18 Unique Potato Hacks We Learned From TikTok
Since joining TikTok, our horizons have expanded in ways we hadn't imagined. We have explored fashion trends, picked up various hobbies, and unearthed a treasure trove of cooking secrets. Every moment, a fresh recipe or ingenious hack emerges on the platform. And while we wish we could try each one immediately, there's only so much we can whip up in a day.
As a result, our saved lists burgeon with bookmarks and saving videos that showcase tantalizing ways to prepare some of our most cherished dishes. Potatoes are just one category that has seen an explosion of delicious recipes on the platform. Thanks to inventive TikTok creators, we've learned game-changing tricks. We love the new ways we've simplified our mashing process, revolutionized our peeling technique, and even discovered innovative uses for leftover spuds. There's no shortage of greatness of TikTok, and we're always down for a viral recipe or hack.
1. Fall in love with these Parmesan-crusted potatoes
Stormi's simple method for making Parmesan-crusted potatoes begins by melting a stick of butter in your casserole pan. While the butter's doing its thing, take your small potatoes and halve them. Then, on the flat side, score them lightly. This simple step allows the cheese and seasonings to nestle right into the potatoes, ensuring every bite is flavorful.
In a separate bowl, toss together the star ingredients: grated Parmesan cheese, a hint of garlic salt, your favorite Italian seasonings, and onion powder. Once your butter has completely melted in the pan, sprinkle this flavorful Parmesan mix right over the butter layer. Then, arrange your scored potatoes on this cheesy bed, placing the flat, scored side faces down. Drizzle a touch of olive oil over the potatoes, elevating their richness. Don't forget to season with a bit more salt and pepper on top. Pop the pan into the preheated oven and let the magic happen.
2. Make a circular cut for easy peeling
Potato dishes frequent our dinner tables, but there's always been one slightly tedious aspect: Putting in the elbow grease and time to peel them. It's not that the peeling itself is challenging, but when you're preparing a feast for many, the time adds up, making it a rather cumbersome process.
Enter Nicole Jaques and the wave of TikTokers with a genius hack. Instead of wrestling with the peeler post-cooking, they suggest scoring the potato in a full circle before boiling. Once fully cooked, the peel virtually slides right off, and you've got both more time and a new magic trick on your hand. However, be sure to be careful because these boiled potatoes can be quite hot to the touch. Always ensure you're protecting your hands to avoid any burns when using this method. A game-changer, this technique not only saves time but also makes the whole process a breeze.
3. Muffin tins make quick work for garlic potatoes
For those who fancy garlic potatoes that are slightly chunkier than the crusted Parmesan ones, Mistie Knight has a delightful trick up her sleeve. Use your large muffin tin to simplify and expedite the cooking process.
Start by quartering your potatoes. Then, place each cut potato in a cavity and drop a slab of butter in the center of each quartered potato with some minced garlic sprinkled on top.
Before these tins hit the oven, season the potatoes with salt and pepper according to your taste. Midway through baking, sprinkle your choice of cheese on top. While cheddar is a popular choice for its creamy melt and sharp tang, feel free to experiment with your favorites. Once out of the oven, top them off with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of chives or even some parsley, and crispy bacon bits.
4. Try potato milk
Milk alternatives have steadily gained popularity over the years, offering many options for those seeking dairy-free options. While buying plant-based milk from stores is convenient, there's an undeniable satisfaction in crafting your own. The potato is an unsuspecting hero in the world of milk alternatives. Making it at home is not only straightforward but also introduces a novel way to harness the humble potato's versatility.
Nicole Modic's recipe starts with cooked potatoes. Add them to a blender along with maple syrup for a touch of sweetness and soaked almonds for added creaminess. Blend until smooth. To achieve that perfect milk consistency, strain the mixture through a cheesecloth, leaving behind any residues. You'll have delicious, creamy potato milk that seamlessly fits into your meals. Whether you're sipping it straight, adding a dash to your coffee, or using it in recipes, potato milk is yet another way you can prepare the simple potato.
5. Store your potatoes in a paper bag
Navigating the realm of produce storage can sometimes feel like a game of memory. With each fruit and vegetable comes its unique set of storage needs, and potatoes are no exception.
You might be tempted to simply stash your potatoes in the plastic bag they come in from the grocery store, but there's a better method. Nikole Goncalves recommends using a brown paper bag and storing it in a cool, dark place (but not in the fridge). This way, you can extend their shelf life compared to conventional plastic bags. Be sure to keep your potatoes in a place you will remember them. There's nothing worse than finding a bag of forgotten potatoes in the back of your pantry. Also, be sure to keep your potatoes away from onions; when stored together, they can encourage each other to sprout prematurely and draw insects.
6. Use a paper towel and microwave for quick baked potatoes
Loaded baked potatoes are undeniably delicious, but the lengthy oven-baking process can sometimes test our patience. For those moments when you're craving this comfort food but short on time, the microwave is a quick and nifty solution.
