Types of Potatoes (2024)

FAQs

What types of potatoes make the perfect baked potatoes because of their low moisture and high starch content? ›

Russets are the classic choice for baked potatoes because they're a dry, floury variety, meaning they contain a relatively high amount (20 to 22 percent) of starch. (So-called in-between varieties like Yukon Golds or waxy types like Red Bliss contain 16 to 18 percent and about 16 percent starch, respectively.)

Best type of potatoes for diabetes

Sweet potatoes are one of the best types of potato for people with diabetes, as they are low-GI and contain more fiber than white potatoes. Sweet potatoes are also a good source of calcium and vitamin A. Carisma potatoes, a variety of white potato, are another lower-GI option.

All potatoes can fit into a healthy diet, but purple potatoes, red potatoes, and sweet potatoes—which are often grouped with potatoes—stand out due to their high amounts of protective plant compounds and essential nutrients.

Yukon Gold potatoes are often considered to be “all-purpose” potatoes, as they work well in a variety of different dishes. They have enough starch for their interiors to become creamy when heated in the oven, and are waxy enough to keep their shape as they form a pleasantly crunchy crust.

The ideal potato for baking is low in moisture with a high starch content. These qualities allow a potato to bake up with a delightfully fluffy center and crispy skin. Because it has all of these features, Russet potatoes are the ideal potato for baking and the most commonly used choice.

The best potatoes for mashed potatoes are a starchy varieties like russet, Idaho or Yukon gold. Starchy potatoes are best for mashed potatoes because they have a fluffy, almost airy texture that breaks down easily.

Yukon Golds are our choice for Perfectly Roasted Potatoes. Semi-starchy and semi-waxy, they're simultaneously more plush than waxy potatoes and less crumbly than floury ones (which makes sense, since YGs are a cross between a starchy North American white potato and a waxier South American yellow one).

You limit dairy products, red meat, sweets, added sugars, sodium (salt), and highly processed foods. Some additional guidelines include focusing on seasonal produce and reading food labels to help you avoid added sodium and sugar.

Although sweet potatoes have more grams of sugar than the white variety, you can feel okay choosing either white or sweet. “They both have the same number of grams of total carbohydrates, so they will be metabolized the same way,” she says.

Why do grocery stores cover potatoes at night? ›

A green tinge on the skin of a potato means that chlorophyll has formed. This can happen when a potato is exposed to light—especially fluorescent light, Muir said. Supermarkets often cover their potato bins overnight to block out the light and prevent greening.

Thanks to their thin skins and pleasant, creamy texture, Yukon Gold potatoes are very versatile, which makes them an easy substitute for most other varieties. Yukon Gold potatoes are stable enough to cook without crumbling, which means they're great when used in potato salads or soups.

Waxy Potatoes

These include small and large red-skinned potatoes, blue, purple and fingerling potatoes. They are low in starch and high in moisture and sugar. These potatoes are usually small and round in shape, although some varieties can be bigger.

The scientific classification of the potato includes Domain: Eukaryota, Kingdom: Plantae, Phylum: Spermatophyta, Subphylum: Angiospermae, Class: Dicotyledonae, Order: Solanales, Family: Solanaceae, Genus: Solanum, Species: Solanum tuberosum.

The Yukon Gold potato, though yellow fleshed, is a cross between a yellow and a white potato and is usually labeled as such. A “yellow” or “gold” potato is not a Yukon Gold potato, but all three potatoes have similar starch contents and flavors and can be used interchangeably in recipes.

They lack the waxy characteristic of red potatoes, which means they're easy to mash without becoming too gummy. Overall, Yukon Golds are a fantastic all-purpose potato that can be baked, fried, mashed, boiled or sautéed.

Named after their pale colored skin and flesh, white potatoes are similar in taste and texture to russets, though with their much thinner skin you can often skip the step of peeling for a variety of recipes, as the exterior will become very soft while cooking.