Learn how to cut potatoes into wedges, fries, cubes, and slices in this step-by-step tutorial with video. Then, use them for soup and stew, mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, or your other favorite recipes!
Potatoes are such a versatile food. There are several varieties that all taste delicious in recipes. You can slice, dice, and mash them and serve them boiled, fried, or baked. The possibilities are endless!
If you want to experience all that these starchy tubers have to offer, you have to learn how to cut potatoes first. This post has everything you need to know about cutting potatoes into different shapes for all of your cooking needs.
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Wedges
Any potato can be cut into wedges, but yellow, Yukon gold, and red potatoes tend to be the perfect size for cutting wedges. To start, scrub the potato clean. If you prefer to peel your potatoes, do so now. Then, cut the potato in half lengthwise.
Next, cut each half lengthwise into quarters to make 4 wedges per half (8 per potato). For very large potatoes, you may be able to get 6 wedges per half.
If you want to cut potatoes for mashed potatoes, follow the first step here of halving the potatoes. Then, instead of quartering each half lengthwise, quarter crosswise to get chunks of potato to boil then mash (make a cross with your knife on each half of the potato). Use the same technique when preparing potatoes for potato salad.
Fries
Russet potatoes are my favorite type to cut into fries, but you can use most types of potatoes with this method. Begin by scrubbing the potato clean and peeling if desired. Then, cut the potato lengthwise into ½-inch thick slices.
Stack some of the slices (or “slabs”) on top of each other. Cut lengthwise into fries about ½-inch wide.
Cubes (Diced)
To dice a potato, first cut it into fries following the above instructions. Then, cut the fries crosswise into ½-inch cubes for a medium dice. For a small dice, cut into ¼-inch cubes, and for a large dice, cut into ¾-inch cubes. This is the best way to cut potatoes for soups and stews.
Slices
Sliced potatoes are great for making scalloped potatoes, other types of potato bakes, and pizzas. You can slice any kind of potato into circles. First, scrub clean and peel if desired. Then, slice the potato crosswise into pieces of your desired thickness.
Julienne
Potatoes that have been prepared with the julienne technique are skinny pieces about 1/16-inch wide and 2 to 3 inches long. They are great for cheesy potato recipes, skinny/shoestring French fries, or as an alternative to shredded hashbrowns. Yukon gold, yellow, and red potatoes all work well for using the julienne technique. First, scrub the potato clean. Next, slice off the sides and ends to yield a rectangular piece.
Cut the rectangular piece lengthwise into thin pieces about 1/16-inch thick.
Stack the pieces on top of each other. Then, slice lengthwise into skinny pieces about 1/16-inch wide.
How to Store Potatoes After Cutting
Potatoes are known to brown after being cut, due to being exposed to oxygen. They are still safe to eat even if they change color, but you can preserve their color and keep them fresh with the proper storage technique. Transfer cut potatoes to a bowl or container, fill with water, and keep in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them. For best results, use within a day. For another storage technique, see my post on How to Freeze Potatoes.
Potato Recipes
Now that you know how to cut potatoes, let’s get cooking! Here are my favorite recipes using potatoes:
Video
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📖 Recipe
How to Cut Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 potato
Instructions
- You can cut most varieties of potatoes using the following techniques. Russet potatoes are particularly good for cutting fries, while Yukon gold, yellow, or red potatoes are good for wedges. Choose whatever variety you prefer.
- Before cutting the potatoes, scrub them clean under water. Peel if desired.
Wedges
- Cut the potato in half lengthwise. Then, cut each half lengthwise into quarters for a total of 8 wedges. For larger potatoes, you can cut each half into sixths for more wedges if desired.
Fries
- Cut lengthwise into slabs about ½-inch thick.
- Stack some slabs on top of each other. Cut lengthwise into ½-inch wide fries.
Cubes
- To dice potatoes, follow the instructions for cutting fries.
- Then, cut the fries crosswise into cubes of your desired size.
Slices
- Cut the potato crosswise into slices of your desired size.
Julienne
- Cut off the sides and ends of a potato to yield a rectangular piece of potato. Then, cut the rectangular piece lengthwise into 1/16-inch thick pieces.
- Stack some of the pieces on top of each other. Cut lengthwise into skinny sticks about 1/16-inch wide.
Video
Notes
- To store cut potatoes so that they don’t brown, place them in a bowl or container and fill with water. Keep in the fridge for up to a day before using.
Nutrition
Enjoy your potatoes! – Lizzie
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