
What are some of the best potato varieties?
When picking a determinate potato to grow, the most popular types are:
- Caribe
- Norland
- Russet Norkotah
- Red Norland
- Ratte Potatoes
- Chieftain
- Yukon Gold
- Sierra Rose
- Sierra Gold
- Gold Rush
What are types of potatoes are best for which recipes?
- Pizza Twice Baked Potatoes – A gluten free pizza flavor, these baked potatoes are loaded with two kind of cheese, pepperoni, garlic and Italian seasoning.
- Oven Baked Potatoes – Make baked potatoes just like a restaurant! ...
- Grilled Baked Potatoes with Onions – These Hasselback Italian-style potatoes can be grilled with hamburgers. ...
How many kinds of potatoes are there in all types?
Types of Potatoes
- Almond. The almond potato is popular among Scandinavian countries, and it is also known as the ‘Swedish peanut fingerling.’
- Bamberg. The Bamberg is a small potato with a long, thin shape, and it has a reasonably firm texture. ...
- Belle de Fontenay. Shape: Small, long, and oblong-shaped. ...
- Bintje. ...
- Blue Congo. ...
- Désirée. ...
- Gala. ...
- Golden Wonder. ...
- Home Guard. ...
- Irish Lumper. ...
What potato has the least amount of starch?
Waxy potatoes have less starch than Starchy potatoes and contain more moisture and sugar. They are often smaller with a waxy outer skin and a creamy, firm and moist flesh. Varieties:

How many types of potatoes is there?
VitelotteYukon Gold potatoBintjeRatte potatoLaura potatoKing Edward potatoPotato/Lower classifications
What is the most common variety of potato?
Russet PotatoesRusset Potatoes Most potatoes grown in the US are of the russet variety, meaning they're what most people picture when you say "potato." With a mildly rough brown-grey skin, the flesh once cooked is light and fluffy and the skin becomes chewy.
What are types of potatoes?
Potato Types Russet Potatoes - Russets are large potatoes with rough brown skin and pale flesh. Yellow Potatoes - Yellow potatoes have thin gold skin and yellow flesh. White Potatoes - White potatoes have thin beige or tan skin with pale flesh. Red Potatoes - Red potatoes have thin red skin and pale flesh.
What are the 2 types of potatoes?
There are more than 4,000 varieties of potatoes worldwide. They can be classified into two main groups: waxy and floury. Waxy potatoes, such as fingerlings, red jacket, new and white round potatoes, have more moisture and less starch.
What is the most expensive potato?
La BonnotteThis particular type of potato, La Bonnotte, is grown on the French island of Noirmoutier and is the most expensive type of potato in the world. Having reached heights of around US$600 per kilo (AU$860), La Bonnotte potatoes are harvested three months after planting and picked before they reach maturity.
Which is world's best potato?
6 Best Rated Potatoes in the WorldLički krumpir. Lika-Senj County. Croatia. shutterstock. ... Idaho Potatoes. Idaho. United States of America. shutterstock. ... Patata Naxou. Naxos. Greece. shutterstock. ... Pataca de Galicia. Galicia. Spain. shutterstock. ... Yukon Gold. Ontario. Canada. ... Patata Kato Nevrokopiou. Kato Nevrokopi Municipality. Greece.
What are dirty potatoes called?
Known as Dirty Potatoes, these roasted small new potatoes with a Kalamata tapenade are the perfect side dish for any meal. Silly to think that you clean your potatoes and then purposely make them dirty again.
What are 5 different types of potatoes?
There are more than 200 varieties of potatoes sold throughout the United States. Each of these varieties fit into one of seven potato type categories: russet, red, white, yellow, blue/purple, fingerling, and petite.
Are red potatoes real?
Red potatoes have less of a starchy texture and more of a waxy one. This makes them excellent for use in salads, soups, roasted, or boiled. They keep their lovely color when cooked as well as their shape. They have thin skins which can, and should, be left on which means no more peeling.
What is a white potato called?
Some common varieties are the White Rose, Cascade, Superior, Cobbler, Kennebec, Snowden, Atlantic, and La Chipper.
What are new potatoes called?
baby potatoesNew potatoes, also called baby potatoes, are potatoes that have been dug up from the ground before they fully mature. Commercial farmers sometimes harvest young potatoes early to make room for other potatoes to grow underground.
Is Yam a potato?
Yams are not a type of potato. Both are stem tubers that grow underground, but they belong to different botanical families. The potato is a part of the nightshade family, which also includes peppers and tomatoes. Yams belong to a plant family of flowering vines that surprisingly includes grasses and lilies.
