Types of Potatoes

There are many different types of potatoes and there are thousands of potato varieties. But for cooking purposes, we can say that there are basically six main types: yellow, red, Russet, white, fingerling and blue. The versatility of potatoes allows them to be cooked for breakfast, lunch and then dinner.

It is important to know what type of potatoes you should use when baking and boiling. For example, if you want to add potatoes to soups or stews you should use yellow, blue or red potatoes. These potatoes are low in starch, and it means that when boiling, they will not fall apart. If you want to bake, then you should use potatoes with a dry texture like the Yukon gold type. They can be grown using the potatoes' gardening seeds.

Potatoes for baking purposes are high in starch and when they are done, the texture is very soft. They should not be confused with sweet potatoes which are another different vegetable.

You can find some of the most common varieties of potatoes (which are among the nightshade vegetables), and the best ways to cook them.

Types of potatoes and uses

Yellow Potatoes:

They are considered "all purpose", which means that you can use them to cook easy potato recipes like mashed or baked potatoes.

Best for:

• Mashing
• Steaming
• Boiling
• Baking
• Roasting
• Frying

Examples:

• Yukon Gold
• Yellow Finn

Red Potatoes:

Red potatoes have a firm texture, which makes them perfect for soups and delicious potato salads.

Best for:

• Steaming
• Boiling
• Roasting
• Au gratin
• Scalloped
• Salads

Examples:

• Mountain Rose
• Red Pontiac
• Norland
• Klondike Rose
• Cranberry Red

Russet Potatoes:

Russet potatoes are high in starch. Russets are perfect to cook mashed potatoes; and also are good for baking.

Best For:

• Baking
• Boiling

Examples:

• Russet Burbank (known as Idaho Potatoes)
• German Butterball

White Potatoes:

The white potato variety usually are low in starch, which means that it is great for boiling to make a great potato salad.

Best For:

• Mashing
• Boiling
• Steaming
• Au Gratin
• Roasting

Examples:

• Cal White
• White Rose

Fingerling Potatoes:

Also known as "finger potatoes", fingerling potatoes are "finger-shaped" and they are usually low in starch.

• Baking
• Boiling
• Roasting

Examples:

• French Fingerling
• Austrian Crescent
• Russian Banana

Blue Potatoes: (also known as purple potatoes)

This type of potatoes is great for all kind of dishes because they are usually "medium" in starch.

Best For:

• Steaming
• Baking
• Boiling

Examples:

• Russian Blue
• All Blue
• Purple Peruvian
• Purple Majesty

More interesting information:

Read about additional uses that raw potatoes have.

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