Best Potato Varieties for Every Taste

Best Potato Varieties for Every Taste

One of the joys of growing potatoes is choosing from a dazzling array of types—far beyond what you see at the supermarket! Whether you love creamy mash, crisp chips, or colorful heirlooms, there’s a variety for everyone. Here’s how to choose the best for your garden and table.

Understanding Potato Types

• First Earlies:
  Fast to mature; harvest early for small, sweet “new” potatoes. Great for containers and impatient gardeners.
• Second Earlies:
  Ready just a bit later—ideal for salads and midsummer use.
• Maincrops:
  Big plants and big yields; harvested late for storage and winter meals.

Best for Mash (Creamy, Fluffy Texture)

• ‘Maris Piper’
  Classic all-rounder, fluffy when cooked, perfect for mash and chips.
• ‘King Edward’
  Light and floury, beloved by chefs for mash and roasties.
• ‘Desiree’
  Red-skinned, waxy-fleshed, great for smooth mash and versatile for baking, roasting.

Best for Chips & Fries

• ‘Maris Piper’ and ‘King Edward’ (again)
• ‘Pentland Dell’
  High dry matter content—makes crisp, golden fries.

Best for Roasting

• ‘Cara’
  Large, blight-resistant, and ideal for crispy roast potatoes.
• ‘Rooster’
  Fantastic red-skinned variety, holds shape but crisps beautifully.

Best for Salad & Boiling

• ‘Charlotte’
  Small, waxy, and holds shape—ideal for potato salads.
• ‘Anya’
  Nutty flavor, great skin texture, doesn’t break down when boiled.
• ‘Foremost’
  Classic first early, firm and flavorful.

Best for Baking & Jacket Potatoes

• ‘Estima’
  Large, oval tubers, perfect for jackets and baking.
• ‘Vivaldi’
  Yellow flesh, buttery flavor, bakes up soft and fluffy.

Best For Unique Flavors & Colors

• ‘Purple Majesty’
  Rich purple color—fun for kids, full of antioxidants.
• ‘Pink Fir Apple’
  Knobbly, salad type with a distinct nutty taste.
• ‘Yukon Gold’
  Yellow-fleshed, all-purpose variety famous in the US.

Best Disease Resistance (Organic/Low-Spray Gardens)

• ‘Sarpo Mira’ & ‘Sarpo Axona’
  Tough as old boots—superb blight resistance, excellent for maincrops.
• ‘Carolus’
  A newer variety with both taste and resilience, stores well.

Blight-Resistant & Space-Saving Types

• ‘Charlotte’, ‘Sarpo Mira’, ‘Kestrel’
  All offer good resistance if blight is a local problem or you want to avoid chemicals.
• ‘Swift’
  Super-early and great for pot-growing.

Choosing What’s Right for You

• Garden space: First earlies suit small spaces, maincrops like more room.
• Taste vs. storage: Early types are best eaten fresh; maincrops last into winter.
• Experiment: Try several types—potatoes keep for ages and variety makes meal planning more fun!

Next Steps

Ready to dig deeper? Learn the difference between First Earlies, Second Earlies, and Maincrop potatoes in our next article—or pick your favorite and get planting!