51 Perfect Potato Side Dishes That Might Just Steal The Show

Tell me about it, spud.

duchess potatoes
Erik bernstein

Let's be real: The potato is everyone's favorite vegetable, and these potato recipes will remind you why. Is there any limit to the deliciousness of perfectly prepared potatoes? We don't think so. Whether you are roasting, frying, mashing, smashing, grilling or twice-baking, here are all the tips you need to make the best potatoes every time.

Picking the perfect potato variety type for your meal is integral for whipping up all your favorite potato sides. You can never go wrong with a russet for baked potatoes, microwave baked potatoes, and twice-baked potatoes. Got some Yukon Golds on deck? They are our ideal go-to potatoes for anything from creamy mashed potatoes and French fries, to all our favorite potato salads.

Speaking of potato salad: Your BBQs and potlucks are nothing without one on your table. We're especially fond of our Southern potato salad, but we love a classic potato salad, tzatziki potato salad, jalapeño popper potato salad, and our hot German potato salad that includes a bacon vinaigrette(!).

Potatoes are the base of some of our favorite dishes that sometimes might steal the show from the main event. There's fluffy gnocchi pasta, potato rolls, latkes, and pierogis?! And don't get us started on all the ways we love to use leftover mashed potatoes, including loaded fried mashed potato cakes, fried mashed potato balls, and, wait for it, mashed potato waffles.

And while you're on a side kick, check out our other favorite side dishes and soups to shake up your dinner routine.

pan fried potatoes
Parker Feierbach
1 of 51
Perfect Pan Fried Potatoes

The best part about these pan-fried potatoes (and potatoes in general) is that they can be used as the perfect sidekick for any meal. They'd be a delicious breakfast with creamy scrambled eggs or stuffed in this bacon breakfast burrito. Use these to add a little drama to a classic niçoise salad or as an unexpected base for beef totchos.

Get the Perfect Pan Fried Potatoes recipe.

air fryer potatoes
Parker Feierbach
2 of 51
Air Fryer Potatoes

We pride ourselves for how perfect our roasted potatoes are. We truly though they couldn't get be better, but it turns out the air fryer works some kind of magic on potatoes. They get extra crispy all over and stay perfectly soft on the inside. Toss them in just a little bit of oil so all of the seasonings stick to make these the most addicting potatoes ever.

Get the Air Fryer Crispy Potatoes recipe.

tzatziki potato salad
Erik bernstein
3 of 51
Tzatziki Potato Salad

For fans of potato salad, there is endless possibility for different kinds of flavorings and mix-ins. You like red potatoes? We got red potato salad. We also have antipasto potato salad, ranch potato salad, German potato salad. But what we didn’t have was tzatziki potato salad, which is perfect for summer. This salad is very dill forward, nicely lemony, and bright with yogurt, crunchy cucumber—both fresh and pickled—and creamy boiled baby reds.

Get the Tzatziki Potato Salad recipe.

dauphinoise potatoes
Erik bernstein
4 of 51
Dauphinoise Potatoes

Dauphinoise potatoes hail from 18th-century France—when you taste this utterly creamy delight, you'll see why they've stuck around so long. The preparation is simple: You simmer sliced potatoes in a garlic-infused cream and milk mixture until just barely tender, then layer them with Gruyère cheese in a casserole dish to bake into cheesy, melty heaven.

Get the Dauphinoise Potatoes recipe.

best mashed potatoes
Parker Feierbach
5 of 51
Best Mashed Potatoes

This is the only recipe you need for creamy, dreamy mashed spuds. Russet potatoes (the classic brown-skinned ones used for baked potatoes) are the classic go-to for mashed potatoes, but you don't have to stick to only those. We like using a mix of russet and Yukon gold, which have a super-creamy texture.

Get the Best Mashed Potatoes recipe.

duchess potatoes
erik bernstein
6 of 51
Duchess Potatoes

Duchess potatoes is a classic French dish made with piped mashed potatoes that are enriched with egg yolks and butter. Basically, they're like fancy tots, and they're perfect alongside anything from a perfectly seared steak or roast beef to ultra- creamy chicken dijon. They also work well piped onto shepherd's pie or cottage pie.

