Should potatoes be washed twice?
Let's say you have to make a recipe that includes potatoes, let's say sliced, you'll most likely proceed as follows: Peel the potatoes, wash them, slice them, wash them again, pat them dry and add them to your recipe.
But there's a "but": depending on the recipe, the second washing may be a bad idea. Let's see why.
But there's a "but": depending on the recipe, the second washing may be a bad idea. Let's see why.
Last modified on: May 19th 2025
Should potatoes be washed twice?
Let's take a closer look:
1) Wash the potatoes, then peel them => nothing to say, this is essential, unless your recipe uses potatoes with the skin, in which case you just need to wash and brush them carefully.
2) Cut the washed potatoes into slices => also classic, but without it being really visible, a discreet white substance appears (after a while) on the cut surface, which is the starch contained in the potato.
Now, this starch, although tasteless, is an excellent natural thickener which can be very useful in the rest of the recipe. Let's imagine you're making a leek-potato soup, for example, using the unwashed potato slices will improve the velvety texture of your future soup, and the same applies to a gratin.
That's why the answer to the question "Should potatoes be washed twice?" is "It depends!" :
- If the potatoes are to be used in a recipe where you're looking for a velvety, creamy, binding texture (soups, "raw" gratins, etc.) => no, they shouldn't be washed a second time, but added freshly cut.
- If the potatoes are to be used in a recipe where crispness or crunchiness is required (chips, fries, etc.) => yes, they should be rewashed to remove the starch.
Note that if you cook or precook the potatoes before use (for a gratin or tartiflette, for example), any starch is eliminated by cooking.
To sum up: Depending on the recipe you choose, wash the potatoes once or twice, i.e. keep or eliminate the starch they produce on the surface.
1) Wash the potatoes, then peel them => nothing to say, this is essential, unless your recipe uses potatoes with the skin, in which case you just need to wash and brush them carefully.
2) Cut the washed potatoes into slices => also classic, but without it being really visible, a discreet white substance appears (after a while) on the cut surface, which is the starch contained in the potato.
Now, this starch, although tasteless, is an excellent natural thickener which can be very useful in the rest of the recipe. Let's imagine you're making a leek-potato soup, for example, using the unwashed potato slices will improve the velvety texture of your future soup, and the same applies to a gratin.
That's why the answer to the question "Should potatoes be washed twice?" is "It depends!" :
- If the potatoes are to be used in a recipe where you're looking for a velvety, creamy, binding texture (soups, "raw" gratins, etc.) => no, they shouldn't be washed a second time, but added freshly cut.
- If the potatoes are to be used in a recipe where crispness or crunchiness is required (chips, fries, etc.) => yes, they should be rewashed to remove the starch.
Note that if you cook or precook the potatoes before use (for a gratin or tartiflette, for example), any starch is eliminated by cooking.
To sum up: Depending on the recipe you choose, wash the potatoes once or twice, i.e. keep or eliminate the starch they produce on the surface.
Lasts posts
Cut twice as fast
When you need to cut something long into small pieces, for example chopped chives or the stem of a spring onion, there's a simple gesture that doubles your cutting speed. Let's see how.May 21th 20261,874
The other use for bowl scraper
Your kitchen or bakery utensils may include a horn (left) or a pastry cutter (right). These practical utensils are normally used to scoop the contents of a bowl or salad bowl - the horn - or to cut dough - the pastry cutter. But they also have another, very practical use - let's see what it is.May 9th 20261,720
The strange foam of potatoes in milk
As you may have already noticed, when you cook potatoes in milk, especially in small pieces (slices or cubes) for a gratin for example, a surprisingly abundant white foam forms on the surface. Where does it come from?April 26th 20262,137
A little leftover butter
Very often when you're making a cake, your recipe will tell you to melt some butter and mix it into the batter - a classic for cookies, cakes, moelleux and the like. And every time you do this, you'll have to butter the baking tin to prevent the dough from sticking during baking. Naturally,...April 16th 20262,0305
A tablet holder
Perhaps you too cook by consulting your recipe on a tablet or phone, and putting it down on your worktop? It's practical, but not the best solution. Here's a look at how you can make an inexpensive, almost universal stand.March 14th 20262,5295
Other pages you may also like
Half milk, half cream
In a multitude of recipes, savoury or sweet, milk is used as the main ingredient, or at least as the main liquid ingredient. Milk is used instead of water, for example, because milk contains a proportion of fat, which adds roundness and softness to the recipe. This mellowness is very pleasant on...February 27th 202411 K5
Parsley stems
Parsley, whether curly or flat, is a delicious ingredient in many recipes, where it is used both raw and cooked. When used raw, in a salad for example, where it always provides, alone or with other herbs, a remarkable freshness, only the leaves are kept. And when used cooked?July 28th 202510 K 13
The right size of zucchini
When you buy zucchini at the market, you're often offered a wide variety of sizes, from very small to very large. But which ones to choose? Here are a few tips.September 9th 202412 K5
Oven height
When we put a dish or cake in the oven, we naturally tend to put it on the middle shelf, and that's what we usually do. But in some cases, this position and height can be a little tricky, so let's find out why.October 8th 20258,3345
What is the difference between bakery and patisserie?
This is a question that you may well have asked yourself and which I will attempt to answer. In France the two trades of "boulangerie" (bakery) and "pâtisserie" (patisserie and confectionery) have always been quite distinct, but where exactly do the boundaries lie? .February 7th 2017137 K 14.2
Follow this page
Receive an e-mail as soon as this page is modified or receives a new comment.
We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.
The 1 comment already posted on this page