What are the 3 types of potatoes?
Potatoes are categorised into 3 basic types – starchy, waxy and all-purpose.
What is main crop potatoes?
What are maincrop potatoes? Maincrop potato tubers are sown in mid to late April. They produce bigger potatoes than the first and second early varieties and take longer to mature. They are best planted in the ground rather than in containers or bags to give the tubers space to grow.
What variety are new potatoes?
New potatoes typically retain their shape when cooked, which makes them a popular choice for cold potato recipes like potato salad. Varieties of new potatoes include baby red potatoes, fingerling potatoes, Yukon golds, baby sweet potatoes, and baby russets.
What type of potato does McDonald's use?
The most common potatoes we use for McDonald's fries include the Russet Burbank, Russet Ranger, Umatilla Russet and the Shepody—varieties known for producing a flavorful fry that's crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
How many species of wild potato are there?
There are 151 known species of wild potato. These inedible species are the original ancestors of today’s cultivated potato. Wild species are found from southwestern United States to southern Chile, with most species concentrated in Peru and Bolivia.
How many wild potato species are there in the CIP genebank?
Safeguarding these genetic resources is vital to efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change on potato crops. The CIP genebank holds 140 of the 151 known wild potato species.
What is the greatest threat to wild potato species?
Temperature change coupled with loss of habitat is the greatest threat to wild potato species. Recent modeling studies show that by 2050 as many as 13 wild potato species may become extinct, and up to 52% of distribution area lost.
What did Darwin discover about wild potatoes?
The tubers were generally small, but I found one of an oval shape, two inches in diameter: they resembled in every respect, and had the same smell as English potatoes; but when boiled they shrunk much and were watery and insipid.” More than 130 years later in 1969, legendary Peruvian plant explorer Carlos Ochoa entered a cave on the same island and found the same potato described by the author of On the Origin of Species. In honor of Ochoa’s discovery, the species was named Solanum ochoanum. Ochoa theorized that this potato had at some time been cultivated and then grew wild, because it features the same chromosomes and a similar morphology as Solanum tuberosum, our modern potato. He believed that 19th century fishermen may have transported the tuber from the mainland for their own consumption to prevent scurvy. Because S. ochoanum has adapted to soils with high salt concentrations, it could prove useful in providing genes to breeding programs for parts of the world that suffer from high soil salinity.
Why do potatoes have different colors?
Potato cultivars can have a range of colors due to the accumulation of anthocyanins in the tubers. These potatoes also have coloured skin, but many varieties with pink or red skin have white or yellow flesh, as do the vast majority of cultivated potatoes.
Is blue swede a potato?
Cultivation was initially permitted in Europe, but was later prohibited in 2013. Also known as 'Blue Swede' or 'Idaho blue' and was voted German "potato of the year 2006". From South America. Purple skin, slight whitish scab, blue when cooked.
How many different types of potatoes are there?
Key Point: There are many different types of potato, but there are five distinct varieties: white, red, purple, russet, and fingerling potatoes.
Where did potatoes originate?
The earliest origins of the humble potato go back to South America, with cultivation first taking place in Peru somewhere between 8,000 BC and 5,000 BC ( 1 ). Yet not all potatoes are the same;
What is a fingerling potato?
Fingerling potatoes: these potatoes have a long and thin appearance, thin skin, and a firm texture. Fingerling species are often boiled, pan-fried, or roasted. Despite their name, sweet potatoes (and yams) are botanically distinct from regular potatoes, and they belong to the category of root vegetables.
What kind of potatoes have a red skin?
They generally have a firm texture and include cultivars such as Désirée and Laura. Purple/blue potatoes: there are several varieties of potato that have an attractive blue-to-purple flesh, with Blue Congo and Vitelotte cultivars being notable examples.
What is the difference between a white potato and a russet potato?
Russet potatoes: Russets are white inside with a thick and chewy skin.
What is a russet potato?
Russet potatoes: Russets are white inside with a thick and chewy skin. These potatoes are usually starchy, and they are soft and fluffy after being cooked. Russets are often used for making baked potatoes. Red potatoes: these potatoes have red skin but a white flesh.
What is a Kennebec potato?
Kennebec potatoes are medium in size and almost round-shaped. The potato was first bred in the first half of the 20th century, and it remains popular to this day ( 7 ). Kennebec potatoes are an all-purpose potato that can be boiled, roasted, mashed, or used in soups and stews. They have a slightly nutty taste.
