Boiled potatoes are a simple, delicious, quick side dish you can have ready in under 30 minutes! Boil small potatoes until fork tender, toss in butter and seasonings, and garnish with bright fresh parsley. It’s that easy!
You can serve these potatoes whole or cut them into bite-sized pieces. They pair so well with various entrees like steak, chicken, and shrimp. For more simple side dish recipes, try my baked sweet potatoes, air fryer potatoes, or roasted potatoes.
Ingredients
Potatoes — choose smaller potatoes that are around the same size so they cook evenly.
Seasoning — a simple blend of salt and pepper is truly all you need to make a delicious side dish but see the “How To Serve Boiled Potatoes” section for flavor variations.
Olive oil — olive oil adds moisture and flavor.
Butter — butter adds richness to the boiled potatoes.
Parsley — chopped parsley adds color, peppery flavor, and a bright, fresh element.
The Best Potatoes For Boiling
You can boil any kind of potato! The variety you choose depends on your intended use. There are three main categories of potatoes, and they’re best suited for different potato recipes:
Starchy potatoes: Starchy or fluffy potatoes, like russet potatoes or Idaho potatoes, are high-starch and low-moisture. They get very soft and crumbly when cooked, so they are good to boil if you’re making dishes like potato soup or mashed potatoes.
Waxy potatoes: Waxy potatoes, like red potatoes, new potatoes, and fingerling potatoes, have less starch and more moisture. They are great for use in beef stew, a shrimp boil, potato salad, or serving whole like in this recipe with a simple seasoning of butter, salt, and pepper!
All-purpose potatoes: All-purpose potatoes, like Yukon gold, white and yellow potatoes, or purple potatoes, provide the best of both worlds and can be used in a variety of ways. They cook up creamy, hold their texture well, and are great if you plan to season and serve them whole like in this recipe. They also make excellent garlic mashed potatoes!
How Long Does It Take To Boil Potatoes?
Cooking time depends on the size of the potatoes you choose. Large potatoes like russets should be cubed and not boiled whole. Here’s a guide for approximate boiling times depending on potato size:
Whole baby potatoes or cubed (1½ inches to 2 inches): 15 to 20 minutes.
Whole small potatoes or cubed (2½ inches to 3 inches): 18 to 25 minutes
Large potatoes, cubed (3 inches to 3½ inches): 30 to 40 minutes
How To Boil Potatoes
1. Place the clean potatoes in a medium pot and cover with about 2 inches of cold water. Add the salt to the pot and place over high heat. Bring to a boil.
2. Once boiling, reduce to medium heat so that the potatoes are gently simmering.
3. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Drain the potatoes.
4. Return the boiled potatoes to the pot and add the extra virgin olive oil, butter, and black pepper.
5. Stir gently (or shake the pot) to coat the potatoes in the seasoning.
6. Place them in a serving bowl and top with chopped fresh parsley.
The Difference Between Boiling And Simmering Water
For this boiled potato recipe, you need to bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat so it drops to a simmer. This can be confusing if you don’t know what to look for, but I’ve got you covered!
- Simmering water: The water bubbles gently. Bubbles will break the surface of the water, but only a few at a time.
- Boiling water: The water bubbles vigorously. You’ll see lots and lots of bubbles that break the surface constantly throughout the pot.
This might seem like a small thing, but it’s important for a recipe like this! Simmering water is about 20 degrees cooler than boiling water. If the water cooking your potatoes stays at a boil, cubed potatoes easily fall apart, or the skins on whole potatoes can split and start to fall apart. This is why I bring it to a boil first, then reduce the temperature for a more gentle cook. The potatoes hold their shape very well this way.
Don’t Skip Salting The Water
The salt actually penetrates the potatoes during cooking, seasoning them throughout. Similar to boiling pasta, if you don’t salt the water, the potatoes won’t have quite the right depth of flavor even when salted after they are cooked. If you salt the water sufficiently, the boiled potatoes won’t need much or any additional salt once they’re done.
What Does Fork Tender Mean?
A fork easily inserts into the center or thickest portion of the potato without resistance. You can also check for doneness using a sharp knife to pierce the thickest part of the potato. If the potato is tender, the knife will slide right in easily.
How To Serve Boiled Potatoes
You can serve this quick side dish in so many ways! I don’t need much more on mine than salt, pepper, olive oil, butter, and a little parsley to finish them off, but you can jazz them up however you like! Add chopped fresh herbs (like chives, tarragon, and dill), a generous sprinkle of parmesan cheese, crispy chopped bacon bits, red pepper flakes, garlic butter, or your favorite seasoning blend.
They’re a delicious side dish to serve with air fryer steak, roasted chicken, garlic shrimp, or prime rib.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Choose potatoes that are the same size so they cook at the same speed.
- Clean the potatoes very well. If you aren’t peeling the potatoes before cooking, it’s essential to wash and scrub the skin very well to remove any dirt and debris.
- Start with cold water so the whole potato cooks evenly. If you add the potatoes to hot water, the outside will cook before the inside has a chance to become tender.
- Adjust the cooking time for the size of potato you choose. The cook times in this recipe are for small, whole potatoes that are 1½ to 2 inches in diameter. For smaller or larger potatoes, adjust the cooking time using my guide in the “How Long Does It Take To Boil Potatoes?” section.
Frequently Asked Questions
This depends on personal preference. If boiling whole potatoes to serve whole versus sliced or mashed, I keep the skins on as the skin holds the potato together. If you chop the potatoes before boiling and intend to mash them or use them in soups, I recommend peeling them first.
Once cooled to room temperature, store boiled potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze them in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container for technically up to 1 year, though I find their texture is best if they’re eaten within 3 months of freezing.
Use leftovers to make smashed potatoes, German potato salad, gnocchi, potato bread, lefse, or duchess potatoes.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this boiled potatoes recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Boiled Potatoes Recipe
Equipment
- Medium to large pot 4 to 6 quarts)
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds small potatoes (yukon gold, red skin, etc.) (675g)
- 2 teaspoons salt plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with about 2 inches of cold water. Add the salt to the pot and place over high heat. Bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium so that the potatoes are gently simmering. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Drain the potatoes. (If you like, cut them in half or quarters to create bite-sized pieces.)
- Return the potatoes to the pot with the olive oil, butter, and black pepper. Stir gently (or shake the pot) to coat the potatoes in the seasoning.
- Place them in a serving bowl and top with the parsley.
Notes
- Choose potatoes that are the same size so they cook at the same speed.
- Clean the potatoes very well. If you aren’t peeling the potatoes before cooking, it’s essential to wash and scrub the skin very well to remove any dirt and debris.
- Start with cold water so the whole potato cooks evenly. If you add the potatoes to hot water, the outside will cook before the inside has a chance to become tender.
- Adjust the cooking time for the size of potato you choose. The cook times in this recipe are for small, whole potatoes that are 1½ to 2 inches in diameter. For smaller or larger potatoes, adjust the cooking time using my guide in the “How Long Does It Take To Boil Potatoes?” section.
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