Potato

Solanum tuberosumAlso called spud

A potato is a vegetable tuber with a mealy, starchy texture. Cooks bake, boil, simmer, or roast potatoes and pair them with butter, herring, or dill.

Plant-based
Gluten-free
No listed allergens

About the plain ingredient, not packaged products; general information, not medical advice. Details

Category: Vegetables
Part used: Tuber
Family: Solanaceae
Texture: Mealy, starchy
Cooked most in: Europe, Asia, Africa
Top country: Indonesia
Dishes: 83 in the catalogue
Energy: 77 kcal per 100 g

Photo: McKay Savage from London, UK · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

In the kitchen

How to use potato

Typical ways to cook or use it

Bake
Boil simmer
Roast

Cooking with it

Varieties with more amylopectin hold their shape when boiled.

Goes well with

Flavour

Taste and texture

Texture

Mealy
Starchy

Shopping

Choosing and storing potato

Sold as: Fresh

Nutrition

What 100 g of potato holds

Per 100 g, raw. Averages from USDA; real values vary by variety, season and growing conditions.

Protein 10%Fat 0%Carbohydrate 89%of the macronutrients by weight

Nutrition per 100 g of potato, raw
Energy	77 kcal · 322 kJ
Protein	2.1 g
Fat	0.09 g
of which saturated	0.03 g
Carbohydrate	17 g
of which sugars	0.82 g
Fibre	2.1 g
Sodium	6 mg
Cholesterol	0 mg

Nutrition per 100 g of potato, raw: minerals and vitamins
Potassium	425 mg
Calcium	12 mg
Iron	0.81 mg
Magnesium	23 mg
Zinc	0.3 mg
Vitamin C	20 mg
Folate	15 µg

Cooked

Protein 13%Fat 0%Carbohydrate 87%of the macronutrients by weight

Nutrition per 100 g of potato, cooked
Energy	132 kcal · 554 kJ
Protein	4.4 g
Fat	0.1 g
of which saturated	0.03 g
Carbohydrate	30 g
Fibre	5.5 g
Sodium	252 mg
Cholesterol	0 mg

Nutrition per 100 g of potato, cooked: minerals and vitamins
Potassium	650 mg
Calcium	46 mg
Iron	5.9 mg
Magnesium	37 mg
Zinc	0.51 mg
Vitamin C	15 mg
Folate	17 µg

Source: USDA FoodData Central (foods 170026, 170115), public domain. Minerals and vitamins are listed only where USDA measured a non-zero amount.

Around the world

Where potato is cooked

83 dishes in the catalogue use potato. Here is where they come from.

Dishes by continent

Countries whose dishes use it most

Counts are catalogued dishes from each country that list potato among their ingredients.

Origins

Native to: South America
First cultivated: in Peru and Bolivia

The 1500s · Europe and Americas
The Spanish brought potatoes from the Americas to Europe in the latter half of the 16th century.

On the table

Dishes made with potato

48 of the 83 catalogued dishes that use it, spread across the countries they come from.

Soto Betawi
Indonesia
Bauernfrühstück
Germany
Arròs al forn
Spain
Olivier salad
Russia
Zelekivka zlyvanka
Ukraine
Dressed herring
Sorrel soup
Eastern Europe
Adjidjat
Algeria
Lángos
Hungary
Oromo
Kyrgyzstan
Creamy porridge
Montenegro
Kolkata biryani
Samosa
Kewa datshi
Bhutan
Petatou
France
Rumford's Soup
Rumpuć
Poland
Tsybryki
Belarus
Turli Tava
North Macedonia
Gamjabap
Kumpir
Türkiye
Lokša
Slovakia
Mafrum
Libya, Tunisia
Potato biryani
India
Catless
France, Mauritius
Kefteji
Tunisia
Pitepalt
Sweden
Lotek
Indonesia
Franciasaláta
Hungary, Russia
Caldo galego
Spain
Mimosa salad
Saumagen
Germany
Zlyvana kasha
Ukraine
Rakott krumpli
Hungary
Stoemp
Belgium, France
Selat Solo
Indonesia
Cocido
Spain
Csülök pékné módra
Hungary
Skoblyanka
Russia
Buckwheat dumplings
Germany
Cacasse à cul nu
France
Jalangkote
Indonesia
Makaroni schotel
Europe, Indonesia
Sayur besan
Indonesia
Soto Madura
Indonesia
Kue lumpur
Indonesia
Mustofa Potatoes
Indonesia
Arem-Arem
Indonesia

Dish lists come from Wikidata; a dish counts when its recorded ingredients include potato.

Good to know

Diet and allergens: potato in detail

These notes describe the plain ingredient. Packaged and prepared products vary, so read the label; for allergies and medical diets ask a doctor or dietitian.

Allergens: None of the 15 listed allergens foundChecked and not found: soy, eggs, fish, milk, lupin, wheat, celery, sesame, mustard, peanuts, molluscs, sulphites, tree nuts, crustaceans, gluten cereals.
Animal origin: No animal ingredients foundChecked and not found: egg, fish, meat, dairy, honey, insect, gelatin, poultry, bone char, shellfish, other animal, animal fining, animal rennet.
Gluten: None
Alcohol: None
Caffeine: None
Pork: None