What are some examples of potato?
Examples: Red Bliss, French Fingerling, Russian Banana, Red Thumb, La Ratte, Austrian Crescent. 3. All-Purpose Potato. Categorized in between the other two types, contains moderate levels of starch, moderately fluffy and absorbent, holds shape better than starchy potato, suitable for any potato dish.
What are the factors that determine which potatoes to use?
To help determine which potatoes to use for various culinary applications, they are often categorized based on their contents (starch compounds and solid-to-water ratio) and texture. These factors play a role in placing potatoes in starchy (mealy), waxy, and all-purpose categories. 1. Starchy Potato.
What is a red thumb potato?
The Red Thumb is a late-season type of fingerling potatoes known for its resistance to disease, uniform size, and ease of storage.
What is starchy potato?
Also called mealy or floury potatoes, has high solids, amylose starch (20-22%), and low moisture, forms a fluffy texture, do not hold together well when baked. Uses: Best for frying, baking; used in French fries, latkes, hash browns.
What is the most popular food in the world?
Potato, a tuberous root vegetable of the nightshade plant Solanum tuberosum, is one of the most popular food crops in the world after maize, wheat, and rice. Because of its endless culinary applications, potato has become one of the highest consumed vegetables in the US. Although undermined for its high carb content, a potato is pretty nutritious. It consists of about 70% of the required daily amount of Vitamin C, high quantities of Vitamin B1, Vitamin B3, and Vitamin B6, and has higher potassium content than a banana.
What is the color of Hannah sweet potato?
Also called the Sweet Hannah or Yellow Hannah, this variety of sweet potato is similar to Jewel Yam but its skin and flesh are lighter in color. Shape: Oblong, cylindrical, with rounded or tapered ends. Color: Reddish or purplish skin, creamy white flesh.
When was the Red Norland potato first made?
Known for its great flavor, the Red Norland is an early-maturing variety of Norland potatoes that was first produced in Nebraska during the 1960s.
How many potato varieties are there in the world?
There are about 5,000 potato varieties worldwide. Three thousand of them are found in the Andes alone, mainly in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, and Colombia. They belong to eight or nine species, depending on the taxonomic school. Apart from the 5,000 cultivated varieties, there are about 200 wild species and subspecies, many of which can be cross-bred with cultivated varieties. Cross-breeding has been done repeatedly to transfer resistances to certain pests and diseases from the gene pool of wild species to the gene pool of cultivated potato species.
How many varieties of potatoes are there in the UK?
There are close to 4,000 varieties of potato each of which has specific agricultural or culinary attributes. Around 80 varieties are commercially available in the UK. In general, varieties are categorized into a few main groups based on common characteristics, such as russet potatoes (rough brown skin), red potatoes, white potatoes, yellow potatoes (also called Yukon potatoes) and purple potatoes. For culinary purposes, varieties are often differentiated by their waxiness: floury or mealy baking potatoes have more starch (20–22%) than waxy boiling potatoes (16–18%). The distinction may also arise from variation in the comparative ratio of two different potato starch compounds: amylose and amylopectin. Amylose, a long-chain molecule, diffuses from the starch granule when cooked in water, and lends itself to dishes where the potato is mashed. Varieties that contain a slightly higher amylopectin content, which is a highly branched molecule, help the potato retain its shape after being boiled in water. Potatoes that are good for making potato chips or potato crisps are sometimes called "chipping potatoes", which means they meet the basic requirements of similar varietal characteristics, being firm, fairly clean, and fairly well-shaped.
What are potatoes used for?
Potatoes are also used for purposes other than eating by humans, for example: 1 Potatoes are used to brew alcoholic beverages such as vodka, poitín, or akvavit. 2 They are also used as fodder for livestock. Livestock-grade potatoes, considered too small and/or blemished to sell or market for human use but suitable for fodder use, have been called chats in some dialects. They may be stored in bins until use; they are sometimes ensiled. Some farmers prefer to steam them rather than feed them raw and are equipped to do so efficiently. 3 Potato starch is used in the food industry as a thickener and binder for soups and sauces, in the textile industry as an adhesive, and for the manufacturing of papers and boards. 4 Potatoes are commonly used in plant research. The consistent parenchyma tissue, the clonal nature of the plant and the low metabolic activity make it an ideal model tissue for experiments on wound-response studies and electron transport. 5 Potatoes have been delivered with personalized messages as a novelty. Potato delivery services include Potato Parcel and Mail A Spud.
