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Purple potatoes are a delicious and versatile ingredient! Here’s what to know about this vegetable and the best recipes for cooking them.

Purple potatoes

Got purple potatoes? These brilliant violet spuds always catch our eye at the grocery store or farmer’s market. Their lovely hue remains even when they’re cooked, making them a fun way to mix up the typical mashed potatoes or potato salad. While their flavor is similar white and yellow potatoes, they’ve got even more antioxidants and are better for blood sugar. What’s not to love? Here’s a bit more about purple potatoes and our favorite ways to use them (what’s better than a fluffy pile of purple mash?).

What are purple potatoes?

Purple potatoes are a type of potato that is purple in color, both when raw and cooked. There are close to 4,000 varieties of potatoes in the world; the purple type range in hue from bright violet to dark purple black. Some common varieties of purple potatoes are Purple Peruvian, Purple Majesty, All Blue, Congo, Adirondack Blue, Purple Fiesta, and Vitelotte.

Despite their vibrant color, purple potatoes taste essentially the same as yellow or red potatoes: they have a delicate, earthy flavor. You can prepare them in the same way as any other potato: baked, roasted, mashed, fries, potato salad, and more.

Buying and storing purple potatoes

What to look for when you’re buying purple potatoes at the store? Here’s what to know:

  • Choose purple potatoes that are firm and round, with no noticeable blemishes or bruises. They are available at most supermarkets and often at farmers markets.
  • Keep the potatoes in a cool, dry, well ventilated place. It’s best to store potatoes in a dark area of your pantry or basement, ideally between 40 to 50°F. Stored properly, potatoes should last for 1 to 2 months.
  • Don’t store potatoes under your sink! Potatoes thrive in dark, moist environments, so avoid storing them under the sink where they will quickly grow and sprout because of the moisture.

Purple potato nutrition

Purple potatoes are a nutritious food that is full of nutrients in the skin and flesh. Here are a few of the notable nutrition facts (source):

  • One 3.5 ounce serving of purple potatoes includes 3 grams of fiber and nutrients, including Vitamin C, Vitamin B, copper, potassium, and more.
  • Purple potatoes have a lower glycemic index than white potatoes, meaning they are better for blood sugar. Glycemic index (GI) measures how much food raises your blood sugar, ranging from 0 to 100 (with 70 being considered high). A study found that purple potatoes have a GI of 77, compared to white potatoes at 93 and yellow potatoes at 81.
  • Purple potatoes have 2 to 3 times the antioxidants in white and yellow potatoes. Antioxidants can protect your cells from damage.

Purple potato recipes

What to make with purple potatoes? This root vegetable is extremely versatile, and works roasted, mashed, in potato salad, fried, and more!

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Purple mashed potatoes

10 Purple Potatoes Recipes


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 to 6 1x

Description

These purple mashed potatoes are full of savory, garlicky flavor! It’s the perfect recipe to highlight this brightly colored vegetable.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/2 pounds purple potatoes
  • 3 tablespoons salted butter
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • ½ cup milk of choice
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for boiling
  • Fresh chives, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Roughly chop the potatoes into 2-inch chunks (no need to peel).
  2. Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with 1 inch of cold water. Stir in ½ tablespoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil.
  3. Once boiling, cook until fork tender, about 8 to 10 minutes (pierce a piece of potato with a fork to assess doneness). Drain and return the potatoes to the pot.
  4. When the potatoes are done, melt the butter in the same pot. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant but not browned. Remove the heat. Add the potatoes back to the pot and pour in the milk.
  5. Mash the potatoes with a masher, adding more milk if desired to get to a thinner consistency. Season with the kosher salt and plenty of fresh ground pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
  • Category: Side dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Side dish
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Purple potatoes, purple potatoes recipe

About the authors

Sonja & Alex

Meet Sonja and Alex Overhiser: Husband and wife. Expert home cooks. Authors of recipes you’ll want to make again and again.

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