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Happy National Potato Day!

Potatoes…the options are endless when it comes to adding the common spud to your dinner menu. Potatoes…one of the few foods that can easily make an appearance at any meal or snack. Potatoes… plentiful vegetable that often gets a bad rap when it comes to health. We’d like to celebrate National Potato Day with a little information on why potatoes serve as such a staple in our diets, the best potatoes for every cooking method (including Instant Pot!) and why potatoes don’t need to be totally shunned if you’re following a healthy nutritional plan. And of course, we’ve got some great new signature recipes for you to try!

BRIEF HISTORY

Potatoes are the fourth largest crop grown in the world (behind corn, wheat and rice). While we in the U.S. may think that Idaho is the biggest producer, it may surprise you to know that 37% of the world’s supply of potatoes comes from China and India! There are over 5,000 varieties (WOW!) but those most familiar to us are white, russet, yellow, red and sweet. Because they are relatively inexpensive, they serve as important part of diets all over the world.

TYPES OF POTATOES TO USE IN VARIOUS COOKING METHODS

In the U.S., we’re used to seeing white and red-skinned potatoes in the grocery store. Did you know that each potato performs differently depending on the cooking method? Not all potatoes cook alike!

White potatoes are really an all-purpose potato that work well for a lot of different cooking methods, although boiling and frying are most common.

Red-skinned potatoes (which are still white on the inside) are great for boiling. Russet, which are typically bigger and longer than round whites, are thicker-skinned which makes them suitable for baking. These are also commonly used in french fries.

Russet, which are typically bigger and longer than round whites, are thicker-skinned which makes them suitable for baking. These are also commonly used in french fries.

Yellow potatoes have a slightly buttery taste and are great for boiling and frying.

New potatoes, those that haven’t been stored, typically are smaller and of the red-skinned variety. Boil or roast these for best results.

Sweet potatoes, which aren’t closely related to potatoes, are firm and sweeter tasting, working well boiled, roasted or fried.

Pressure cooking potatoes results in faster cooking times, and a great-textured potato for use in many recipes. In the Instant Pot, feel free to experiment with the types of potato used. For the Instant Pot recipes below, I used white and russet.

BUT POTATOES ARE UNHEALTHY!

Potatoes get such a bad rap – they are high in carbs, high on the glycemic index, etc etc. While they aren’t something that we should eat every day, potatoes actually carry some decent nutrition in a small package and can be incorporated into a healthy diet without worry. A medium white potato weighs in at about 160 calories, 4 grams of fiber and pack a potassium punch with about 20% of the recommended potassium for a healthy adult. Feel free to try these healthy recipes, guilt-free. Our signature recipe designer lightened them up a bit to make them healthier than traditional recipes. Remember, everything in moderation in a healthy diet!

RECIPES

When it comes to a speedy breakfast, the Instant Pot definitely delivers. I love hashbrowns in my egg casseroles (replacing bread) so thought I’d give them a try in egg bites. This version is vegetarian, but you could easily add a bit of bacon or sausage. Experiment with this recipe using different veggies and cheese!

There’s lots of baked potato recipes and instructions on the website, so we went a step further and did our version of a ‘stuffed spud’ in the Instant Pot. Fill your potato with your favorite toppings!

Yep, you read that right, a cake made with potatoes. I cut the recipe down as I only have four ramekins, and I used Pyure sweetener instead of sugar. Make sure you don’t underbeat the batter – the more air incorporated the better!

Bonus Recipe (also, this one is not healthy but a fun treat)

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Scalloped Potato Recipe

Rich scalloped potatoes make for a great side dish. In this recipe, we’ve lightened it up a bit and added ham and broccoli so you can serve this as a main dish alongside a salad for a delicious evening meal. You can easily adjust this by changing out the meat, or exchanging broccoli for other vegetables like asparagus. You can peel the potatoes if you like, but we prefer to leave them on for extra nutrition.

Ingredients

2 lbs white or red-skinned potatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick (use a mandoline slicer for best results)
1 lb cubed ham (substitute with chopped chicken or turkey for lighter fare)
1.5 cup chopped fresh broccoli
1 cup chicken stock
3 tbsp plain Greek fat free yogurt
½ tsp salt
4 oz sharp cheddar, shredded
¼ tsp pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp thyme
Pinch red pepper or red pepper flakes, if desired
2 oz sharp cheddar, shredded for topping

Pour chicken stock into Instant Pot inner liner. Place sliced potatoes and broccoli into steamer basket and lower into Instant Pot. Set to manual pressure for 5 minutes on high.
Use quick release to release pressure.
Set your oven to ‘broil.’
Transfer potatoes and broccoli, along with cubed ham, to a pie plate or oven-safe dish. Reserve liquid in Instant Pot.
Add Greek yogurt, salt, pepper, cheese and seasoning to remaining liquid in Instant Pot. Set to ‘saute’ and stir until cheese is melted and contents are smoothly blended together.
Pour contents evenly over potatoes, broccoli and ham
Top with additional cheese if desired. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes until bubbly and browned.

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Dawn Simmons

As a signature recipe designer for Instant Pot with Kindsay, I look forward to creating new, healthy recipes for the community to enjoy!

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