Here's a straightforward trick: Take your potato and poke a few holes in it, ensuring heat can escape and cook it evenly. Next, dampen a paper towel, wrap it around the potato, and place it in the microwave. Nicole K. Modic, a proponent of this efficient method, suggests microwaving for six minutes on one side. After that, flip the potato and cook for an additional six minutes on the other side.
This method results in a perfectly baked potato in a fraction of the time it takes in a traditional oven. This hack makes making baked potatoes a much easier and more reasonable meal, even in the middle of the day of lunch.
7. Mash potatoes with a cooling rack
Potatoes are a staple in many households, especially during holiday seasons. But mashing them? That can sometimes feel like a chore. Enter a game-changing trick shared by Kristin on TikTok that promises to simplify the process.
Once you've boiled your potatoes to the point where they're ultra fork-tender, remove them from the water and cut them in half. Here comes the genius part: Position the potato with the flesh side facing down over a cookie cooling rack. Apply a gentle but firm pressure and push the potato half through the grid of the cooling rack. You get a potato that's effectively peeled and mashed in one swift move.
This method not only streamlines the mashing process but also eliminates the need for peeling the potatoes beforehand. It's a neat trick that's sure to impress, saving you both time and effort, particularly during those big holiday gatherings.
8. Slice potatoes and cover in water to prep ahead of time
Timing can be difficult when whipping up a large meal. In such situations, any hack that helps us manage the culinary chaos and prep work can make a world of difference in time and sanity.
Chef Vanessa offers a brilliant hack for those looking to get a head start with their potatoes. If you're planning to cube or slice them ahead of time, there's a simple method to keep them pristine. Instead of just tossing them into the fridge and hoping for the best, submerge the cut potatoes in cold water. This prevents them from turning brown due to oxidization.
Once covered in water, store them in the fridge until you're ready to cook, especially if that time will be more than an hour. This ensures that when it's game time, your potatoes are as fresh as when you first cut them.
9. Peel potatoes in both directions
If you enjoy using a potato peeler but don't like how long it takes, Frannie Loves Food offers a fabulous hack that they learned from Rachel Ray. Instead of the usual method of holding the potato in your hand and peeling it in a single direction away from you, change it up. Stand the potato upright on your cutting board. Then, using your peeler, glide it both upwards and downwards on the potato quickly. While this method might seem a bit unconventional at first, it effectively doubles your peeling speed, cutting down on prep time.
Sure, it might look and feel a tad unorthodox initially, but once you get the hang of it, you'll be amazed at how quickly you can peel those spuds. Give it a try, and you might never go back to the old way again, even if it sends peels flying all over your cutting board.
10. Cut potato edges using apple corer
Achieving perfectly shaped potato wedges can be a little tricky, but an apple corer can be your secret weapon for creating those impeccable potato cuts. Carman Wilken offers a clever technique using a tool intended for cutting thick fruit wedges.
For perfect wedges, begin by cutting your potato with the apple corer to produce large pieces. If you desire a more slender profile for your wedges, simply slice them one more time down the center. With the corer, these wedges strike the perfect balance between traditional French fries and chunky potato wedges.
To use an apple corer, you may need to be a little judicious when choosing your potatoes. Be sure to make sure your potatoes will actually fit in the profile of the corer so it can be pushed down over the potato. For this reason, we recommend medium-sized potatoes rather than massive ones.
11. Onion soup mix and potatoes make a stellar side dish
In the culinary world, simplicity often leads to some of the most delightful dishes. Kennedy Chugg does just this with a potato side dish that is as effortless as it is flavorsome. By utilizing the savory richness of the onion soup mix, she introduces a new twist to the humble potato.
Begin by cubing your preferred potatoes. Once cubed, take a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and place the potato pieces inside. To this, add a generous drizzle of your chosen oil. Then, empty in a packet of onion soup mix. Once the potatoes, oil, and soup mix are in the bag, seal the bag and shake gently but thoroughly.
Having thoroughly mixed the ingredients, evenly lay them out on a baking sheet. Bake these beauties in a preheated oven at 400 F. The cooking time will vary depending on your oven and the size of your potato cubes, so keep an eye out and remove them when they've achieved your desired tenderness.
12. Use up leftover mashed potatoes
If you find yourself with excess mashed potatoes, consider following Steph Gigliotti's lead and transform them into savory appetizers for a cozy movie night or a casual get-together. By adding a bit of flour and a sprinkle of seasonings like garlic powder, salt, and pepper, the mashed potatoes take on a new dimension. The mixture is then spooned into a greased muffin tin, allowing each portion to have a crispy edge and a soft center.
Baking these potato-filled cups in a 250 F oven for about 20 minutes is key. As they near the end of their baking journey, crown each one with a generous pinch of cheddar cheese. After an additional five minutes, the cheese will have melted to gooey perfection. For a finishing touch, dollop creamy and tangy sour cream on top of each for a cool contrast to this warm and delicious appetizer.
