Mash ‘Em with Mustard
Butter and cream don’t have to be the only sources of flavor. In our Mashed Potatoes with Caraway-Mustard Butter, the classically creamy potatoes get a kick of intense heat from horseradish. A drizzle of browned butter spiked with caraway and mustard seeds adds a complexity that balances the richness. We preferred buttery Yukon Gold potatoes; use potatoes of approximately the same size to ensure even cooking.
Sweet Potatoes Count Too!
For those who prefer their side dish a bit sweeter, this Spiced Sweet Potato Tian fits the bill. When you prepare sweet potatoes like this, you get the best of both worlds: tender, buttery rounds with crisped, browned edges. To balance the natural sweetness of the potatoes, we toss the slices with vinegar, spices and red pepper flakes, then tuck sliced shallot and sage or rosemary leaves in between the layers. Sweet potatoes can vary greatly in size. Try to choose medium-sized ones of about the same diameter so the slices fit neatly in the pie plate.
Turn ‘Em into Pasta Dough
Ditch your boxed pasta for potatoes to create pillowy, cloud-like Potato Gnocchi. It’s the one homemade pasta that anyone can add to their repertoire. It helps to have a kitchen scale to weigh out the 1¼ pounds of cooked potatoes helps when making the gnocchi dough. To process the cooked potatoes, a ricer or food mill works best for obtaining the smooth texture needed for light, fine gnocchi. A potato masher works, too, but the gnocchi will be slightly denser (yet still delicious). The gnocchi can be cooked, cooled completely, covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to a day. If you’re short on time, you can use instant mashed potatoes to get dinner on the table faster with our Gnocchi in an Instant.
Bring on the Spice
These crisp on the outside, dense and creamy on the inside Indian-Spiced Smashed Potatoes are our favorite way to bring rich heat to Yukon Golds. We simmer, then drain skin-on potatoes, smash them until they crack open, then roast them on a baking sheet until the exteriors are brown and crisp. Sliced jalapeños bring chili heat, and a trio of coarsely ground spices—cumin, coriander and fennel—add texture and warm, earthy flavor. We also like to include fenugreek, which has distinctive maple-like notes. If you cannot find it, simply omit. Blooming the spices in butter just before tossing with the smashed potatoes draws out their character while also infusing the fat for better distribution of flavor.
Make ‘Em a Main
Hearty on their own and even heartier when added to a skillet with chorizo, potatoes are the perfect backbone for this quick and filling dish inspired by Guisado de chorizo con papas, or Mexican Chorizo and Potato Stew. Chorizo sausage is spicy, so if you’re sensitive to chili heat, you may want to remove the seeds from the jalapeño before slicing. Serve with warmed tortillas for making tacos, with sour cream or crumbled cotija cheese on the side, or top with runny-yolk fried eggs.
Lean into More Irish Ingredients (then Add a Twist)
If corned beef isn’t your thing, think of these Curried Potatoes, Tomatoes and Cabbage as an alternative way to integrate the leafy brassica into your St. Patty’s meal while pumping up the flavor. Sautéed onion, cabbage and tomatoes, along with earthy spices, create a flavor-packed base for potato chunks that steam with the vegetables’ natural moisture. We stir in a second wave of fresh tomatoes at the end to add brightness and acidity. Serve as a side or make it into a meal by topping it with a fried egg and offering basmati rice alongside.
Salt ‘Em (a Lot)
Sometimes all you need is a hefty helping of salt to bring out the best in the modest potato. In these Salt-Crusted Potatoes (Papas Arrugadas), a simple ingredient-list makes for a low effort, high-impact side. It's best to use whole small, lower-starch potatoes, such as fingerlings or Yukon Golds, that are 1 to 1½ inches in diameter. Larger potatoes that have been cut into chunks won't work. Serve the potatoes with the garlicky, lightly spicy mojo picón and an herbal and cooling mojo verde.
Bring Out the Big Guns: Brown Butter
In our Butter-Browned Potatoes with Onion and Mustard, inspired by classic French pommes de terre à la Lyonnaise, potatoes and onions transform into a refined and flavorful side dish. The secret: Brown the potatoes and onions in butter so they take on a wonderful nutty flavor. This rustic side pairs deliciously with everything from seafood to meat, or simply serve them with eggs. To jump-start the cooking process, we partially cook the potatoes in the microwave, then finish them in the skillet.
More Cheese, Please
In these Roasted Potatoes with Gouda and Thyme, the cheese bakes until crisp to enhance a simple roast of potatoes and shallots, adding texture and savory richness. Aged Gouda brings rich, nutty, butterscotch-y notes; Manchego is similarly nutty but with some tanginess and subtle sharpness. Both are delicious here, so use whichever you favor. A sturdy wide metal spatula is the best way to get all the crispy, cheesy bits off of the baking sheet and onto your serving platter.
Stir-Fry ‘Em
In the mood for something non-traditional? We don’t often think to stir-fry potatoes, but that’s how they’re cooked in the classic Sichuan dish called tudou si. In our take on the dish, Hot and Sour Stir-Fried Potatoes, we cut them into matchsticks, soak them to remove some of their starch, then stir-fry until tender—with just a hint crispness at the core, not until totally yielding in texture. We flavor the potatoes with finely ground, tongue-tingling Sichuan peppercorns (pulverize them in an electric spice grinder), dried chilies for supplemental heat and Chinese black vinegar (also known as Chinkiang vinegar; balsamic vinegar is a reasonably good substitute) to add tanginess.
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