Get the Duchess Potatoes recipe.

air fryer tater tots
Parker Feierbach
7 of 51
Air Fryer Tater Tots

The air fryer works some kind of magic on these tater tots. It gets them extra crispy and the homemade, shaggy look makes them better than any fast food chain could produce. The best part? These are completely gluten and fat free. It's a unicorn snack!

Get the Air Fryer Tater Tots recipe.

delish french fries
Parker Feierbach
8 of 51
Perfect French Fries

We know, deep-frying really sounds like a lot of work, but we have a genius tip to getting you the crispiest fries ever, without the double-frying. With our method, all of the fries go in at the same time and once they're out, they're ready to eat! After seasoning the heck out of them with salt, of course.

Get the Perfect French Fries recipe.

potato salad
Parker Feierbach
9 of 51
Classic Potato Salad

This iconic potato salad is creamy and tangy, with a little bit of crunch from the onion and pickles. For potato salad purposes, you need waxy potatoes, such as red potatoes, Yukon golds, and fingerlings. They hold their shape better when cooking and they usually have creamier interiors.

Get the Classic Potato Salad recipe.

crispy hash browns
erik Bernstein
10 of 51
Crispy Hash Browns

There aren’t many things more satisfying than super-crispy hash browns. Serve them with a runny egg, and you've got the perfect breakfast.

Get the Crispy Hash Browns recipe.

herb roasted potatoes
Parker Feierbach
11 of 51
Herb Roasted Potatoes

Parsley, rosemary, and thyme are classic and simple ways to season these potatoes, but really, any herbs or spices are welcome here. Try hot smoked paprika and turmeric for spicy, herbal potatoes or za’atar and cumin for floral, smoky potatoes.

Get the Herb Roasted Potatoes recipe.

southern potato salad
Erik bernstein
12 of 51
Southern Potato Salad

What makes this version so Southern and different from classic potato salad? The sweet and tangy mayonnaise-based dressing, spiked with—wait for it—pickle juice (!) and yellow mustard.

Get the Southern Potato Salad recipe.

fried mashed potato balls
Parker Feierbach
13 of 51
Fried Mashed Potato Balls

This easy recipe turns those sad leftover mashed potatoes into something magical. If you've got more leftovers on your hands, you gotta check out these recipes to revive your Thanksgiving remnants. We're especially fond of these insane friendsgiving nachos.

Get the Fried Mashed Potato Balls recipe.

dill and cheddar pierogis
Joel Goldberg
14 of 51
Dill & Cheddar Pierogis

When you're looking for something warm, comforting, and carb-y, do Polish pierogi come to mind? We think they should, and this cheesy dill version certainly satisfies on all fronts. Loaded with sharp white cheddar, sweet caramelized onions, and creamy mashed potatoes, the only thing more gratifying than making them from scratch is stuffing them in your mouth. 😋

Get the Dill & Cheddar Pierogis recipe.

baked potatoes vertical
Parker Feierbach
15 of 51
Perfect Baked Potato

Here's every step you need to bake the perfect potato every time. We believe russet potatoes make the best baked potatoes because of their thick skin and starchy, fluffy interior (once baked, of course). Leave the waxy potatoes for halving and roasting with some rosemary.

Get the Perfect Baked Potato recipe.

roasted red potatoes   delishcom
Parker Feierbach
16 of 51
Roasted Red Potatoes

Pro tip: Be sure to roast your potatoes at a high temp cut side down. The direct contact to the sheet pan will help to sear the potatoes giving some nice browning without burning them. It takes an extra minute to arrange all of them but the results are very much well worth it.

Get the Roasted Red Potatoes recipes.

potato pancakes
Park Feierbach
17 of 51
Classic Latkes

Why limit these latkes to just the holiday season? We love topping these with sour cream and smoked salmon for an easy weeknight meal. You also can never beat serving these with homemade applesauce for the prime latke experience.

Get the Classic Latkes recipe.

dish, food, cuisine, ingredient, potato, baked goods, side dish, root vegetable, produce, puff pastry,
Parker Feierbach
18 of 51
Microwaved Baked Potato

No time? We gotchu. You could spend 15 minutes preheating your oven and then another hour baking your potato, but why would you ever do that when you can microwave your potato in just *7* minutes?

Get the Microwaved Baked Potato recipe.

grilled potatoes
PARKER FEIERBACH
19 of 51
Best-Ever Grilled Potatoes

These potatoes are the perfect summer side. Throw 'em on the grill next to your best-ever burger for a smoky, summer take on burgers & fries. The char and smoke from the grill get picked up perfectly by the potatoes to make an amazing side. No to mention those grill marks look gorgeous!