13. Be patient with 15 hour potatoes
In the kitchen, patience often leads to an indulgent treat. Poppy O'Toole's perfect 15-hour potato recipe is a testament to this sentiment. The journey begins with roasting garlic. This step infuses the dish with a deep, mellow garlic flavor, but the garlic is just the opening act. The main players here are the potatoes, sliced with precision to a wafer-thin consistency.
These delicate slices are then lovingly layered in a loaf pan, and intertwined with sea salt, rich beef tallow, and the previously roasted garlic. This medley is baked to perfection, allowing the flavors to meld and the layers to become one cohesive potato loaf.
However, the magic doesn't stop there. After baking, the potato loaf goes in the refrigerator, allowing it to congeal and further intensify in flavor. Many hours later, this solidified loaf is ready for its final transformation. Sliced and then fried, these potatoes achieve a crispy exterior that contrasts beautifully with their tender, flavorful interior.
14. Stack those potatoes
Every potato enthusiast knows the allure of a perfectly crispy exterior combined with a fluffy interior. Moribyan brings this magic to the table with potato stacks that promise indulgence without the lengthy wait. This recipe is particularly appealing to those of us with insatiable potato cravings but not the patience to wait.
To kick things off, you'll need a mandolin. This handy tool ensures uniformly thin slices, which is pivotal for the dish's success. Once sliced, the potatoes are then cut into cubes, stacked to resemble miniature towers, and ready for their crispy transformation.
A quick dip into hot frying oil achieves that coveted golden crust. But Moribyan doesn't stop there. To elevate the flavor profile, a sprinkle of Parmesan garlic and herb seasoning is added to these potato stacks. This fusion of cheese, garlic, and herbs infuses the potatoes with a depth of flavor, making each bite a delightful medley of tastes and textures.
15. Prepare pom pom potatoes
Tasty's pom pom potatoes encapsulate a blend of visual appeal and delectable taste, turning the humble potato into an edible work of art. The secret behind the pom pom effect lies in a clever cutting technique. By placing a chopstick on either side of the potato, you ensure that the knife doesn't slice entirely through, preserving the base of the potato. With careful precision, a delicate grid is etched across the surface, resulting in a potato that, when cooked, fans out into a beautiful pom pom form.
But before they're cooked, these intricately cut potatoes take a refreshing plunge into a bath, ensuring they retain their shape and don't oxidize. As they chill, a flavorful flour mixture comes into play. This aromatic blend, composed of cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, and flour, not only adds a vibrant hue to the potatoes but also infuses them with a smoky, spicy undertone. Finally, the potatoes are coated in this mixture and fried to golden, crispy perfection.
16. Add mayo when roasting
Mayonnaise, a beloved condiment for sandwiches and salads, has been making quiet but delicious appearances in unconventional culinary uses. Eitan Bernath brings this culinary magic to light with his mayo-roasted potatoes.
Begin by slathering whole potatoes in mayo. As the mayo envelops each potato, it acts as a luscious barrier, trapping the potato's natural moisture while ensuring a perfectly browned exterior. To this creamy base, add your preferred seasonings. Whether it's a classic mix of salt and pepper, a hint of rosemary, or a dash of smoked paprika, the mayonnaise ensures that these flavors cling to the potatoes, infusing every bite.
Once coated, the potatoes are spread out on a sheet pan, ensuring each has its own little space. As they roast in the oven, the exterior of the potatoes transforms into a golden, crispy layer, while the inside remains soft and tender, creating a delightful textural contrast.
17. Create delicious French onion potatoes
Combining the rich flavors of a French onion soup with the hearty goodness of potatoes is a delight, and this particular creation by Nadia Aidi does just that. French onion potatoes perfectly merge the creamy, savory notes of caramelized onions with the earthy taste of potatoes, making for a tasty dish.
As the onions sauté, they slowly transition from a translucent state to a rich, golden brown, capturing the sweet and savory essence that is the hallmark of French onion. While the onions are achieving their golden hue, you can simultaneously boil your choice of potatoes until they are tender yet firm. Once boiled, a small portion from the top of each potato is scooped out, creating a tiny cavity.
The first layer inside this cavity is gruyere cheese; then, caramelized onions, now a deep golden brown, are generously layered on top of the cheese. To add to the richness, another layer of gruyere is placed on the onions, ensuring every bite is filled with cheesy goodness.
18. Replace gnocchi with bubble potato pillows
To embark on the journey of making these delightful bubble potato pillows, start by cooking your preferred potatoes until they're tender and mashable. Once mashed, it's time to incorporate your flour and seasonings. The mixture should form a pliable dough that's neither too sticky nor too dry. Once you've achieved the right consistency, roll out the dough on a floured surface and cut your pillows.
Then, immerse these dough pieces in hot oil so that it transforms them from simple potato lumps into crispy, golden-brown pillows. The exterior crisps up beautifully, while the interior remains soft and chewy — reminiscent of gnocchi but with an added crunch.
You can enhance these potato pillows with ketchup or a sprinkle of paprika. Whether you serve them as an appetizer, a side dish, or just a snack during a movie night, these potato pillows are bound to be a hit.