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How Many Sliced, Chopped, or Mashed Potatoes are in a Pound?

Many recipes will call for "1 cup of diced potatoes" or "1 cup of sliced potatoes" or even "1 cup of mashed potatoes" but it is not always straight forward to decipher actually how many potatoes are in a cup. In order to help make cooking easier we did some experiments to help tell you exactly how many potatoes you need to buy.

To answer How many potatoes in a cup we went to the grocery store to check out the produce section. After surveying the vegetable selection we discovered that 1 pound of potatoes is equal to 3 to 4 medium white potatoes, 7 to 9 small red potatoes, or 12 to 15 new or mini potatoes. We decided to use a medium potato for our experiments.

We found that it took 1 medium white potato to obtain 1 cup of either sliced or shredded potato. When dicing we needed 1.25 potatoes to reach the 1 cup mark. When preparing French fries, it took 1.3 potatoes to result in about 1 cup. However, when measuring for 1 cup of mashed, 2 whole potatoes did the trick.

Did you know that the white potato belongs to the same family as tomatoes, tobacco, chile pepper, eggplant and the petunia. Thomas Jefferson is credited for introducing "French fries" to America when he served them at a White House dinner. According to Playskool, Inc, the Mr. Potato Head children's doll was born in 1952. And potatoes became the first food to grow in space when plants were taken aboard the NASA space shuttle Columbia in October 1995.

Next time your recipe calls for a cup of mashed, sliced or diced potatoes you'll know how much you'll need to purchase at the store to cover it. You can also use our conversion tool below for any custom how many potatoes in a..." measurements you need. If you are peeling a lot of potatoes by hand you should definitely look into getting a good vegetable peeler to greatly speed up the process. I feel comfortable recommending the OXO Good Grips Swivel Peeler since I use it all the time at home!

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Custom Conversions for Potato

One Potato Equals

  • There is ½ Cup (118 mls) of Cooked and Mashed Potato in a Potato
  • There is ⅔ Cup (158 mls) of French Fried Potato in a Potato
  • There is ¾ Cup (177 mls) of Chopped Potato in a Potato
  • There is 1 Cup (237 mls) of liced Potato S in a Potato
  • There is 1 Cup (237 mls) of Shredded Potato in a Potato
I need:

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You need 2 Potatoes

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What Is a Potato

The potato belongs to the nightshade family, Solanaceae, along with bell peppers, tomatoes and eggplants. Unlike the others, potatoes are considered a starchy vegetable, containing a good amount of carbohydrates.

From a dietary perspective, potatoes are viewed more as a starch than as a vegetable.

Potatoes are considered one of the world's main food crops.

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Is Potato a Fruit or Vegetable?

Potato is a starchy root vegetable that belongs to the carbohydrate group since it is loaded with carbohydrates and nutrients.

What Are the Types of Potatoes?

There are a lot of varieties of potatoes, but they are generally categorized into 3 types: starchy, waxy, and all-purpose.

Starchy types of potatoes have high starch content and low moisture. Varieties include russets and sweet potatoes.

Waxy types of potatoes contain less starch and sugar but more water content compared to starchy potatoes. This type includes Purple Congo, white potatoes, French fingerling, baby potatoes, Russian banana, and red bliss.

All-purpose potatoes have medium starch and medium water content, making them a good substitute for any starchy or waxy potatoes. This type includes Yukon Gold, white, golden delight, and blue or purple potatoes.

What Does Potatoes Look and Taste Like?

The look and taste of potatoes vary depending on its type and how it is cooked.

Most potatoes like russet, red, and white potatoes have a mild, earthy, and subtly sweet flavor.

Other types also have a mild, earthy, and subtly sweet flavor, but yellow potatoes also taste buttery, while blue or purple potatoes are nutty.

Look also varies from small to large, from oblong to round, or slightly flattened and finger-shaped.

Red potatoes and white potatoes are small to medium in size with shapes from round to oblong. Yellow potatoes have the same shape but with sizes ranging from small to large. Fingerling potatoes are the smallest potatoes that are finger-shaped. Blue or purple potatoes are also finger-shaped but come in oblong too. Its size ranges from small to medium.

Most potato flesh color ranges from white to pale yellow to golden flesh except for blue or purple potatoes with purple, pink, and white colors.

Potato skin color also varies. Red potatoes have red skin, while white potatoes and small potatoes have white or tan skin. Yellow potatoes have light tan to golden skin color while Blue or purple potatoes have deep purple with blue or slightly red skin. Lastly, fingerling potatoes range from red, yellow, purple, or white skin.

