How To Boil Potatoes

thinly sliced potatoes and knife on cutting board

5 from 3 votes

READY in LESS THAN 30 MINUTES! Boiling potatoes is an essential skill for many recipes. Learn how right here PLUS, in case you didn't know, it's delicious just eaten this way too!

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Side

Cuisine: American

Keyword: boiling potatoes, how to boil potatoes

Servings: servings

Calories: 124kcal

Author: Wendi Spraker

Cost: $3

Equipment

large stock pot
tongs
Stove

Ingredients

4 whole potatoes
1 quart water or enough water to cover the cauliflower
1 tbsp salt
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Peel and slice the potatoes if that is how you will be using them in the completed recipe. Whole, skin on potatoes can be boiled too.
Place the potatoes into a medium sized saucepan and cover with water. Add more water if 1 quart doesn't cover all of the pieces.
Add 1 tbsp of salt to the water. Heat on high for 5-7 minutes until the water is simmering.
Allow to simmer for 5-7 minutes, then check by piercing it with a fork for slices. If whole potatoes, the simmering will take about 10 minutes. If you plan to eat these as is, cook it until a fork goes easily through the entire piece (10 minutes or so).
When cooked the way you want, pour into a colander to drain.
Once drained, use for your dish or add topping that is listed in the notes. Serve hot.

Video

Notes

If you plan to eat right away, then you will want more tender (so that the fork easily goes through the entire piece).
Are you using it in a recipe that will be cooked more? Then only boil it until a fork can pierce but doesn't want to go completely through.
You will notice that it turns a slightly different color when cooked. This is normal.
Save the water you boiled in if you are making a sauce, it can be used to thin and flavor the sauce.
To make a great sauce for these potatoes to eat as is, mix 2 Tbs butter with 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/4 Cup milk, 1/4 parmesan cheese and heat over medium heat until butter is melted and all the ingredients are liquid. Pour this over your hot potatoes. YUM!

PRO TIP: The smaller the pieces are, the more quickly they will cook, no matter HOW you are cooking them. Be careful so as not to over cook. Drain it well to remove the extra water.

Nutrition