15 Ways To Use Cheap Potatoes
Here are 15 Ways To Use Cheap Potatoes. Potatoes are the leading vegetable crop in the United States (not including sweet potatoes), with about 15% contributing to farm sales. Over 50% of the potatoes grown are processed for french fries, potato chips, dehydrated potatoes, and other popular potato products. I purchased a 20-pound bag of #1 potatoes for $9.50 today. WooHoo! Let’s see how many meals or side dishes I can make with it. Start saving money today! I wrote this post back in 2015 and the 20-pound bag of potatoes was $5.99! I’m finding the need to update many of my posts since things have really changed in the marketplace and the kitchen.
The fall harvest produces approximately 90% of all potatoes grown, although they are grown year-round. Potatoes are a tuberous vegetable crop grown from the Solanum tuberosum. I buy certified seed potatoes and plant them in containers/pots in my raised gardens. You basically cut the “eyes” from the seed potatoes and plant them. Easy peasy.
In case you need a potato peeler, OXO Potato Peeler
Growing Your Own Potatoes
I’ll have a post showing you how to plant seed potatoes when I start my spring planting. There is nothing better than seeing those plants start to sprout. Potato plants are really attractive plants in your garden and add to the landscape appeal.
Potatoes are pretty low-calorie, it’s all the stuff we add to them that gives them a bad rap. They really are good for us. They are full of vitamins like Vitamin C & B. They are high in Potassium, Magnesium, and B-6 content. They have a little iron and a little calcium. A medium potato is about 165 calories.
I wash and scrub all the potatoes with a vegetable scrubber and cut off the bad spots before I make use of any of them in classic potato dish fashion. Let’s get started with my 15 ways to use cheap potatoes. Vegetable Scrubber
In case you missed these posts, The Best Cheesy Potato Casserole
15 Ways To Use Cheap Potatoes
1. Mashed Cheap Potatoes
These potatoes are peeled and boiled in water until a fork test shows that they are cooked enough. I drain the water and add whatever I have in the refrigerator to make them creamy and fluffy. I use either milk, sour cream, whip cream, or butter, along with some salt. Once they’re cooked, I mash them with my stainless steel masher. I really like the peeled potato look, but sometimes I just don’t have time to peel the potatoes, but today I did (with a little help from my husband). I must say, my husband would love mashed potatoes every night, he really would!
2. Dirty Mashed Cheap Potatoes
Okay, now I will show you my “dirty” mashed potatoes. Of course, you can see some of the potato peelings because these were not peeled. I just boiled them, drained them, and mashed them with the hand masher because I like a few chunks in the dirty mashed version! I add milk, sour cream, whip cream, butter, and some salt. Fabulous to eat!
3. Nachos
I honestly could eat Mexican food every night, so I thought why not enjoy some cooked sliced potatoes, add some refried beans, and grated cheese, and top with sliced black olives? Add a little guacamole, sour cream, and some salsa….yummy! In my Mexican-themed meals, I usually use cheddar cheese or a mixture of cheddar and Monterey Jack. These really are good! Great for football games in front of the television!
4. Homemade Hash Browns
Here you can grate some baked potatoes and make your own hash browns. I freeze these in baggies to enjoy later. They are so much cheaper than the frozen ones you buy at the grocery store. I thaw them in the refrigerator the day I plan to use them, and then fry them in a little butter. No other ingredients. Healthy natural potatoes.
5. Steak Fries With Fry Sauce
With this recipe, I sliced the raw potatoes in wedges and placed them in a bag with a little olive oil and water. Shake the bag and spread them on a cookie sheet and bake (375°F) = (190°C) degrees for about an hour, or until cooked to the desired doneness. I used equal amounts of chili sauce and mayonnaise to make the fry sauce. Is your mouth watering yet? Mine is for sure. My grandson ate all of these over the weekend. Love that guy!
