John Myers
Do you love potatoes, but are always unsure which potatoes are best for which dish when shopping? Here you can find out all about the difference between floury and waxy varieties.
It’s the strength that counts
The starch content of the tuber, which is so popular in this country, determines its cooking properties. The more starch it contains, the drier and looser it becomes when cooked and is referred to as mealy. The less starch, the heartier and more al dente the potato. Varieties with a medium starch content are mostly crossed between the two types and are between the two types of potato in terms of cooking properties.
Accordingly, the varieties are divided into:
- floury potatoes
- waxy potatoes
- mainly waxy potatoes
Did you know: In contrast to the potato variety, you will find the cooking property relatively prominent on the labels when shopping. The following color coding is often used by producers:
- blue: mealy boiling
- green: waxy
- red: Predominantly waxy
Choosing the right potato variety
There are now countless types of potatoes that are suitable for different variants of potato dishes due to the cooking properties described. As a rule of thumb: If the potatoes are to be processed further, for example into soups or purees, it is best to use the types that already break down easily anyway. You would not be able to get crispy fried potatoes with it, a firmer tuber would be better. Just use the following lists as a guide when asking which potatoes are suitable for which dish:
Floury boiling
Thanks to the high starch content of approx. 15-19%, this type of potato softens more quickly and only has a relatively short cooking time of 10 to 20 minutes. It scores with a strong taste and a coarse-grained and dry consistency. If you cook them with the skin on them, they will crack open as it cooks. A typical potato dish for mealy potatoes:
- Grandma’s Potato Soup
- puree
- croquettes
- dumplings
- Gnocchi is based on a basic Italian recipe
- Schupfnudeln
- potato cake
Tip: If you still have leftover potatoes from the day before, the starchy varieties are ideal for thickening sauces or making soups creamier.
Waxy
As the name suggests, this potato remains firm and plump. It only has a low starch content of 10-12%. The tuber, therefore, does not disintegrate when cooking, is fine-grained, but also has a slightly longer cooking time of 30-40 minutes. For example, with its smooth, moist cutting surface, it is perfect for all recipes in which thin and firm slices or pieces are required. A classic potato dish for a waxy potato:
- quickly fried potatoes
- potato gratin
- Grandma’s potato salad is based on a GDR recipe
- boiled potatoes
- in stews
- in casseroles
Mainly sticky
If you want to have a supply of potatoes at home without already knowing which potato dish you are going to make with them when you go shopping, you are exactly right with this potato variety. As an all-rounder among potatoes, it is extremely versatile. The cooking time is approx. 20-30 minutes and with a medium starch content of 12-14% it is just as good as an accompaniment to meat or fish as for the following dishes:
- hash browns
- potato pancakes
- Swabian potato salad
- fries
Tip: Which potatoes are used for which dish is not set in stone. Experiment with the different varieties. For example, some people prefer potatoes to fall apart easily when making a gratin, while others want nice, firm slices. Many people feel the same about fried potatoes.
Who wants to know exactly?
In German supermarkets you will mainly find the following well-known potato varieties with different cooking properties:
- Mealy potatoes: Ackersegen, Adretta, Augusta
- partially mealy potatoes: Bintje, Hela, almond potatoes
- waxy potatoes: Linda, Nicola, Sieglinde
- mainly waxy potatoes: Laura, Marabel, Toscana
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