17 Potato Recipes So Good, You’ll Forget About French Fries Altogether
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Potatoes can do so much more than just be made into fries. These recipes turn a cheap, humble ingredient into crispy, creamy, and seriously filling sides and mains without complicated steps or fancy tools. You’ll cut down on takeout cravings and finally have go-to potato dishes that everyone asks for again.
Chili’s Baked Potato Soup
Chili’s baked potato soup is the cozy, loaded bowl that makes fries feel like a side quest. Tender potatoes simmer into a thick, hearty soup, then bacon bits, cheddar, plus chives go on top like the best baked potato you’ve ever had. Serve it with bread for dunking, and dinner suddenly feels like a restaurant night without leaving the couch.
Get the Recipe: Chili’s Baked Potato Soup
Parmesan Potatoes
Parmesan potatoes turn baby potatoes into little crispy nuggets that disappear faster than you’d expect. They roast up buttery inside with a golden, cheesy crust, and the parmesan adds that salty bite that keeps you reaching for “one more.” Serve with sour cream or a quick dip, and you’ll start making extra on purpose for leftovers.
Get the Recipe: Parmesan Potatoes
Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Make-ahead mashed potatoes are the secret to a calm holiday or any big dinner when you don’t want last-minute chaos. They bake up soft and fluffy with buttery, creamy, cheesy goodness, even after sitting in the fridge for a couple of days. Make them up to three days early, then warm them when you’re ready so you can actually hang out instead of hovering over the stove.
Get the Recipe: Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Potato and Leek Soup
Potato and leek soup is the smooth, velvety bowl you want when it’s chilly or you just need something calming. Potatoes make it creamy, leeks add a gentle savory depth, and a little thyme keeps it feeling classic. Make a big pot, because it reheats beautifully and makes lunch the next day feel easy.
Get the Recipe: Potato and Leek Soup
Sweet Potato Bites
Sweet potato bites are the holiday snack that looks cute on a platter and gets eaten first. Crispy-edged rounds hold buttery centers, then toasted marshmallows on top turn gooey and golden. Make a tray for parties or gatherings, and you’ll have a sweet-salty bite that feels festive without a ton of work.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Bites
Potato Skins
Potato skins are the snack-dinner hybrid that always wins. Baked potato halves get brushed with garlic butter, crisp up in the oven, then get loaded with bacon, cheese, plus green onions. Serve them hot with sour cream, and nobody will miss fries for a second.
Get the Recipe: Potato Skins
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Garlic mashed potatoes are the classic side that makes everything else on the plate taste better. Fluffy potatoes get mashed with butter, milk, plus enough garlic to feel cozy but not overwhelming. Put a big scoop next to chicken, roast, or meatballs, and it instantly turns a simple dinner into comfort food.
Get the Recipe: Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Outback Potato Soup
Outback potato soup is the warm, loaded bowl that makes you feel like you ordered from a steakhouse. Tender potatoes simmer into a creamy base, then bacon bits plus cheddar take it straight into baked potato territory. Prep is quick, and you’ll end up with a hearty soup that reheats well, so lunch tomorrow is already handled.
Get the Recipe: Outback Potato Soup
Mashed Potato Waffles
Mashed potato waffles are the best way to make leftover mashed potatoes feel exciting again. The waffle iron turns them crisp and golden outside while keeping the inside tender and buttery. Serve with eggs, top with gravy, or use them as a base for pulled pork, because they’re ridiculously versatile and way too good for leftovers.
Get the Recipe: Mashed Potato Waffles
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Wedges
Air fryer sweet potato wedges are the fast snack that feels like you put in effort when you really didn’t. Slice them, toss with olive oil, garlic powder, dill, plus paprika, then let the air fryer crisp the edges while the inside stays soft. Serve with a dip like garlic mayo or chipotle sauce, and they’ll disappear as soon as they hit the table.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Sweet Potato Wedges
Easy Scalloped Potatoes
Easy scalloped potatoes are the cozy side that instantly makes dinner feel a little more special. Thin-sliced potatoes bake in a creamy sauce until tender, with a golden top that’s hard not to pick at. Serve them with chicken or ham, and you’ve got a comforting plate that feels like a treat without a complicated recipe.
Get the Recipe: Easy Scalloped Potatoes
Red Skin Potato Salad
Red skin potato salad is the kind of side you bring to a BBQ and come home with an empty bowl. The potatoes stay creamy but still hold their shape, and bacon adds that salty, savory punch that keeps people scooping more. Make it ahead and chill it, because it tastes even better after the flavors have had time to hang out.
Get the Recipe: Red Skin Potato Salad
Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes
Cheesy fiesta potatoes bring that Taco Bell vibe straight to your kitchen in minutes. Crispy, spicy potatoes get covered in warm nacho cheese sauce, so every bite is salty, melty, and a little messy. Serve them as a side, a snack, or a base for a quick bowl with toppings like jalapeños, sour cream, or salsa.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes
Crock Pot Ham and Potato Soup
Crock pot ham and potato soup is the easiest way to turn basic ingredients into a rich, comforting dinner. Potatoes and ham cook low and slow until everything’s tender, then a stir of cheese makes it extra creamy. Ladle it into bowls with bread on the side, and you’ve got a cozy meal plus leftovers that reheat like a dream.
Get the Recipe: Crock Pot Ham and Potato Soup
Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes
Air fryer hasselback potatoes look fancy, but they’re totally doable on a regular night. The slices fan out and crisp around the edges while butter and garlic melt into all the little pockets. Finish with chives, serve next to any main, and people will think you went all out.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes
Potato Fritters
Potato fritters are the breakfast upgrade you’ll want on repeat once you try them. Grated potatoes mixed with eggs, onion, plus garlic, then fried into golden patties that are crisp outside and tender in the middle. Top with yogurt and chives, and you’ve got a hearty plate that feels like a café order without the price tag.
Get the Recipe: Potato Fritters
Air Fryer Baby Potatoes
Air fryer baby potatoes are the side dish that works with pretty much anything. They roast up crispy on the outside with a buttery, creamy middle, and the air fryer keeps it fast. Toss them with herbs, parmesan, or garlic butter, then use leftovers for breakfast hash or a quick lunch bowl.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Baby Potatoes
