Boil ‘Em, Mash ‘Em, Stick ‘Em In A Stew
If there were a culinary equivalent to the Seven Wonders of the World, potatoes would definitely be on there; they may even take up all seven spots. Spuds are a staple food in countries across the world and for a good reason. Listing all the different ways to eat these tasty tubers would take all day, so we've narrowed them down to the 20 best.
1. Gnocchi
These little Italian balls of joy are the perfect midpoint between dumplings and noodles. Simple to make and simple to cook, the pillowy texture laps up whatever sauce you top them with. Give your gnocchi a quick sear after boiling for a deeper flavor.
2. Scalloped Potatoes
Some recipes are low-effort, high-reward; scalloped potatoes are high-effort, high-reward. Once you've avoided feeding your fingers to the mandoline, you prepare a creamy, cheesy sauce and arrange just so. Scalloped potatoes may take some time to cook, but they're effortless to eat.
Karen and Brad Emerson on Wikimedia
3. Waffle Fries
Don't put that mandoline away too soon, because if you have a crinkle attachment, you can whip yourself up a batch of restaurant-quality waffle fries. This list could very easily have been 20 types of fry, but we decided to be fair and limit ourselves to two. Waffle fries give you the dippable shape of a chip with the delectable crunch of a hashbrown. Sublime.
4. Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes are like if a food could hug you back. Butter, milk, salt, and pepper provide the perfect addition to floury potatoes such as Russets which develop a creamy consistency. Leave the skin on for a bit of the bite, season with nutmeg, or top with carmelized onions for a side dish that could be a main.
5. Latkes
The frying technology necessary for latkes may not have been around during Biblical times, but we bet that Moses wouldn't say no to a plate of these succulent potato pancakes. Served piping hot with sour cream or applesauce, latkes may just be the reason for the Hanukkah season.
6. Baked Potatoes
Many potato dishes are served as sides, but baked potatoes pack enough heft to be a meal in themselves. We aren't picky about discarding the skin or choosing the right toppings, any baked potato is a good potato. However, the skin is an excellent source of dietary fiber.
7. Potato Salad
Who says salads have to be green? Potato salad is a cookout staple that will fill you up without weighing you down. The tang of the dressing cuts through the starch of the potato perfectly, and the pickle on the side is the cherry on top.
8. Tater Tots
Would tater tots be as popular if they didn't have such a fun name? We think so. These bite-sized fried cylinders were originally conceived as a way to use scraps that would otherwise be thrown away. Thank goodness for that, because we can't get enough.
9. French Fries
Thomas Jefferson dined on "potatoes served in the French manner" in 1802, and America's love affair with French fries began. France may be on the label, and Belgium may be country with the highest fry-consumption per capita (and astounding 39 lbs per person) but there are few things more American than a greasy bag of salt fries.
10. Pierogi
One of the most beautiful things about potatoes is their versatility; even when they aren't the star of the show they still find reason to shine. Traditionally considered a Polish peasant food, pierogi are now considered Poland's national dish and are an important part of the Christmas season.
11. Wedges
Wedges aren't technically a fry, so we aren't violating our two-fry quota. They're more like a fry's buff older brother. Extra crunchy and seasoned to perfection, wedges are a heartier side than your typical fast food fry.
12. Hash Browns
Deep-fried until golden brown with an iconic crunch, hash browns may not be the healthiest option on this list, but sometimes you need to live to eat rather than eat to live. Whether you like your hash browns diced, smothered, or in easily-transportable patty form, there's something for everyone. They'll never taste as good as they do in a greasy spoon diner, though.
13. Potato Chips
The beauty of potato chips is how many varieties there are to choose from. Do you prefer your chips kettle-cooked or crumbly? Wavy or smooth? Plain or dipped? And that's without even getting into the hundreds of flavor varieties. The world is your potato-flavored oyster.
14. Potato Soup
Baked potato soup, potato and leek soup, potato and bacon soup, you name it. Potato soup has been warming hearts and bellies with its simple comfort for hundreds of years.If you still crave soup in the middle of a heatwave, try vichyssoise, a pureed potato and leak soup that's most often served chilled.
15. Aligot
Aligot is a French dish that sounds much fancier than it is. Mashed potatoes are blended with butter, garlic, cream, and cheese until they develop a springy, almost elastic texture. It's like mashed potatoes and cheese fondue had a baby, a beautiful, starchy baby.
16. Roasted Potatoes
Oven-roasted potatoes are the side dish for when you lied about your cooking skills to impress a date. They smell divine and take to whatever herbs and spices you choose like a duck to water. Using convection bake will help circulate the air for golden brown taters at a fraction of the cooking time.
17. Funeral Potatoes
There's no reason to cry over funeral potatoes. The dish originated in 19th-century Utah, where members of the LDS church served it at post-funeral dinners as it was convenient to make and could feed many people at once. Topped with cornflakes or crushed potato chips, funeral potatoes are inexpensive and calorie dense, perfect for when you need to eat but don't feel like cooking.
18. Croquettes
If you've ever been torn between side dishes, potato croquettes just might be calling your name. Technically, a croquette is any deep-fried roll with an ooey-gooey filling, but we think that the starch of the potato adds a necessary structural integrity. Potato croquettes take the ease of finger food apps like mozzarella sticks and fill them with creamy mashed potatoes for an irresistible bite.
19. Kugel
Another Ashkenazi dish, potato kugel is like a hasbrown on steroids. Crispy on the outside with a light, fluffy inside, it's no wonder this dish is such a staple. While sweet and/or noodle kugels have been trying to dethrone the noble potato kugel, we think some classics are best left untouched.
20. Poutine
Best known as a drunk food, this Canadian dish is comprised of French fries and cheese curds absolutely doused in salty gravy. The rich brown gravy combined with the squeaky cheese curds makes for a warm, comforting dish that you can enjoy anytime regardless of sobriety.
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