6. Potato Chips
I baked 1/8 inch sliced potatoes in the oven (375°F) = (190°C) degrees for about 40 minutes. I let them cool on a cookie sheet to make sure they stayed crispy. This makes for an easy healthy snack. Sometimes you just need some chips! You can add some flavor by spreading some chives or garlic powder on the chips, wow! My favorite fry sauce, Baked French Fries and Linda’s Fry Sauce
7. Stuffed Bell Peppers
Some friends came over for dinner last night and they are always willing to try my creations. I had a few different bell peppers, so I made stuffed bell peppers with some mashed potatoes. Yummy! I baked them at (350°F) = (176°C) degrees for about 40 minutes. Our friends loved these! WooHoo! You can add some unique flavors by adding your favorite herbs, topping with butter, or even some cheese or small chunks of meat, like chicken or ground beef.
8. Potato-Turkey Wraps
Here are some whole wheat wraps spread with mashed potatoes along with some cooked turkey slices. I baked them with a toothpick to help hold them together. I baked them at (350°F) = (176°C) degrees for about 30 minutes. Everything is actually already cooked, so I was really just heating them through to serve. Add some Pico de Gallo and you are set for a great meal!
9. Mexican Potato Salad
To stay healthy, I’m sincerely trying to eat more veggies, so I took some baked potato chunks and added black beans (drained) and corn (drained). I then added a little Pico de Gallo, cilantro, green onions, and black olives. You can serve this cold or at room temperature. All the ingredients together add up to one of my favorite combinations of tastes. You consider adding things like broccoli, some cheese of choice, and a chopped boiled egg.
11. Pico de Gallo Bites
Here I used some sliced baked potatoes topped with refried beans, guacamole, Pico de Gallo, and black olives. Easy peasy to make and serve. Another sports viewing event to enjoy special snacks, especially now that March Madness is in full swing!
12. Potato & Cheese Quesadillas
Okay, these were going to be taquitos but the corn tortillas were too dry so they crumbled when I tried to roll them with mashed potatoes and cheese. So, I made quesadillas! I baked them at (350°F) = (176°C) degrees until I could see the cheese melting. I did spray the tortillas with vegetable oil because they were so dry and brittle. You could bake these on a griddle or fry pan. I think salsa or Pico de Gallo goes with almost every Mexican meal!
13. Heidi’s Potato Chunks
These potatoes are my whole family’s favorite potato option. My daughter, Heidi, makes them like potato steak fries, but cuts them into chunks and sprinkles them with Lawry’s Salt. Bake at (375°F) = (190°C) degrees for about 40-45 minutes, or until the desired doneness. Serve with the fry sauce discussed above.
14. Regular Baked Potatoes
This one is easy because I just baked the potatoes. These make for an easy side dish with butter, sour cream, grated cheese, and bacon bits if desired. I have to admit, I like way too much sour cream on my baked potatoes. Okay, I like a lot of butter as well. There is something about the combination of these together. There are no limits to what you can add as topping to these baked potatoes if you decide you want to go all out with a baked potato bar. How fun!
15. Twice Baked Potatoes
You can bake the potatoes covered with foil (non-shiny outside), plain or oiled, and sprinkled with Kosher Salt. I poke the potatoes with a fork. I don’t know if it’s an old wives’ tale but I always do this when baking them.
Finished Product
After baking cut them in half lengthwise. Scoop out the insides as close to the edge of the peel as possible. I mash the insides with my potato masher and then smother with butter, sour cream, green onion, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Heap the filling back into the skins and bake until heated through. Bake at (350°F) = (176°C) degrees for about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with a little bit of grated cheese.
I love potatoes, are there other potato recipes I should try?
I don’t have room to list all the recipes for you to try, but they should be readily available on the Internet if you want to research these options:
- Potato Casserole: a favorite here in Utah is called cheesy potatoes, or by the name funeral potatoes. They quickly disappear every time I make this casserole.
