Different Types of Potatoes & What They Are For

Photo by Lars Blankers on Unsplash

Ever tried a potato recipe and can’t seem to get the correct texture? You might be using the wrong type of potato! There are three types of potatoes – high starch, medium starch, and low starch potatoes, and every type of potato makes a difference in the texture you’re looking to achieve in your recipe.

Photo by Lucy on Unsplash

High-starch potatoes as usually russet potatoes. They’re oblong-shaped with thick skin and has a light, mealy texture. High-starch potatoes are ideal for mashing, so if you’re making some mashed potatoes, try swapping your regular potatoes for russet potatoes and see if there’s a difference! Russet potatoes are good for baking as well!

Photo by Hai Nguyen on Unsplash

Medium-starch potatoes are white potatoes and yellow potatoes. These two potatoes are your all-purpose potatoes and also can be easily found in supermarkets. They usually work well with any type of recipe whether the recipe calls for grilling, boiling, roasting, or mashing and they’re versatile.

Photo by Nic D on Unsplash

Low-starch potatoes are commonly red potatoes, new potatoes, and fingerling potatoes. They’re waxy and hold their shape well when cooked. Low-starch potatoes are ideal for boiling for salads, soups, and stews.

To be honest, I never knew there were so many types of potatoes and each type can play a significant role in getting the perfect texture for your recipe! Now you can impress your loved ones with this little tip on the different types of potatoes!