How Long To Boil Potatoes (By Dish Type)
If you’re mashing up some potatoes, creating the perfect potato salad or just throwing them into a bowl with salt and butter, boiled potatoes will be a hit when cooked correctly. How long do to boil the potatoes? We’ve researched countless recipes and here’s our findings.
The size is the primary element in determining how long your potatoes should boil. Put the potatoes in an oven-proof pot, then cover it the pot with an inch cold water, and bring it all to boiling. When the water is at a boil then reduce the temperatures and cook until:
- Small, whole, boiled potatoes (such as fresh or small red potatoes) for 10-15 minutes
- Cut potatoes for potato salad – 5-10 minutes
- Cut potatoes for mashed potatoes – 12-20 minutes
To determine if your potatoes are the degree of doneness, you can pierce them using a fork or the edge of the knife. If it glides through without resistance, then your potatoes are ready!
We’ve collected some of the most delicious recipes that use boiled potatoes. We’ve also included the most important tips to get the most out of your potatoes. Read on to learn more about it!
How Long To Boil Potatoes?
New Potatoes
Most potatoes take several weeks curing before ending in the supermarket shelves. It extends the shelf time. New potatoes, also referred to by the name of baby potatoes are sent straight to market after the harvest.
Small spuds cook most quickly, and retain a pleasant sweetness when as compared to larger cousins. They can be cooked and served with olive oil, butter or herbs, such as in this recipe created by Martha Stewart.
Potato Salad
No matter whether it’s this holiday celebration or an event with the family Potato salad is always popular with the guests. It is common to cut the potatoes prior to boiling, the spuds require to keep their shape, while remaining soft. It is possible to achieve this using various varieties of potatoes however, you must take note of which kind of potato you’re using in your recipe.
The recipe by Cookie and Kate calls for red potatoes that are cut into 1/4-inch slices prior to boiling for 5-6 minutes. However the recipe on Serious Eats utilizes russets chopped into 1/4 cubes. They are then simmered to 10 mins.
Mashed Potatoes
A Thanksgiving meal isn’t complete without the delicious mashed potatoes. As opposed to other cooked potatoes they are more tolerant of overcooking because they don’t require their shape when cooking their final product.
When creating mashed potato, steer clear of the waxy varieties of new or red potatoes. Instead, select potatoes that fall on the medium to starchy side, such as Yukon golds, russets or a mix of both like in this recipe by NYT Cooking.
Parboiling
Parboiling is the process of boiling the potatoes until they’re approximately 3/4 cooked before cooking using another method, for example, cooking or roasting. It’s a fantastic method to ensure that the potatoes don’t become dry or cook too long when cooking other dishes.
There is a wealth of information regarding dishes that use potatoes parboiled in Kitchen Seer. Take a look at our article “How to Properly Saute Potatoes.”
If you’re looking for something a bit more extravagant than boiling water in a pot Why not try the recipe below for Dauphinoise potato from BBC. Cook slices of potato in milk, cream and garlic prior to baking with gruyere for the traditional French recipe for scalloped potatoes. It calls for King Edward potatoes however russets work well if those aren’t in the area you live in.
Do You Need to Peel Potatoes Prior to Boiling them?
Potato peels are a wealth of nutrients and offer the perfect texture contrast to various dishes. Many people prefer not having them. If you’re removing your potatoes for a recipe like potato salad, or the mashed potatoes, you are able to peel them off before boiling them without too much concern.
If you’re serving boiled potatoes with a salad we recommend that you peel them immediately after boiling. The peel can reduce the quantity of water they absorb when they cook, and keeping the peel on will help keep your potatoes light and keep their shape, particularly for starchy potatoes such as russets.
Additionally, A cooked peel will also easily fall off. . Be sure to allow it to cool before you do to ensure that you don’t burn yourself on steaming hot spuds!
Can You Cut Potatoes To Reduce Cooking Time?
Similar to peeling, cutting your potatoes prior to boiling is a common practice for potato salads or the mashed potatoes. This will drastically reduce cooking time, especially for recipes that require huge varieties of potatoes, like russets.
We do not recommend cutting them while cooking basic boiling potatoes. They’ll absorb more liquid in addition to losing more starch during cooking. Sharp edges, corners and sharp edges of cut potatoes also cook faster than the middle, which can result in a different texture.
However the fact that time is a valuable time, therefore the best should not be a hindrance to the good. While boiling can take a significant burden on starchy potatoes those with a waxy texture, like new potatoes or red potatoes, will stand more well to boiling following cutting.
Can You Boil Potatoes Too Long?
The potatoes that are cooked too long are a common ailment when it comes to boiling potatoes, whether it’s an unpleasant al dente potato salad or potatoes that aren’t quite as mix.
It’s definitely possible to cook your potatoes for too long as well, even though it’s less usual. Everyone doesn’t want their potato salad to turn into cold mashed potatoes. Likewise, the potatoes that are cooked too long in a mash tend to become wet and sticky.
To avoid this, make sure to check your potatoes frequently using the fork technique when they are nearing the time to cook. If you can poke them easily, they’re cooked.
In the event that your potato is overcooked, J. Kenji Lopez-Alt at Serious Eats has another suggestion vinegar. A small amount of vinegar in the boiling the water (one tablespoon per quarter quart) can increase the acidity of the cooking water. This can slow down the process of breaking down pectin in the potatoes.
What is the reason Potatoes break when cooked?
All potatoes are composed of starch, which absorbs water and disintegrates in it, especially in hot water. They contain less starch, and they hold better in boiling, however they’ll eventually fall apart in the event of boiling for too long.
If the potatoes you’ve cooked have begun to fall apart, it might be cooking them for too long. There could be other factors that are at work however.
When the water is at a boil make sure you lower the temperature. If your water is at a steady boiling point, the exteriors that the potato are in will cook too fast and will begin to break down. The rough atmosphere that is created by a boiling process can affect your potatoes and increase the chances of them breaking.
Do you need to cover potatoes when Boiling?
Different recipes offer different recommendations in regards to cover the pot when the potatoes cook. Better Homes and Gardens calls to cover the lid when the pot is at the point of boiling and Kitchn suggests that covered pots cause the taters becoming mushy.
We’ve found that, so when you’re following these general rules, then the lid won’t have a significant impact. There’s less heat loss when you cover your pot therefore you’ll be able to keep the heat at a lower level when you’re trying reduce the energy use. If you don’t cover it, you’re unlikely to notice any significant changes.
Should You Add Salt when Boiling potatoes?
There are few matches that are better than potatoes and salt. It’s no wonder that French fries as well as potato chips, are among of the most popular snacks in America. Unlike their fried fries, it is difficult to make boiled potatoes taste better without the right seasoning.
Like when you bake pastries, you can add salt to the water while boiling potatoes. It’s a great way to ensure that the salt is absorbed into the potato and not only coats the surface. Similar to Molly Baz over at Bon Appetit Chefs may call for a full cup salt kosher for 3 quarters of a quart of water!
If you aren’t able to get it to this level, you can add a couple of tablespoons of salt into your water to cook. It will make sure that a little salt gets all up to the middle in your potato. Once your potatoes are cooked and cooled, make ensure to take a taste and tweak the seasoning according to your preference.
Final Thoughts
The simple sound of boiled potatoes however, when done correctly and cooked properly, they make the perfect accompaniment to any meal. You can also make potato salad or the mashed potatoes which your family and friends will raving about. Follow our tips and you’ll never be disappointed when cooking your potatoes.
Are you looking for more delicious ways to cook your potatoes? How Long To Boil Potatoes? Read our article “Should you Dry the Potatoes Prior to Roasting or Frying?”