13 Creative Ways to Use Potatoes
The potato is a starchy favorite that often gets a bad rep when it comes to making your list of "healthy foods." See, spuds are often cooked in a way that does more harm than good to your diet, but when they're not being fried or doused in large amounts of cheese and bacon, potatoes are indeed good for you—and that's what our potato recipes are here to prove.
We have 13 of the most creative potato recipes that prove they make a great addition to many meals. And when cooked the right way, potatoes make for an overall healthy side dish, too.
And for more, we rounded up 118 Comfort Food Recipes That Guarantee a Delicious Meal.
Best-Ever Oven-Baked French Fries
The French fry is one of those universally well-liked foods—it's hard to think of someone who doesn't like fries, right? And with that major responsibility in mind, we created the best fry recipe ever. See, unless you're getting your fries from the drive-thru, you're most likely turning to the varieties you find in the frozen food aisle when eating them at home. However, these are often no better for you calorie-wise. Our recipe results in a healthier version that creates a crispy French fry that's oven-baked—not fried—to perfection. And with rosemary and Parmesan, these fries get a major flavor upgrade, no heavy dipping sauces necessary.
Get our recipe for Best-Ever Oven-Baked French Fries.
Game-Day-Ready Spicy Potato Skins
In 1974, T.G.I. Friday's introduced us all to the potato skin. Now, the combination of potato, cheddar, and bacon has become a staple of game-day snacks and happy hour appetizers, but like many classic dishes, it's high in calories. We made a lower-calorie version that manages to stay true to the original recipe for a taste you'll love.
Get our recipe for Game-Day-Ready Spicy Potato Skins.
Crispy Rosemary Potatoes
You can never go wrong with a roasted potato recipe, as it makes for the perfect side dish with almost anything you decide to whip up for dinner. Plus, it's always a healthy and easy way to cook up spuds, too. You just have to chop a few potatoes, toss them with olive oil and rosemary, add salt and pepper to taste, and then cook them on a baking sheet. It's super simple and good for you!
Get our recipe for Crispy Rosemary Potatoes.
Not-So-Unhealthy Cheese Fries
While delicious, the idea of eating fried potatoes covered in cheese at a restaurant is rather dangerous for your waistline. Enter our very easy home version that keeps the calories low by baking the potatoes, but still brings all the flavor you love from a hearty cheese fries dish. It's all about proportions, and we put together the perfect amount of cheese, crumbled bacon, and pickled jalapeños.
Get our recipe for Not-So-Unhealthy Cheese Fries.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
When in doubt, making mashed potatoes is never a bad idea. Not only is the side dish the perfect creamy canvas to garnish however you like, from garlic to freshly chopped chives, to bacon and sautéed spinach, to roasted onions and green peppers, but it also makes for a great topping for your favorite burger or sandwich.
Get our recipe for Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
Yukon Gold and Sweet Potato Gratin
Most gratin dishes are filled with heavy cream and butter, which is why the side dish can end up being higher in calories than the main entrée! In our version of potato gratin, we use low-fat milk instead of traditional cream and have a mix of Yukon gold and sweet potatoes. There's a good chance your guests will end up requesting this at all of your dinner parties and around the holidays!
Get our recipe for Yukon Gold and Sweet Potato Gratin.
Smashed Potatoes
That's not a typo you're seeing: These potatoes are smashed, not mashed, which means they're crispy on the outside but soft on the inside, and yes, you do smash them with your hands to get them to this state. Who said you can't have some fun while you're coking, right? These potatoes are great to have at dinner or even breakfast as an alternative to hash browns.
Get our recipe for Smashed Potatoes.
Baked Potato Soup
Most versions of the baked potato soup start with a base of heavy cream, which makes for an unnecessarily high-in-calories bowl of soup. In our version, we switch to chicken stock as the starting point, then add in a splash of half-and-half. The creamy potato flavor is still the true star here, though. And with bacon, cheese, and Tabasco added in, your tastebuds will be satisfied.
Get our recipe for Baked Potato Soup.
Healthiest Potato Salad
Potato salads you find at a typical summer cookout tend to be drowning in a pool of mayo. Our recipe still has the spread included, but we cut down how much is used by adding Dijon and vinegar to the mix. Don't worry though, even with these tweaks, the dish still tastes just as good as it always does!
Get our recipe for the Healthiest Potato Salad.
Best Homemade Potato Chips
Potato chips are hard to resist, and most of the time, once you start eating some, you end up eating the entire bag. It happens to us all now and then, but what makes it not so worth it though is the fact that you'll most likely end up feeling hungry not too long after. So for a healthy option when the snack craving hits, turn to these baked chips that are not only healthier and immensely tastier, but are ready in just 20 minutes!
Get our recipe for Best Homemade Potato Chips.
Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet potatoes have some major bonuses that regular potatoes lack: big doses of fiber and vitamin A. Plus, their natural sugars intensify when these potatoes are baked or roasted. Pair that with fiery cayenne, and you have fries on hand that completely elevate your entire meal.
Get our recipe for Baked Sweet Potato Fries.
Bacon and Cheese Twice-Baked Potato
This twice-baked potato recipe features milk and yogurt to amp up the potatoes and proves that a little bit of cheese and bacon go a long way. This dish makes for the perfect side you can serve with a grilled steak or roast chicken!
Get our recipe for Bacon and Cheese Twice-Baked Potato.
Smoked Paprika Potato Chips
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And here we have another way to indulge in the beloved potato chip! These chips, though, have a smoky touch to them, thanks to the paprika, and once again prove that homemade chips are better than any variety you can buy in the snack aisle at the supermarket.
Get our recipe for Smoked Paprika Potato Chips.
And in case you need some cooking tips, find out how you can perfectly bake a potato you'll look forward to eating!
