​​How to Peel Potatoes: Easy Ways to Peel a Potato

You can peel almost any type of potato—including Idaho russet potatoes, sweet potatoes, new potatoes, red potatoes, and Yukon gold potatoes—with a common vegetable peeler.

1. 1. Wash the potatoes. Raw potatoes from the grocery store may arrive carrying residual dirt and pesticides. Use cold water to rinse these off. During this process, check that the potatoes are still firm and free of mold before moving on to peeling.
2. 2. Remove any eyes. Using the sharp end of your vegetable peeler or a paring knife, remove any sprouts (commonly called potato “eyes”).
3. 3. Hold the potato and peel it. Hold the potato in your weaker hand and peel with your dominant hand, using downward strokes when possible and avoiding the tips of your fingers.
4. 4. Rinse the potatoes again. Rinse the potatoes once more to remove any stray bits of skin or dirt before cooking with your peeled potatoes.

If you can spare slightly more prep time, it can be easier to peel potatoes without a vegetable peeler. The key is to first submerge them in boiling water since boiled potatoes drop their skin quite readily.

1. 1. Wash the potatoes. Even though you will be boiling the potatoes, you can still use the opportunity to scrub off dirt and pesticides with a little cold water.
2. 2. Score the potatoes with a sharp knife. Using a paring knife, score the potatoes by cutting a shallow line around the circumference of each spud. This will be the line you peel the skin from.
3. 3. Submerge the potatoes in boiling water. Drop your scored potatoes into a pot of boiling water. Leave them there until tender.
4. 4. Rinse the potatoes with cold water. When the potatoes are tender, transfer them from the pot to a colander so you can douse them with cold water and stop the cooking process. If you prefer, you can also use tongs to pluck the potatoes from the pot and submerge them in a bowl of ice water.
5. 5. Slide off the potato peels. Slide off the potato skin starting at the line you scored. The potatoes should readily shed their skins.
6. 6. Finish your work with a sharp knife. If any part of the skin does not slide off, you can always cut it away with a paring knife. This peeler-free boiling method is a great option when you need to peel many pounds of potatoes at once.

Peeled potatoes perfectly fit into many recipes.

1. 1. Potato salad: The ultimate summer side dish, potato salad may call for peeled or unpeeled potatoes. If your recipe requires peeled potatoes, your work is already done.
2. 2. French fries: Use peeled potatoes to make crispy homemade French fries in an air fryer or in your oven.
3. 3. Mashed potatoes: Some mashed potato recipes start with a skin-on baked potato, but most call for peeled potatoes.
4. 4. Korokke: Korokke is a Japanese potato croquette. It involves mashed potatoes, which can be peeled or come with the skin included.
5. 5. Chowder: You can make a hearty stew, such as clam chowder, by dicing peeled potatoes and adding them to a rich broth.

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