What are the seeds of potato plants?
After flowering, potato plants produce small green fruits that resemble green cherry tomatoes, each containing about 300 seeds. Like all parts of the plant except the tubers, the fruit contain the toxic alkaloid solanine and are therefore unsuitable for consumption. All new potato varieties are grown from seeds, also called "true potato seed", "TPS" or "botanical seed" to distinguish it from seed tubers. New varieties grown from seed can be propagated vegetatively by planting tubers, pieces of tubers cut to include at least one or two eyes, or cuttings, a practice used in greenhouses for the production of healthy seed tubers. Plants propagated from tubers are clones of the parent, whereas those propagated from seed produce a range of different varieties.
Why do potatoes need to be cured?
Potatoes are usually cured after harvest to improve skin-set. Skin-set is the process by which the skin of the potato becomes resistant to skinning damage. Potato tubers may be susceptible to skinning at harvest and suffer skinning damage during harvest and handling operations. Curing allows the skin to fully set and any wounds to heal. Wound-healing prevents infection and water-loss from the tubers during storage. Curing is normally done at relatively warm temperatures (10 to 16 °C or 50 to 60 °F) with high humidity and good gas-exchange if at all possible.
What are the characteristics of a potato plant?
Potato plants. Potato plants are herbaceous perennials that grow about 60 cm (24 in) high, depending on variety, with the leaves dying back after flowering, fruiting and tuber formation. They bear white, pink, red, blue, or purple flowers with yellow stamens.
What is the difference between floury and waxy potatoes?
For culinary purposes, varieties are often differentiated by their waxiness: floury or mealy baking potatoes have more starch (20–22%) than waxy boiling potatoes (16–18%). The distinction may also arise from variation in the comparative ratio of two different potato starch compounds: amylose and amylopectin. Amylose, a long-chain molecule, diffuses from the starch granule when cooked in water, and lends itself to dishes where the potato is mashed. Varieties that contain a slightly higher amylopectin content, which is a highly branched molecule, help the potato retain its shape after being boiled in water. Potatoes that are good for making potato chips or potato crisps are sometimes called "chipping potatoes", which means they meet the basic requirements of similar varietal characteristics, being firm, fairly clean, and fairly well-shaped.
How many people eat potatoes?
More than a billion people worldwide eat potato, and global total crop production exceeds 300 million metric tons. There are more than 4,000 varieties of native potatoes, mostly found in the Andes. They come in many sizes and shapes. There are also over 180 wild potato species.
What is the largest collection of potato in the world?
CIP maintains the largest collection of potato in the world, including more than 7,000 accessions of native, wild, and improved varieties. CIP’s genebank ensures that they are both securely conserved for the long-term and also available for use by farmers, breeders, and researchers.
How many tubers can a potato plant produce?
The new plant can produce 5-20 new tubers, which will be genetic clones of the mother seed plant. Potato plants also produce flowers and berries that contain 100-400 botanical seeds. These can be planted to produce new tubers, which will be genetically different from the mother plant.
Where did potato originate?
The potato ( Solanum tuberosum) belongs to the solanaceae family of flowering plants. It originated and was first domesticated in the Andesmountains of South America. The potato is the third most important food crop in the world after rice and wheat in terms of human consumption. More than a billion people worldwide eat potato, ...
Where are potatoes grown?
It is a fundamental element in the food security for millions of people across South America, Africa, and Asia, including Central Asia.
Why are potatoes important to biodiversity?
Though they are too bitter to eat, their important biodiversity includes natural resistances to pests, diseases, and climatic conditions. Potato is vegetatively propagated, meaning that a new plant can be grown from a potato or piece of potato, called a “seed”. The new plant can produce 5-20 new tubers, which will be genetic clones ...
What are the different types of potatoes?
Types of potatoes. There are lots of potato varieties, but they can all be categorized into three major types: starchy, waxy, and all-purpose. Knowing these types and the varieties of potatoes that you can cluster within each helps a lot in your choice of potato for various dishes.
Which potato has the highest potassium content?
So if you really want to go all-healthy, go for red potatoes or the potato with the highest potassium content which would be white potatoes.
What is an all purpose potato?
All-purpose. Potatoes under this category have medium level of starch content, making them the crossover of starchy and waxy potatoes. They are multi-purpose potatoes used in all types of potato dishes using all types of cooking methods. The most popular all-purpose potato would be the Yukon Gold.
What is a waxy potato?