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What Is Potato Good For and Used In?

Potatoes, being one of the world's main food crops, have a lot of uses.

Fresh potatoes can be boiled, baked, grilled, roasted, or fried. Common recipes include mashed potatoes, pancakes, soup, salad, and au gratin.

Potatoes are also used for homemade or processed food like French fries, potato crisps, flour, and starch.

Specific uses of potatoes depending on their type are as follows:

Starchy type of potatoes are best used for baked and fried potatoes like mashed, hash brown, pancakes, and potato chips.

Waxy potatoes are best used in roasting, boiling, and baking like casseroles, au gratin, salad, soup, and stews.

As its name suggests, all-purpose potatoes can substitute for any potato recipes.

Potatoes are also used for non-food purposes like wood and paper industries as an adhesive and binder, polystyrene and other plastics, animal feed, and even as a beauty aid.

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What are Good Substitutes for Potatoes?

If you are looking for a starchy or waxy type of potato, the best substitute would be using all-purpose potatoes or potatoes of the same kind. The most commonly used substitute for any type of potato is the Yukon Gold.

Specifically, if you are going to make a potato soup or stew and another type of potato is unavailable, or if you simply don’t want to use potatoes, you can substitute it with turnips, cauliflower, jicama, and rutabaga. You can also use cauliflower as a substitute for mashed potatoes.

If you are making hash browns, you can use zucchini or sweet potatoes instead.

Sweet potatoes, yams, and turnips, on the other hand, can be used as a substitute for fries and chips.

Can I Feed Potatoes to My Dog, Cat, or Other Pet?

Cooked potatoes are safe to eat for dogs, cats, and other pets. However, raw potatoes contain toxins which can cause nausea and vomiting. In larger quantities, raw potato can cause death. This is true for both pets and people.

Does Potato Give You Gas?

Potatoes, just like most starches, produce gas when consumed since the stomach cannot fully digest it.

How to Store Potato

Potatoes should be kept in a cool, dry, and dark place. Exposure to light or moisture can make the potatoes rot faster. An open bowl, a crate, or a wicker basket is the best place to store potatoes. A paper bag is a better selection than a plastic bag because it allows for more airflow.

Remove any potatoes that show signs of rotting or sprouting from the healthy ones. This will help the good potatoes from rotting too.

To help reduce the chance of rotting, you can harden a potato's skin by storing it on a paper bag in a dark, slightly warm location.

Another good rule of thumb is don't wash potatoes that you are going to store. Even when dried off, the remaining dampness helps provide a good environment for fungus and bacteria to grow faster.

A cool, dry basement, cupboard out of direct sunlight, or closet is a good place to store potatoes. It's best if you can keep the temperature between 43-50°F (6.1-10°C).

For longer storage, vacuum packaging and freezing potatoes is an option.

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How Long Does Fresh Potatoes Last at Room temperature?

Storing potatoes the correct way would extend their already long shelf life and prevent unnecessary waste. A potato can stay between 2 weeks to 1 month if stored properly.

How to Store Cut Fresh Potatoes

Raw potatoes will discolor once peeled and sliced due to air exposure. To prevent this, cover the peeled and sliced potatoes with water and refrigerate them if you will not use them within 30 minutes.

Make sure to consume refrigerated potatoes within 24 hours to prevent them from getting soggy and tasteless.

How to Store Potatoes in the Refrigerator

Only store potatoes in the refrigerator once peeled and submerged in water. Keeping them in the fridge will just attract moisture which will cause them to rot or sprout faster.

For cooked potatoes, store them in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days only.

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Can You Freeze Potatoes and if so How?

You can only freeze potatoes that are already cooked or have been partially cooked. Raw potatoes will become mushy and grainy when stored in the freezer due to their high water content.

If you are planning to save your potatoes for future use, simply wash and peel the potatoes. Wash it again under running water, then cut them into whatever size pieces you will eventually be using.

Put salt in a pot of water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, put the potatoes in and simmer for 5 minutes or until tender. Drain and plunge potatoes in ice water to stop the cooking process.

Dry potatoes using a kitchen towel and lay in a single layer on a tray or a baking sheet. Make sure to allow spaces between each potato to prevent it from freezing into a big lump. Freeze for about 6 hours or even overnight.

Once frozen solid, transfer to a resealable bag. Remove as much air as possible, then put back into the freezer.

When you’re ready to use them, you don’t need to thaw them first, just cook them from a frozen state.