Get the Best-Ever Grilled Potatoes recipe.

twice baked potato casserole
Parker Feierbach
20 of 51
Twice Baked Potato Casserole

We will never be able to match the genius of the person who invented the twice baked potatoes. However we think we've gotten pretty darn close with this casserole. We transform the foil-lined side into a creamy, cheesy casserole that instantly becomes a weeknight meal staple.

Get the Twice Baked Potato Casserole recipe.

korean braised potatoes gamja jorim   delishcom
June Xie
21 of 51
Gamja Jorim: Korean Potatoes

Creamy, tender potato chunks are coated in a slightly sticky, sweet-salty sauce that results from the reduction of honey and soy sauce. Eat it with rice as your low-maintenance weeknight dinner, or serve it alongside your main course.

Get the Gamja Jorim: Korean Potatoes recipe.

cacio e pepe potato gnocchi
Parker Feierbach
22 of 51
Cacio e Pepe Potato Gnocchi

Homemade potato gnocchi is surprisingly easy to make and the dough is a dream to work with. Unlike homemade pasta, there's no resting or labored rolling involved. It's as simple as roasting a few potatoes and mixing everything together. We tossed our gnocchi in plenty of Parmesan and butter for a simple cacio e pepe vibe, but we also have a tuscan butter gnocchi that we dream about regularly.

Get the Cacio e Pepe Potato Gnocchi recipe.

potatoes au gratin  delishcom
Ethan Calabrese
23 of 51
Potatoes Au Gratin

They may be classic for Thanksgiving but they're too delicious not to make year-round. Don't be intimidated by the name. "Gratin" quite literally means to cover with cheese or breadcrumbs and brown. You've got this.

Get the Potatoes Au Gratin recipe.

garlic smashed potatoes  delishcom
Ethan Calabrese
24 of 51
Garlic Smashed Potatoes

This recipe is all about the technique, but the flavor profile is infinitely adaptable. You can top them with bacon and cheddar, ranch seasoning, or even brie.

Get the Garlic Smashed Potatoes recipe.

hasselback potatoes  delishcom
June Xie
25 of 51
Hasselback Potatoes

Hasselbackspotatis, aka Hasselback potatoes, are a Swedish invention that transforms a humble baked potato into an ingenious work of art. Each potato is partially sliced into a row of thin slivers that then get brushed with oil or butter and baked to roasty-toasty crispy-crunchy perfection. For lovers of baked potatoes and potato chips, the Hasselback potato is going to be a taste of spud heaven.

Get the Hasselback Potatoes recipe.

slow cooker scalloped potatoes
Jon Boulton
26 of 51
Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes

Also known as potatoes au gratin, this classic dish of sliced potatoes layered with cream and cheese is usually baked and served bubbling hot. Here, we’ve changed up the recipe to be cooked in a crock-pot, so you can just set ‘em and forget ‘em.

Get the Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes recipe.

instant pot mashed potatoes
PARKER FEIERBACH
27 of 51
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

We love finishing these off by mixing in sour cream for that rich tangy finish. Feel free to add roasted garlic, chives, shredded cheese, or—dare we say—crispy bacon!

Get the Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes recipe.

lyonnaise potatoes
Park Feierbach
28 of 51
Lyonnaise Potatoes

Pan-fried potatoes are one of life's simplest pleasures. All you need are potatoes, a little fat, and plenty of salt. This French variety elevates the pan-fried potato even further with the addition of caramelized onions and lots of butter.

Get the Lyonnaise Potatoes recipe.

campfire potatoes
PARKER FEIERBACH
29 of 51
Campfire Potatoes

Cooking over the campfire is our favorite thing to do, and throwing everything into a foil pack makes it so easy! These cook up fast and make the perfect side dish. If you don't want to make these over the fire or grill, they also work great in the oven!

Get the Campfire Potatoes recipe.

potato kugel   delishcom
Parker Feierbach
30 of 51
Potato Kugel

Think of this savory variety of a sweet noodle kugel as a giant latke. Grated onion and potato are combined to create a crispy, slightly sweet dish that's great on its own, but even better with a dollop of sour cream and/or applesauce.

Get the Potato Kugel recipe.

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