How to Cut Potatoes Into Cubes: Easy Diced Potatoes

Cubed potatoes are potatoes that you or another cook has cut into uniform-sized squares. Many potato recipes, such as potato salad, mashed potatoes, slow cooker potato soup, and home fries, call for cubed or diced potatoes. Other potato recipes, including French fries, hash browns, and baked potatoes, use a different type of cut. Russet potatoes and sweet potatoes work well for cubed potatoes. Red potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes, and other smaller types of potatoes are harder to cube.

Potato cubes can be any size as long as all the sides are equal. Some recipes refer to cubed potatoes as diced potatoes. A small dice is generally one-quarter inch; a medium dice is one-half inch; and a large dice is three-quarters of an inch. Ultimately, the size of the cubes depends on both the recipe and your personal preferences.

Here is a step-by-step guide for cubing potatoes at home in addition to kitchen tips for beginners:

1. 1. Wash and peel the potatoes. Hold the potatoes under cold, running water, and rub them with your hands to remove excess dirt or grime. Dry the potatoes with a dish towel. To peel a potato, remove the skin with a vegetable peeler. Place the peeled potatoes in a bowl of cold water until you’re ready to cube them.
2. 2. Choose the right knife. Always use a sharp knife to cut potatoes, but take great care not to injure yourself. Personal cuts are more likely to occur when you use dull knives versus sharp knives. The knife should be hefty enough to stand up to large, starchy potatoes. A chef’s knife can be a good option because this sharp kitchen knife will have a long blade and a long handle for adequate control, enabling you to cut through a potato in one motion.
3. 3. Stabilize the potato. Cut one potato at a time. Remove a potato from the bowl of water and place it on a cutting board. To prevent the cutting board from sliding, you can put a wet towel underneath the cutting board to stabilize it. Cut a small piece off of one side of the potato to create a flat side. Now you can position the potato on its flat side to prevent it from rolling as you cut it.
4. 4. Dice the potato. Cut the potato into one-inch slices. Then, cut each of those slices into one-inch matchsticks. Then cut those matchsticks into one-inch cubes.
5. 5. Soak the cubes. Place the cut potatoes back into the bowl of cold water to prevent the potatoes from turning brown until you’re ready to cook them. Repeat the process until you have cubed all the potatoes. Drain the potato cubes in a colander when it’s time to begin cooking.

Cubed potatoes are a versatile ingredient. Dishes in which you can utilize them include:

1. 1. Home fries: To make this breakfast side dish, mix cubed potatoes, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Then sauté the ingredients in a pan over medium-high heat until the potatoes become golden brown and crispy. For more flavor in your home fries, mix in sautéed bell peppers and onions. Alternatively, cook the cubed potatoes in an air fryer or deep fryer for fried potatoes.
2. 2. Potato salad: Boil large cubed potatoes until they become fork-tender, then refrigerate them until they are cool. Mix the potatoes with mayonnaise and any other traditional potato salad ingredients, such as hard-boiled eggs, chives, or diced red onions.
3. 3. Roasted potatoes: You can roast small potatoes whole or cut larger potatoes into cubes. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet in a single layer, and toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast them in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until the natural sugars in the potatoes caramelize, a total cooking time of about 20 minutes.

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