For better results, only freeze potatoes that are still fresh.

How to Cut Potatoes

To cut potatoes, wash it first under running water and remove dirt using your hands or a vegetable brush. Peel off the skin using a vegetable peeler or a paring knife. Wash again, then cut the potatoes depending on your preference or the dish you are going to make.

Some recipes call for potatoes with their skin still intact. If so, skip the peeling process and cut them after washing.

How to Clean Potatoes

To clean potatoes, wash under running water to remove any dirt using your hands. You may also use a vegetable brush or a paper towel to remove dirt.

Remember, don't wash the potatoes until you're going to use them. This will prevent the potatoes from going bad and lengthen their shelf life.

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Can I Eat the Skin of Potatoes or Should I Peel It First?

A significant amount of nutrients are present on the skin of potatoes. So, eating them is beneficial and is safe.

However, if a green discoloration is present on the skin, you should not eat it. This is a sign of rotting potato and can be toxic when consumed.

How to Slice Potatoes

Wash potatoes first, making sure to remove any dirt, then slice using a paring knife.

Cut starting from one end and slice depending on the desired thickness. Continue slicing until you reach the other end.

If you prefer or if the recipe calls for its skin to be removed, simply use a vegetable peeler to remove its skin and wash the potato in running water again before slicing.

Once sliced, use it immediately to prevent the flesh from browning. Otherwise, submerge potatoes in the water while you prepare the other ingredients. Try not to soak it for more than 30 minutes in order to maintain its quality.

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How to Cut Potato Sticks

Begin with washing potatoes to remove dirt. You can use your hands or a vegetable brush to do so.

Lay the potato on its side on the cutting board. Using a sharp knife, slice the potato lengthwise into evenly thick slices. Stack the slices in a pile with the flat side down. Repeat making about the same thickness of lengthwise slices.

Now you have a pile of sticks.

If removing the skin is preferred, simply use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin after washing. Wash again once peeled, then start slicing the potatoes.

How to Chop or Cube Potatoes

To make cube potatoes, wash them under running water, then slice the potatoes lengthwise depending on the desired thickness. Place the stack of slices flat side down on the cutting board and repeat making about the same size slices. You now have potato sticks.

Turn the pile of sticks 90 degrees and cut across the sticks to make potato cubes.

Peel off potato skin after washing, if preferred. Then wash again before starting the cutting process.

How to Dice or Mince Potatoes

Dicing or mincing potatoes is similar to slicing potatoes into cubes, except dicing means cutting them into uniform pieces.

To do so, wash the potatoes first. Using a sharp paring knife, slice potatoes lengthwise to desired thickness. Stack sliced potatoes flat side down, then slice them crosswise to make a dice.

If not specified in the recipe, a ½” uniform cube is often used.

How to Mash or Puree Potatoes

There are different recipes for making mashed potatoes. It can be creamy, buttery, fluffy, or dense, depending on your preference.

To make the perfect mashed potatoes, wash the potatoes under running water first to remove any dirt. Peel off the skin using a vegetable peeler, then rinse again.

You can either boil the peeled potatoes in water sliced or whole. Cutting potatoes into chunks will make it cook faster, and making the pieces uniform will help everything to be tender at the same time.

Boil the potatoes in salted water, and simmer for about 15 to 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender and can be easily pierced with a fork. Drain the potatoes, then mash using a potato masher until no lumps are remaining.

Add melted butter, salt, and pepper. Mix and continue mashing until the mixture is soft and creamy.

For a more rustic mashed potato dish, only mash until small lumps remain.

Add milk if a creamy mashed potato is preferred. You can also explore using herbs and spices like garlic and thyme to make a more flavorful mashed potato.

The best potato variety to use in mashed potatoes is the russet or Yukon Gold potatoes since they are starchy and easy to mash once cooked.

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How to Grate or Shred Potatoes

Grated or shredded potatoes are commonly used in making hash browns or latkes.

There are several ways to grate potatoes, depending on what equipment is available in your house. One of the most common ways is by using a box grater.

To grate potatoes, first, wash the potatoes, then peel off their skin. Once peeled, wash potatoes again to remove any remaining dirt. Dry using a kitchen towel or any clean cloth. Press the potatoes against the box grater and slide it up and down over the sharp holes. Use a clean plate to catch the potato shreds.

Another way to grate or shred potatoes is by using a food processor. It is the easiest and most efficient way of grating potatoes. Simply wash the potatoes and peel off the skin using a vegetable peeler. Wash the potatoes again to remove the remaining dirt, then dry them.

