We’ve never been interested in no-carb diets, which you can probably tell based on our love of a good potato hack. Lots of you seem to be on the same page, based on how many of you read our potato recipes and tricks this year. Here’s a collection of our (and your!) favorite potato techniques of 2022.
1. Bacon-Wrapped Volcano Potatoes Anyone?
One of our favorite pastimes is scrolling TikTok for drool-worthy recipes, and every once in a while you stumble upon a real winner. We certainly found one when we came across The Shaba Kitchen’s viral sensation: bacon-wrapped volcano potatoes! It may require some time, but I think everyone can agree that these are well worth the effort.
2. This Hack For Cripsy Fried Potatoes
Many of us cook potatoes on the stove in hopes of achieving the same outcome: golden, crispy exteriors with pillowy centers. However, if you’ve ever tried to fry potatoes in a skillet, you’ve surely encountered the dreaded mushy center and burnt edges, not to mention a frightful mess to clean. But Chef Colin Fassnidge shared a secret for extra-crispy fried potatoes, and it’s as simple as following his make-ahead hack.
3. 10-Second Trick For The Best Baked Potato Ever
Lousy baked potatoes exist, and the quality of the outside matters just as much as the center. While you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, you’re free to judge potatoes by their unappetizing, mushy, bland skins. Thankfully, Cook’s Illustrated chef Lan Lam revealed there’s a 10-second hack that ensures crispy exteriors on your baked potatoes.
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4. Roasted Potatoes Will Never Be The Same With This Tip
Roasting is lesson 101 for making vegetables delicious, and potatoes are no different. But Samin Nosrat, chef and author of Salt Fat Acid Heat, said you can amp up your spuds with salt. Nosrat uses a particular method to ensure the salt permeates the tots while creating an irresistibly crispy exterior.
5. Guy Fieri’s Secret Mashed Potatoes Ingredient
While classic S&P may be fine with some folks, it doesn’t cut it for Chef Guy Fieri. As the host of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives knows, it’s all about flavor, and adding his spicy secret ingredient to mashed potatoes will take your food all the way to Flavortown.
6. Rachel Ray’s Smashed Potatoes Has This Special Extra
There was an absolute frenzy on TikTok this year when Rachel Ray shared her potato recipe! Her no-peel method is wildly effective and incredibly easy.
For extra-crispy potatoes, she parboils them and then gently smashes them with the bottom of a water glass before baking. As for flavor, she douses them in olive oil, salt, and pepper, plus a secret ingredient that she claims makes all the difference!
7. Parm Potatoes Prepared With This Unique Technique
If you haven’t noticed by the other trends on this list, crispy skins and unbeatable flavor have been the name of the spud game this year. These parmesan-crusted oven-roasted potatoes deliver on both fronts, thanks to an ingenious hack.
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This simple technique will ensure you get the best roasted potatoes of your life, one that boasts punchy flavor not just on the outside but throughout. Potatoes are cut into crisscross patterns and layered skin-side up, allowing all the seasoning to penetrate into each potato for the crispiest, most flavorful tots. Best of all, this recipe has a swoon-worthy parmesan crust that’s to die for!
8. The Unexpected Use For Leftover Potato Water
Move over, leftover pasta water, you’re not the only liquid gold in town! Think twice before pouring that cloudy, starchy water from your boiled potatoes down the drain. Leftover potato water is brimming with nutrients and minerals, but not for you—rather, for your houseplants and garden.
Reusing leftover potato water as plant food is a great way to attain lush plants, as it contains potassium, protein, iron, and B6 vitamins. Take advantage of this when making potatoes for dinner, and watch your plants flourish!
9. Why You Shouldn’t Reheat Potatoes In The Microwave
Microwaves are undoubtedly a time-saving tool for busy weeknight meals. In spite of this, it’s not the best way to cook everything in your pantry, including leftover potatoes. Because they can harbor Clostridium botulinum, which microwaves cannot kill, they should be rewarmed in the oven or air fryer instead.
10. Common Mashed Potato Mistakes
Mashed potatoes may seem like a simple dish, but they’re surprisingly finicky. If you want the best mashed potatoes that will knock your dinner guests’ socks off, you’ll need to avoid any possible spud faux pas. In an earlier post, we covered how you can avoid bland, gummy, and sticky mash, and Yukon bet with these tips your taters will be a big hit with everyone at your company potluck.