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What to eat

what can i make with potatoes

Potatoes can anchor dinner as roasted wedges, creamy mash, skillet hash, or hearty soup. Pair them with protein and vegetables for a complete meal that fills you up.

Roast potato wedges with olive oil and herbs, make creamy mashed potatoes, pan-fry hash browns, or simmer potato soup. Each method works for breakfast, lunch, or dinner when you add protein and vegetables alongside.

Best choices

  1. 1Roasted potato wedges with olive oil, garlic, and rosemaryHigh heat caramelizes the outside while keeping the inside fluffy, and olive oil carries vitamins A, D, E, and K that need fat to absorb
  2. 2Mashed potatoes with butter and milkThe starch breaks down into a creamy texture that pairs with any protein, and dairy adds calcium and makes the dish more filling
  3. 3Skillet hash with diced potatoes, onions, and peppersPan-frying creates crispy edges, and the vegetables add fiber and vitamins that balance the starch
  4. 4Potato soup with broth, onions, and celerySimmering potatoes in broth creates a thick, warming base that holds vegetables and protein, stretching one ingredient into multiple servings
  5. Baked potatoes topped with Greek yogurt and chivesBaked potatoes topped with Greek yogurt and chivesBaking concentrates the potato's natural sweetness, and Greek yogurt adds protein without the heaviness of sour cream

Watch out for

  • Frying potatoes in deep oil adds far more fat than roasting or baking, making the dish sit heavier
  • Potatoes alone won't keep you full for long—add protein like eggs, chicken, or beans to the meal
  • Peeling potatoes removes most of the fiber, which is in the skin—scrub and roast them whole when you can

Depending on the day

You want a quick breakfast or lunch

Dice potatoes small and pan-fry them with onions and peppers for hash, then top with fried eggs. The smaller pieces cook faster, and eggs add protein that makes it a complete meal.

You're cooking for several people

Roast whole potatoes or large wedges in the oven—they cook unattended while you prepare other dishes, and everyone can top their own with butter, yogurt, or cheese.

Also asked

What can I make with potatoes and ground beef?

Brown ground beef with onions, then layer it with sliced potatoes in a baking dish and cover with broth or tomato sauce. Bake until the potatoes are tender. The beef adds protein and richness, while the potatoes soak up the cooking liquid and stretch the meat across more servings. You can also make shepherd's pie by topping the beef mixture with mashed potatoes and baking until golden.

What can I make with potatoes for dinner?

Roast potato wedges alongside chicken thighs or pork chops, make a potato and sausage skillet, or bake whole potatoes and top them with chili or pulled meat. Potatoes anchor dinner when paired with protein and a vegetable—they're filling and absorb flavors from whatever you cook them with. A sheet pan with potatoes, protein, and vegetables all roasting together is the simplest complete dinner.

What can I make with potatoes and eggs?

Make a potato and egg scramble, Spanish tortilla, or breakfast hash topped with fried eggs. Dice and pan-fry the potatoes first until crispy, then add beaten eggs and scramble, or pour eggs over the potatoes and cook like a frittata. The combination gives you starch for energy and protein for staying power, making it work for any meal of the day.

What can I make with potatoes and onions?

Slice both thin and pan-fry them together until caramelized, roast them as a side dish, or simmer them into soup. Onions add sweetness as they cook down, and their flavor soaks into the potatoes. This combination works as a base for adding other vegetables, protein, or turning into a filling for pierogies or hand pies.

What can I make with potatoes and chicken?

Roast chicken pieces and potato wedges together on a sheet pan, make chicken and potato soup, or pan-fry diced potatoes and add shredded rotisserie chicken. The chicken fat flavors the potatoes as they cook, and the potatoes soak up chicken drippings or broth. One pan with both gives you a complete meal—add vegetables like carrots, green beans, or broccoli to round it out.

The dishes behind this

Most people think of potatoes as a side dish, but they can anchor an entire meal when you build around them. The mistake is cooking them plain and expecting them to carry interest—potatoes need fat, seasoning, and cooking method to shine. Roasting, mashing, frying, and simmering each bring out different textures, from crispy to creamy, and each pairs with different proteins and vegetables.

The real decision is whether you want comfort or crispness. Mashed potatoes and soup deliver creamy, warming textures that pair with rich proteins like pot roast or sausage. Roasted wedges and hash give you crispy edges and fluffy centers that stand up to grilled chicken, fried eggs, or sautéed vegetables. The cooking method changes what the potato can do in the meal—boiled potatoes are neutral and absorb flavors, while roasted potatoes bring their own caramelized sweetness.

Potatoes alone won't keep you satisfied for more than a couple of hours. They're starch-heavy, which gives you quick energy but not staying power. Adding protein—eggs, meat, beans, cheese—and vegetables turns potatoes from a side into a meal. A baked potato topped with chili, a hash with peppers and eggs, or a sheet pan with chicken and roasted potatoes all use the potato as the base and build a complete plate around it.

The skin is where most of the fiber lives, so scrub potatoes instead of peeling them when you can. Roasting or baking whole potatoes with the skin on gives you more texture and keeps you fuller longer. If you're mashing or making soup, peeling makes sense for smoothness, but know you're losing the part that slows down digestion. The variety matters less than the method—russets bake and mash well, Yukon golds roast beautifully, and red potatoes hold their shape in soup.

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