- Potato Pancakes: not necessarily a breakfast option like other pancakes, these are shallow-fried pancake-shaped grated or ground potato mixed with flour or matzo meal. They have a binding ingredient like egg or apple sauce added and then some flavor-enhancing items like garlic or onion.
- Potato Cakes: a potato meal offering with mashed or grated potatoes shaped like a patty that is served all over the world.
- Shepherd’s Pie: a fun meal choice even for those nights on a camping trip with meals cooked over an open fire, or the coals remaining.
- Potato Soup: a delicious meal choice on those cold days or when someone in your family isn’t feeling well.
It seems like all I hear about are Idaho potatoes. Do other states grow potatoes too?
Idaho is certainly a key state when it comes to potato production, but potatoes are actually grown in all the states. Over 50% of our potatoes come from Idaho, Washington, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Colorado, Oregon, Minnesota, Maine, California, and Michigan. It’s interesting that all the states listed are located in areas with more cold or moderate temperatures, other than California.
Final Word
I hope you can use some of my 15 Ways To Use Cheap Potatoes and save money! I feel like some steak fries and French fry sauce right now! Enjoy! May God Bless this world, Linda
Great ideas for potatoes!
Hi Carol…LOL! Please come and get some! Linda
You can freeze your twice backed potatoes if you cover them well. First. Cover with plastic wrap second. Cover with paper towels 2 layers is better (to absorb moisture) third. Place each in a plastic baggy. Lable with date use within a month. Before you Cover potatoes, let cool completely, add butter pat and cheese , herbs as desired but not green onions.
HI Pat, oh I want to try freezing twice-baked potatoes how do you freeze them. Thanks for the tip!! Linda
I like to boil potatoes and carrots together and then mash them together. Looks funny but tastes great.
Hi Kris, I am going to add that comment in my post! I never thought of that! Thanks for the tip! Linda
Thanks! Just when I was wondering what to do with the 15 pounds of Yukon Golds in the cupboard. Another thought: My grandma always used to extend the ground beef by crushing a potato into it with a ricer. Sloppy Joes are really yummy this way.
Hi Summer, oh my gosh I totally forgot about putting them in sloppy joes! That reminds me I put them in the taco meat to stretch it! Thanks for reminder! Linda
I tire of cutting and slicing potatoes to make fries, so I used to just peel them and then slice them into discs or rounds and gently fry them in a deep pot of maybe an inch of oil.
When they’re done, I lift them, drain for a few seconds and then place them into a large bowl lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil and then quickly sprinkle them with a good amount of onion powder and a bit of garlic powder for a more explosive flavor. It’s easy, less messy and it’s a salt free side dish. Salt free “Mrs. Dash” or any other spices are options for people who have special diets or want to get away from the constant perpetuated notion of salt and pepper.
Hi Frank, oh man do those sound delicious! I am going to try the onion powder and a bit of garlic! Yummy! Thanks for the tip! Linda
You can also freeze whole potatoes. When I was growing up my mother would peel potatoes and blanch them whole. Then she’d put them in zip lock or sometimes just empty bread bags and freeze them. Freezing changed their texture and you couldn’t do much with them except boil or mash them but they were DELICIOUS!! I would serve them boiled to company and they always wanted to know how I cooked them to make them so good.
Hi Janet, thank you so much for sharing your idea!! I will be picking or should I say digging for potatoes in a few weeks. Great timing!! I have got to try this, thank so much!!! Linda
Man, what I wouldn’t do to find some decent potatoes! The ones down here go bad so quickly (Florida)!
Hi Jess, they go bad here too! We were lucky to buy a box of Idaho potatoes covered in dirt, but they are worth washing, trust me, the best potatoes in the US! Grocery store potatoes go bad so fast! You are so right! Linda
Linda,
Don’t know why I never thought about using potatoes for nachos but I sure will now. I use mashed potatoes with flour tortillas, taco meat, refried beans and cheddar or Jack cheese to make burritos.
