rosemary to potato flesh; mash. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to pastry bag fitted with large star tip; pipe mixture into potato shells, dividing equally. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake potatoes on baking sheet until heated through and beginning to brown, about 25 minutes. Spoon 1 tablespoon sour cream atop each potato. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon blue cheese over each and serve.
Chive and Parsley Mashed Potatoes
Julia Child's American-Style Potato Salad
Potato, Sausage, and Spinach Breakfast Casserole
Chunky Potato Soup with Dill
More potato recipes here.
recipe tips:
• Store Safely
Store potatoes in a cardboard box or paper bag to keep them well ventilated. They do best in a dry and dark cupboard, at around 50 to 60 degrees. If you're planning to eat them within a few days, though, storing on the countertop is fine.
• Keep It Nutritious
One medium potato with its skin contains 45 percent of the daily value for vitamin C and 10 percent for B6, and has more potassium per serving than bananas, spinach, or broccoli. Maximize the potato's nutrients by steaming or microwaving it in its skin. If you boil potatoes, use the cooking water to add a nutritious boost to homemade soup. Just remember: Potatoes are good for you-but all those rich toppings, such as butter, bacon, and sour cream? Not so much. Instead, try low-fat yogurt, a light drizzle of olive oil, or a sprinkling of fresh herbs and a dash of spices.
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• Refrigerate-Don't Freeze!
Potatoes are 80 percent water, which means they don't freeze well once they've been cooked. Prepare just what you need, and cover and refrigerate any leftovers promptly.
• Reheating Leftovers
Hate to waste leftover French fries? Reheat them in a 450°F oven for two or three minutes. Reconstitute mashed potatoes by slowly adding small amounts of oil, butter, or milk while reheating in a pan over a low flame. Otherwise, why not make crispy Mashed Potato Cakes?
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