Cut the potatoes in half and put them in the food processor. Once potatoes are shredded, remove them from the food processor and use accordingly.

If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a blender following the same procedure.

You can skip peeling the potatoes if you prefer. Potato skins have many nutritional benefits, but retaining them would make a tougher texture, and its skin would be visible, making the color of your shredded potatoes uneven.

How to Cut Potato Wedges

Potato wedges are another common way to slice potatoes. To wedge potatoes, wash the potatoes to remove dirt using your hands or a vegetable brush. Cut the potato in half, then cut into quarters to form a wedge. Cut to desired thickness.

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How to Make Potato Juice

Yes, you can also make your potato into juice. If you ever wonder what it tastes like, it has a mild flavor and a starchy consistency. Another way to enjoy it is by mixing it with other fruits or vegetables like bananas or carrots.

To make it, prepare the potatoes by cleaning them thoroughly in running water. Peel its skin and wash again. Dry using a kitchen towel or any cloth. Now you’re ready to juice them.

You can juice the potatoes by using an electric juicer. Simply slice the washed and peeled potatoes then put them in the juicer.

To use a blender, first cut the prepped potatoes into cubes and put them in the blender. Add just enough water to submerge the potatoes. Turn on the blender, and mix until it is liquid-like. Then, put a bowl under a strainer and pour the mixture through it to remove any excess pulp. Use a spoon to help squeeze out the juice.

If you don’t have either of these pieces of equipment, you can use a box grater on the potatoes then squeeze out its juice through a linen cloth.



How to Store Potato

General How to Store Potato Info

For a longer shelf life, select potatoes that are firm, smooth, well-shaped and free from sprouts. Potatoes are a good pantry storage item; storing them near onions will decrease their longevity.

Short Term Potato Storage

From the time you peel the potato until it is used in the dish, store peeled potatoes in water to prevent them from turning a dark color.

Refrigerate New potatoes if they will not be consumer within 2 or 3 days.

Store potatoes in a brown paper bag in a cool, dry location away from light; they will hold their freshness for 2 to 3 weeks.

Potato Long Term Storage

Do not freeze raw potatoes as they become watery; thawed frozen cooked potatoes aren't that great.

Potato Side Notes

There are many varieties of potato with different intended uses. Some of the more common ones are: Bintje, Blue, Caribe, Fingerling, Huckleberry, New, Oca, Purple Peruvian, Red, Russet, White Round, Yellow Finn, and Yukon Gold.

Potato Recipes

Sous Vide Porcini Vichyssoise with Charred Leek, Butter-Poached Potato, Pickled-Dill Coulis and Crispy Potato Skins Recipe

Sous Vide Porcini Vichyssoise with Charred Leek, Butter-Poached Potato, Pickled-Dill Coulis and Crispy Potato Skins Recipe image While it looks intimidating, this classic cold soup is actually quite simple to pull off by prepping ahead and following the steps of the recipe. You'll be rewarded with a luxurious and refreshing dish that will wow your friends and family.

Sous Vide Butter-Poached Potato Spheres Recipe

Sous Vide Butter-Poached Potato Spheres Recipe image These potatoes can be used on their own, or as a fun garnish in a dish like our Porcini Vicchyssoise.

Sous Vide Chimichurri Potatoes Recipe

Sous Vide Chimichurri Potatoes Recipe image These potatoes are a great side dish for meat or seafood. They end up perfectly soft and creamy inside but crispy outside thanks to a quick trip to the broiler.

Sous Vide Rustic Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Sous Vide Rustic Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes image The entire cooking process for rustic roasted garlic mashed potatoes is done in the sous vide machine to speed up the process and rely on higher temperatures to full tenderization. These mashed potatoes are hearty, chunky, and full of bold flavors.

Sous Vide Fingerling Potato Salad Recipe

Sous Vide Fingerling Potato Salad Recipe image This is a unique mustard-vinegar potato salad which has a tartness not found in the typical mayonnaise based potato salads. The vinegar also helps this dish to complement fattier main courses like ribeye or duck breast. The sous vide potatoes turn out nice and tender and always perfectly cooked.


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What is the Produce Converter?

One of the biggest hassles when cooking and working in the kitchen is when a recipe calls for "the juice of 1 lime" or a similar measurement. Often times when cooking people use bottled juices, pre-sliced vegetables and other convenient cooking time savers. Produce Converter will help you convert the "juice of 1 lime" and other similar recipe instructions into tablespoons, cups and other concrete measurements.

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