Sweet or starchy, roasted or mashed, they have a place (or two) reserved on nearly every table—and these recipes show precisely why.
Victor Protasio
No matter how you cook them, let’s face it, all potatoes are good. Warm, starchy vehicles for butter, they satisfy on a primal level, and it’s no wonder they’re such a big part of our coziest, most comfort food-filled holiday.
If you want to go traditional at Thanksgiving this year, by all means, this is the holiday to do it. You can’t go wrong withYukon Gold potatoes mashedwith milk, salt, and butter. Other standbys aremashed sweet potatoes, andpotatoes gratin, all of which we have recipes for.
For something a little different,try grilling your potatoes. Pair them with something a little out of the ordinary, likecoconut,wasabi, orbacon cream. (Yes, bacon cream. You will not go back.) Or just go ahead and putpotato on potato. Why not? Thanksgiving is a day when we celebrate bounty, and there’s almost no such thing as too much.
Best Potato Recipes
1 of 19Victor Protasio
Oven-Roasted Potatoes and Carrots with Thyme
A classic for a reason.
2 of 19Romulo Yanes
Creamy Chunky Mashed Potatoes
The secret to perfect mashed potatoes? Knowing when to stop. Mash potatoes with softened butter and warm milk until they’re creamy but still have some chunks remaining. Thin-skinned potatoes, cut into pieces, cook quickly and are easiest to mash.
3 of 19
Mashed Potatoes with Melted Leeks
Leeks can be hard to clean, but they’re worth the effort for their sweet, subtle yet unmistakable flavor. Cooked until very tender, they blend beautifully with mashed potatoes.
4 of 19Romulo Yanes
Mashed Potatoes with Herbed Greek Yogurt
These bright green potatoes add a bolt of color to the Thanksgiving table. Although luxuriously creamy, they have a nice tang to balance the richness.
5 of 19Thayer Allyson Gowdy
Creamy Cumin-and-Garlic Potato Gratin
A deft Moroccan twist on a warm, cheesy, comforting winner.
6 of 19Peden & Munk
Brown Butter and Hazelnut Mashed Potatoes
Rich, brown butter infused with the flavor of hazelnuts makes a decadent, but easy addition to mashed potatoes.
7 of 19Thomas J. Story
Potatoes Noisette on Potato Purée
Noisette, “hazelnut” in French, here refers to tiny potato balls that are are crisped until brown. Then they’re piled on a bed of rich potato purée. Despite the vast amount of butter, the purée doesn’t taste greasy. That said, you can still make luscious potatoes with half the butter.
8 of 19Erin Kunkel
Whipped Potatoes with Three-Onion Butter
The tricks to achieving very creamy mashed potatoes are to not overcook them and to whip them just until smooth (if you overwhip, they’ll get gluey). Serve some of the butter on the side, so guests can determine their level of richness.
9 of 19Yunhee Kim
Wasabi Mashed Potatoes
Los Angeles chef Shigefumi Tachibe wakes up mashed potatoes with wasabi and soy sauce for an untraditional but delicious version of a Thanksgiving favorite.
10 of 19Leigh Beisch
Mascarpone Chive Mashed Potatoes
You’ll love these rich and creamy potatoes. Bright green chives add a hint of garlicky goodness.
11 of 19Dan Becker
Green Onion Mashed Potatoes
We’ve used two low-calorie tricks in here: broth instead of whipping cream, and neufchâtel cheese for rich creaminess with one-fourth the fat of butter.
12 of 19Alex Farnum
Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips with Crisp Root Vegetable Strips
Save potato and parsnip peels for a wispy, crisp topping. The salty strips pair well with the sweetness of parsnips.
13 of 19Aya Brackett
Celery Root and Potato Mash
Mashed potatoes are even better blended with celery root, which has a gentle but penetrating flavor. Don’t be deterred by the root’s hairy exterior; just trim it off with a knife.
14 of 19Yunhee Kim
Makah Ozette Potatoes with Bacon Cream
Once you try bacon cream, you may want to put it on everything. It takes potatoes to an unprecedented level of deliciousness.
15 of 19Thomas J. Story
Grilled Fingerlings with Dill
Sweet, tangydilland butter cling to tender, crisp potatoes. We love these potatoes with turkey but they’re perfect alongside a burger too.
16 of 19Thomas J. Story
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
This dish has Southern roots but omits the usual candied syrup.
17 of 19Erin Kunkel
Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Bacon and Goat Cheese
This is a decadent yet savory way to serve sweet potatoes. If you’re expecting vegetarians, make a couple of potatoes without the bacon. One potato can be enough for at least four people, depending on its size.
18 of 19Aya Brackett
Coconut Pan-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Sesame Seeds
Virgin coconut oil has a clean, slightly nutty taste that’s delicious in this dish. Deborah Madison, who adapted this recipe from one in a new revision of her bookVegetarian Cooking for Everyone(1997), likes to use a mix of sweet potatoes, but it’s fine to go with just one kind. Paler sweet potatoes tend to be drier, so if you use them, add more oil.
19 of 19Shelly Strazis
Grilled Rosemary Sweet Potatoes
Aromatic rosemary-scented potatoes are perfect with grilled turkey. Make use of the hot grill while the turkey rests before craving.
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1 of 7Courtesy of Made In Cookware
Made In Cookware’s Blue Carbon Steel Roasting Pan
Cheaper than the competition and induction-burner-compatible.
Made In Cookware's Blue Carbon Steel Roasting Pan, $139
2 of 7Courtesy of Willams Sonoma
Shun Classic Blonde 8-Inch Chef’s Knife
Don’t bother with the single-purpose carving knife. Buy this chic, blonde, Pakawood-handled, Japanese-made chef’s knife that’s got all the ceremonial swagger but year-round usefulness.
Shun Classic Blonde 8-Inch Chef's Knife, $180
3 of 7Courtesy of Sur la Table
John Boos Cutting Board
You’re going need that little juice groove. Made of antimicrobial maple, it’s handsome enough to use as a rustic serving platter.
John Boos Cutting Board, $110
4 of 7Courtesy of Filson
Filson Tin Cloth Apron
Sturdy and large enough to protect you from errant cranberry juice, spattering turkey fat, and spilled Pinot Noir.
Filson Tin Cloth Apron, $125
5 of 7Courtesy of OXO
OXO 9-Inch Pie Plate with Lid
Slightly deeper than competition, this updated version of the classic glass pie plate also comes with a handy domed lid that’ll protect even the loftiest cream pies.
OXO 9-Inch Pie Plate with Lid, $15
6 of 7Courtesy of Amazon
OXO Good Grips 4-Cup Fat Separator
Gotta love a fat separator for easily discarding the lipids while tidily reserving the drippings (which have about 10 times the flavor of the turkey itself). Plus it doubles as a measuring pitcher you can use the rest of the year.
OXO Good Grips 4-Cup Fat Separator, $33
7 of 7Courtesy of Anthropologie
How to Style Your Thanksgiving Table
The finishing touch your Thanksgiving feast needs might not be another pie—it might be one of these stylish and functional accessories.
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