How to Prepare Red Skin Potatoes

Last Updated: March 1, 2023 Approved

Red skin potatoes can be prepared several delicious ways. Most people prefer to leave the skin on them in the recipes because the skins are light and tasty. You can roast these yummy little potatoes with garlic and Parmesan for a crispy treat, prepare them boiled with butter and parsley, or make mashed potatoes with them as a great side dish for your next meal!

Ingredients

Garlic Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

2 lb (910 g) of red potatoes
3 cloves of garlic
3 US tbsp (44 mL) of olive oil
2.5 oz (71 g) of Parmesan cheese
1 US tbsp (15 mL) of thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Handful of fresh parsley (optional)

Buttery Parsley Potatoes

2 lb (910 g) of small red potatoes
3 US tbsp (44 mL) of sliced butter
4 US tbsp (59 mL) of chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Red Skin Potato Mash

6 lb (2,700 g) of small red potatoes
2 sticks of butter
16 fluid ounces (470 mL) of milk
2 scallions
Salt and pepper to taste

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making Garlic Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

1
Preheat your oven to 400 °F (204 °C) and wash 2 lb (910 g) of potatoes. Hold each potato under cold running water in your kitchen sink. Scrub them lightly with a clean scouring pad to remove any dirt that’s on them.^{[1]
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- Place your potatoes on or near your cutting surface right after you wash each one.
2
Slice each potato in quarters with a vegetable knife. Slice a potato in half, then slice each half into another half. Continue cutting the potatoes this way until you’ve cut all of them.^{[2]
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- Make sure each cut potato is roughly the same size so that they cook evenly.
- As you finish quartering each potato, place the pieces in a large mixing bowl and set it aside.
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3
Peel and mince 3 cloves of garlic. Remove the outer skin from each clove of garlic by cutting the ends off of them and then using your fingers to peel the rough skin off. Use a sharp vegetable knife to cut the 3 peeled cloves into tiny pieces.^{[3]
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- The smaller you mince the garlic the better, as it will spread more evenly throughout your dish and give the dish more flavor. Set the minced garlic aside when you’re done.
4
Toss your potatoes in 3 US tbsp (44 mL) of olive oil. Add 3 US tbsp (44 mL) of olive oil to your bowl of quartered potatoes. Use clean hands to stir the potatoes and olive oil together until the potatoes are thoroughly coated in oil.^{[4]
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5
Stir in the minced garlic and 2.5 oz (71 g) of Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle your minced garlic and 2.5 oz (71 g) of shredded Parmesan cheese into your bowl of potatoes and oil. Continue to stir the potatoes until the cheese and garlic are evenly spread throughout the bowl.^{[5]
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6
Add 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Continue stirring your potato mixture as you add thyme, salt, and pepper. There’s no exact amount of salt and pepper you should add; simply estimate how much you think it needs. Start with 2-3 dashes of each; it’s better to go light on them than to add too much, since you can always add more later but you can’t remove it if you add too much.^{[6]
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- Add more salt and pepper to the dish when it’s done baking if you think it needs it, or to individual servings as desired.
7
Bake the potatoes at 400 °F (204 °C) for 30-45 minutes. Add your potato mixture to a large oven-safe baking pan. It’s best to spread them out evenly so they lay flat on the pan and are not stacked on top of each other. This will help each potato to cook evenly in the oven.^{[7]
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- Check the potatoes after 30 minutes to see if they’re done. They will look golden brown and crispy on the outside if they are. When they are done, remove them from the oven and set them out to cool for a few minutes.
8
Garnish your potatoes with a handful of parsley and serve them warm. If you like, you can chop a handful of fresh parsley into tiny bits and sprinkle it over your pan of potatoes as garnish. When you’re finished, use a spatula to move your potatoes onto individual plates, and enjoy!^{[8]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Cooking Buttery Parsley Potatoes