Hi Ray, now I want one of your burritos for dinner, love it! I love salsa and just about every Mexican food item! Linda
Years and years ago I lived in Arizona. I was working with a guy of Mexican heritage. His wife was also of Mexican heritage. She made homemade tortillas. Sometimes he brought homemade potato burritos to work to share. I wish I had her recipe!! But they were boiled potatoes, cut into chunks, fried in lard and seasoned liberally with jalapeno, green chile and onions, salt and pepper. They were so so good. There was no meat or cheese in them, but I could see adding both to make a heartier burrito.
I’ve always said the only way I don’t like to eat potatoes is burnt!!
Hi Leanne, oh my gosh, I need to make these, they sound so good! Linda
WHAT!!!!! No German Potato Salad!!!!! I feel faint…..lol……We had a dear friend who came to America on the sister ship of the Titanic, the Britannic. She made the best German Potato Salad. I wish I had the recipe….. none better.
Hi Chris, oh my gosh, German Potato Salad, I have never made that! Now I need to make some! LOL! Love the idea! Linda
Linda – don’t forget to mention dehydrating potatoes!! If I have some that are just short of past their prime, I slice (peeled or not) the potatoes with my mandolin slicer to get even slices. I slice into a bowl of water to keep them from oxidizing. Then when I have them all sliced in water, I parboil them, drain them well and pat the water off. I spread them out on my dehydrator trays and set them to dry. I have some that I dehydrated 10 years ago and sealed in a quart jar with my vacuum sealer. Still just as good as when I put them in there. I’ve also dehydrated hash browns but find them much more tedious. To use, I place them in a pot of boiling water for a few minutes to rehydrate and cook them a bit. Then I drain well and fry or add them to a casserole dish with milk or cream, lots of cheese and salt and pepper then bake for about 45 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and everything is thickened (au gratin potatoes).
Something my daughter likes to do for large gatherings: She peels and boils enough potatoes to nearly fill her slow cooker. She mashes them with roasted garlic, fried onions (nice and caramelized – think she uses chunks or dices the onion before cooking them), cream cheese or sour cream – she has used both and both are really good (for a large slow cooker and a full pot of potatoes, she uses a couple of room temp cream cheese or 2 cups of sour cream, adds chopped chives and cooked chopped bacon. Then she puts the whole mess into her slow cooker to heat through and keep warm. Everyone raves about them. So she make big batches and if a smaller batch is wanted, adjust everything down to size!
Hi Leanne, I have never tried dehydrating potatoes, but I will now! Your daughter’s recipe sound so yummy! I need to make that as well! Love this! Linda
Dehydrating potatoes is a bit more time consuming than most veggies but worth it in my opinion. Ths year I am going to try mashed potatoes (minus the butter and milk!). I’ll boil the potatoes until they are mashable, spread out like fruit leather and dehydrate until they are very very dry. Then I will pulse in my food processor for making mashed taters later in the year!!
Hi Leanne, oh my gosh, this is a great idea! I love it! Linda
I have done home-bottled potatoes from my garden and used them in many ways.
Also, we like to keep dried sliced potatoes on hand for scalloped…….
Scalloped Potatoes
3 c. dehydrated potato slices (heaping cupfuls, gently packed down)
2 to 4 T. dried chopped onions
1/2 c. nonfat dry milk
2 T. unbleached flour
2 T. cornstarch
1 tsp. garlic granules
1/4 tsp. salt and pepper
1 T. dried parsley or chives
3 T. butter or margarine
2 and 3/4 c. boiling water
Preheat oven to 350°.
Place potato slices and dried onions into 9×13 greased or buttered glass pan.
Mix dry milk, flour, cornstarch, garlic granules, salt, pepper, parsley or chives;
sprinkle over top of potato/onion. Dot with butter. Pour boiling water over all
and stir gently to mix.
Cover with foil, bake 35 minutes, uncover, let cook until top is golden.
Hi Janet, I need to save this recipe, I love scalloped potatoes! Thank you, Linda