This one exemplifies uniqueness not only because of its fuchsia skin and deep yellow flesh but also because it starts as a waxy potato at its early years, turning into an all-purpose one in its latter years. It is best for potato salads but also for gratins, stews, curries, and soups.
What is the best potato for mashing?
Also known as Idaho or Burbank, russet potatoes are famous for being the go-to potato for mashing. They are easily whipped, and they are fluffy when cooked. They are also good for baking and frying. They are distinct for their rough, brown skin, and mealy flesh.
What is Hannah Sweet Potato?
Hannah Sweet Potato (starchy) This potato has a fair white flesh and is one of the first varieties of potatoes to be farmed in the US. It has a signature flaky crunch that is firm, dense, and creamy, all in one. It is perfect for roasting, frying, and mashing. And you can count on it for its ability to retain moisture.
What is a mustard yellow potato?
This one is a mid-season potato variety, with a uniform oval shape, golden-brown skin, and mustard yellow, moist flesh. It has a floury yet tender texture when cooked. It is perfect for mashed potatoes and fries.
How many potato varieties are there?
How many potato varieties there are in total? Probably far more than you think! Given the fact that there are over 4200 native potato varieties described and multiple databases and books identify well over 5000 cultivated potato varieties, PotatoPro estimates the total number of potato varieties well over 10.000.
What are the different types of potato?
Depending on where you live, you may know Bintje (Continental Europe), Russet Burbank (US, Canada), Maris Piper (UK) or Kufri Jyoti (India).
Where was potato first domesticated?
The potato was domesticated some 8000 years ago in the Andes mountains in South America.
Do potato breeders breed?
Potato breeders furthermore create a continuous stream of new potato varieties. Although recently potatoes developed by genetic modification have become available in some markets, almost all of these varieties have been developed using conventional breeding technology.
How many varieties of potatoes are there?
With around 4,000 varieties of potatoes to choose from, there should be a kind of potato to suit everyone’s taste. Potatoes (also called spuds) are also one of the most versatile root vegetables. You can enjoy many different types of potatoes mashed, boiled, baked, steamed, or fried.
What are Petite Kinds of Potatoes?
As their name suggests, petite potatoes are types of tubers that are small in size. Because they are small varieties of potatoes, they cook quicker. The skin and flesh color of petite potatoes are similar to other kinds of potatoes.
What kind of potato is used in burbank fries?
Burbank Russet potatoes are the most popular Russet varieties. This “mealy” potato has white flesh that is covered with dark brown skin. Because they make such good fries, Burbanks are the kind of potato that many fast food outlets choose to use.
How many carbs are in a russet potato?
Russet potatoes with their skins also contain 64 g of carbs, from which 7 g is dietary fiber. This means that eating one large baked potato gives you 28% of your daily fiber needs. Potatoes are also rich in potassium, magnesium, iron, calcium, manganese, and copper.
How much vitamin C is in a russet potato?
The nutritional value of Russet potatoes is quite impressive. For example, one large baked Russet potato (300 g) with its skin contains 38.6 mg of vitamin C, which is 64% of your recommended daily intake (RDI). The potato also has over half of your vitamin B6 RDI and is rich in other B-group vitamins.
What kind of potatoes are good for salad?
Other kinds of potato such as red varieties have a waxy feel and are good for boiling and serving in salads. Different colored potatoes such as the purple varieties are a type of potato that has even more health benefits than regular all-purpose potatoes.
What is the color of a potato?
These starchy potato types are fairly large and have an oval shape. The potatoes have dark “russet skin” that can be anywhere from light brown to dark brown in color. When baked, boiled, or roasted, Russet potato varieties become light and fluffy.

Main Potato Varieties
Types of Potatoes
- In truth, there are thousands of different types of potatoes native to various countries around the world. However, here are some of the most famous potatoes you may find (or decide to grow).
Where to Buy These Varieties of Potatoes
- It can be challenging to find more than several different potatoes in the local grocery store or supermarket. However, a quick Google search can easily pull up some local specialized sellers of each specific variety. Additionally, for gardening enthusiasts and would-be home growers, it’s easy to find seeds for the vast majority of these potatoes online.
Final Thoughts
- Most of us just think of potatoes as one thing: potatoes. However, as this article shows, there are so many different varieties of potato, and each has its distinct properties. Hopefully, this guide will provide better insight into what to do with each type of potato and offer some interesting new options to try. For more guides to vegetables, see this vegetable nutrition resource. References I…