1
Wash 2 lb (910 g) of small red potatoes in cold running water. Hold each potato under cold running water in your kitchen sink. Scrub each one lightly with a clean scouring pad to remove any dirt that may be on them. Then, cut away any blemishes with a paring knife.^{[9]
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2
Cover the potatoes with water in a medium pot. Add your potatoes whole to a medium pot. Fill the pot with cold water until there is 2 in (5.1 cm) of water past the top of the potatoes.^{[10]
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- Set the pot of potatoes and water on a burner at the stove.
3
Bring the potatoes and water to a boil and add 1 tsp (4.9 mL) of salt. Turn on your stove burner to the highest setting. Allow the water to boil and then add your salt to it.^{[11]
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4
Cook the potatoes at a rolling simmer for 20 minutes. Once the water has boiled, reduce the heat on your stove so that the water is at a rolling simmer. Cook the potatoes for about 20 minutes, or until they are soft when you put a fork in them. Remove the pot from heat when they’re done.^{[12]
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- The skin may start to fall away from a few potatoes when they are almost done cooking. If you see this happen, check a potato with a fork to see if it’s soft.
5
Drain the water from the pot. When the potatoes are soft, take the pot to the sink and dump it into a colander to drain the water. Put the potatoes back into the pot after you’ve drained the water.^{[13]
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- Instead of using a colander, you can place a lid on the pot and pour the water out through a small gap in the lid, leaving the potatoes inside.
6
Add 3 US tbsp (44 mL) of sliced butter and 4 US tbsp (59 mL) of chopped parsley. Put the pot back on the stove but don’t turn the burner on. Add your butter and chopped parsley to the potatoes.^{[14]
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- You want to cover the potatoes with butter and parsley and have them break up a bit, but not stir so much that they become mashed.
7
Season your potatoes with salt and pepper to taste and shake them up. Add some salt and pepper to the potatoes according to your preference. Start with 2-3 dashes and taste them before adding more. Then, stir the pot or put the potatoes in a covered dish and shake it to distribute the butter, parsley, salt, and pepper.^{[15]
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- Scoop the potatoes out onto individual plates or bowls to serve them.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making Red Skin Potato Mash

1
Set 2 sticks (8 oz) of butter out to soften. If your butter is in the fridge, remove it and place it in a warm part of your kitchen to soften while you prepare the potatoes.
2
Wash 6 lb (2,700 g) of small red potatoes. Hold each potato under cold running water in your kitchen sink. Scrub them lightly with a clean scouring pad to remove any dirt that may be on them.^{[16]
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3
Cut each potato into 2 in (5.1 cm) chunks. With a sharp vegetable knife, cut each of your potatoes up into smaller chunks on a cutting board. As you finish cutting each potato, put the chunks into a large pot.^{[17]
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- Cutting the potatoes into small pieces will help them mash easier when they’re finished cooking.
4
Boil the potatoes in a large pot with water for 25 minutes. Fill your pot of potatoes with cold water until the water is covering the potatoes. Place the pot on the stove and turn your burner onto its highest setting. Once the water has boiled, sprinkle in a large pinch of salt, turn the heat down so the water is simmering, and allow the potatoes to cook for about 25 minutes.^{[18]
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- You'll know the potatoes are done with they easily break apart with a fork.
5
Drain the water from the potatoes. When the potatoes are soft, take the pot to the sink and drain the water either into a colander or by using a lid on the pot. Return the potatoes to the pot, place it on a burner at medium-high heat, and shake the pot to get the remaining water to evaporate.^{[19]
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- Then, turn off the heat and remove the pot from the burner.
6
Warm the milk. Pour 2 cups (470 mL) of milk into a small saucepan. Place the pan on a burner over medium-low heat.
7
Mash the potatoes using a fork, potato masher, or an electric mixer. An electric mixer can get your potatoes very smooth, whereas using a fork or potato masher will keep more of the texture of the potatoes. Use whichever you like according to your preference.^{[20]
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- Avoid over-mashing the potatoes, which can result in a gluey texture
8
Add the butter and milk to the potatoes. If the butter is still firm, chop it into small pieces. Then, add your butter and milk to the potatoes and continue mashing until the butter and milk are completely blended with the potatoes.^{[21]
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- Don't forget to turn off your burner.
9
Add salt and pepper to taste. Add some salt and pepper to the potatoes according to your preference. Start with 2-3 dashes and taste them before adding more. Be sure to mix the salt and pepper into the potatoes to distribute it evenly.^{[22]
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10
Slice 2 scallions into thin pieces and add them to the potatoes. Scallions will provide some extra flavor and crunch to your potatoes. Slice 2 of them into thin pieces using a sharp knife and cutting board.^{[23]
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- Add the slices to your pot of potatoes and stir them in.
- Scoop the potatoes out onto individual plates or bowls to serve them.

Community Q&A

Question

Do red skinned potatoes turn brown when cooked?

Community Answer

They shouldn't. Best thing to do is after you peel them put them in cold water. That keeps them from turning brown until you're ready to use them.
Question

What is the best way to cook and freeze my abundant supply of Red Potatoes?

Community Answer

Check out the wikiHow article "How to Freeze Potatoes" to learn how to freeze them.
Question

Can I use golden potatoes instead of red skin potatoes?

Community Answer

Yes. Golden potatoes will work just as well in these recipes. Simply swap out the red potatoes for golden ones.