Potato Varieties Overview: These Exist

There are waxy potato varieties

Externally, potato varieties often differ greatly from each other. For example, they vary in size, sometimes even have rather unusual shapes, and the color of the skin and flesh can also vary depending on the variety. However, you cannot tell whether a potato is firm or floury when it is raw.

• Only when cooked do you notice differences. Depending on the starch content, the potatoes have a different consistency after cooking.
• Waxy potatoes contain about 14% starch. They keep their firm shape after cooking and take a little longer to cook until they’re soft.
• Because of their firm shape, you can use waxy potatoes to make potato salad, fried potatoes, or potato gratin.
• The best-known varieties include Annabelle, Linda, and Sieglinde. As a precocious variety, the Annabelle is already ripe in June. The late-ripening Linda was taken off the market before but then celebrated her comeback. The Sieglinde is the oldest German potato variety.
• Other waxy potato varieties are Alexandra, Allians, Annalena, Bamberger Hörnla, Belana, Belle de Fonteney, Ditta, Glorietta, Hansa, Heiderot, La Ratte, Laura, Marabel, Nicola, Princess, Regina, Rosemarie, Violetta.
• It is not entirely clear why most potato varieties have female names. But the tradition has lasted to this day.

These are mostly waxy potatoes

Predominantly waxy potatoes contain around 15% more starch than waxy potatoes, but less than floury potatoes.

• They, therefore, do not remain quite as dimensionally stable when cooked as waxy ones, but they also do not become soft and mushy as quickly as floury varieties.
• They are therefore right in the middle and you can use them for most potato recipes. They are particularly suitable as a side dish, for example as boiled or boiled potatoes.
• Female names are also very common among potatoes that are predominantly waxy.
• Well-known varieties are Aeggeblomme, Anuschka, Concordia, Corinna, Eersteling, Granola, La Bonnotte, Lady Balfour, Madeira, Marabel and Natascha.

Mealy potatoes have these properties

Mealy potato varieties contain around 16% more starch than the other varieties. Therefore, they soften more quickly when cooked and break down very easily when cooked.

• You should therefore use floury varieties if you want to make a soup or puree from the potatoes. This makes your work easier. But they are also suitable for potato dough for gnocchi or Schupfnudeln.
• The best-known varieties include Ackersegen, Adretta, and Bintje. Ackersegen is a very old variety with a classic yellow color.
• The Adretta was originally bred in the GDR and is well suited for dumplings. The Bintje comes from the Netherlands and has very thin skin.
• Other floury varieties are Afra, Agria, Augusta, Gala, Leyla, Lilly, Melody, and Ora.