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Are you making a recipe that calls for potatoes? If you are and you’ve just noticed that you have none in your kitchen, then this list of easy ways to substitute for potatoes will surely come in handy! It outlines 9 easy potato substitutes that you most likely already have in your kitchen! Keep reading to find out what they are!
Potatoes are a tuber that originated from Peruvian-Bolivian Andes. This vegetable has a flavor that can be considered as being savory and sometimes slightly sweet with a waxy texture when raw and a rich buttery texture and flavor when cooked. Potatoes are also super popular and can be used to make hundreds of delicious recipes including mashed potatoes, potato fries, tater tots, pot roast, and more.
There are s many as 4000 varieties of potatoes that exist including the more popular russet potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes, red bliss potatoes, and new potatoes to name a few.
Each one of these varieties of potatoes is best suited for specific dishes, but can also be used in other dishes as well. Therefore, if you have one type of potato instead of another it is very likely the best potato substitute available.
However, barring that, if you’ve run out of all types of potatoes or you’re simply trying to reduce the number of potatoes you’re consuming, you may be looking for some other ideal substitutes for potatoes. Here, you can find the best options.
So, what are the best substitutes for potatoes?
The best substitutes for potatoes are sweet potatoes, rutabaga, parsnips, cauliflower, radishes, carrots, jicama, celeriac, and eggplants. All of these foods can be used to make some of the recipes that are popularly made with potatoes. And, while the flavors might be slightly different, they do work well!
Best potato substitute options
Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a great substitute for regular potatoes. Not only can they be used to make mash, but they’re also great for making sweet potato fries, stews, soups, roasted sweet potatoes, and more.
Also, while they do have a different flavor than potatoes in that they are sweet, they are great for adding to your eating regime if you just want a healthier substitute for potatoes.
Substitution: 1 cup of sweet potatoes = 1 cup of potatoes
Rutabaga
Rutabaga is a great replacement for potatoes in many dishes. Rutabaga is a vegetable that is a cross between a cabbage and a turnip. It works in place of potatoes because it has a buttery, savory flavor which is similar to that of Yukon gold potatoes once it is cooked. Rutabaga can be used to make mashed rutabaga, fries, stew, and more.
It should be noted that rutabaga is quite hard to cut through in its raw form, but this vegetable gets soft once boiled.
Substitution: 1 cup of rutabaga = 1 cup of potatoes
Radishes
Another great potato substitute is radishes. Radishes are edible root vegetables that can either be white, pink, red, or purple in color.
They do not taste quite like potatoes as they’re more peppery and pungent compared to the savory taste of potatoes. Nonetheless, radishes are great for replacing potatoes in dishes like roasted radishes, fries, and salads, soups like this Zuppa Toscana soup, and they can even be sautéed or eaten raw!
Substitution: 1 cup of radishes = 1 cup of potatoes
Jicama
Jicama has also been proven to be a great potato replacement. Jicama also goes by the name yam bean and Mexican potato and is a root vegetable from the legume family. It has brown skin and white, crisp insides which are like a mix between a pear and a potato or an apple and a potato.
Jicama has a flavor that is slightly sweet and nutty and can be used to make fries, stir-fries, salads, soups, and more in place of potatoes.
Substitution: 1 cup of jicama = 1 cup of potatoes
Celeriac
If you happen to have some celeriac also available this root vegetable can also make a decent substitute for potatoes. Celeriac is the root of the celery plant and has a flavor that is earthy with notes of celery.
They are a good sub for potatoes because they can be used to make recipes like mash, fries, and more.
Substitution: 1 cup of celeriac = 1 cup potatoes
Parsnips
If you have them, parsnips can also be used as an alternative to potatoes in many dishes. Parsnips are a root vegetable closely related to parsley and carrots. It has a mild, sweet, licorice-like flavor that is quite unlike that of the savory flavor of potatoes. Nonetheless, you can use parsnips in all dishes that call for potatoes if you choose to do so.
These dishes include mashed parsnips, parsnip fries, roasted parsnips and so much more.
Cauliflower
Cauliflower can also be a great potato substitute. Cauliflower is a popular vegetable with a taste that is slightly nutty and slightly sweet. However, it is mild enough that it can be used to make mash, garlic roasted cauliflower, and even soups and casseroles to replace the versions of these dishes that are made with potatoes. Check out my recipe for sour cream egg casserole with cauliflower to see how I used riced cauliflower instead of potatoes for a delicious casserole recipe!
Zucchini
Zucchini is another ideal substitute for potatoes. Zucchini is mild tasting and slightly sweet so it can easily be used to make some low carb fries if you want to cut out potatoes or you just have none on hand.
Eggplant
While potatoes are used to make a plethora of dishes, it is a very popular vegetable used to make fries. Therefore, eggplants can be used to replace potatoes as this vegetable can also be used to make fries.
Eggplants also have a very similar flavor to zucchini in that it is mild and slightly sweet and make some delicious coated fries that can take the place of regular fries.
FAQs about potato substitutes
What vegetable is closest to a potato?
The closest vegetable to a potato is jicama. Both jicama and potatoes are starchy root vegetables that have brown skin and whitish insides. Their main difference is in flavor and texture. While potatoes are more savory and dense, jicama is sweeter with a crunchy texture reminiscent of crisp apples or pears.
What is a low carb substitute for potatoes?
There are many low carb substitutes for potatoes. These include jicama, zucchini, cauliflower, radishes, rutabaga, and celeriac. All of these vegetables have less than 9.2 grams of total carbs per 100 grams.
Final thoughts
When it comes to replacing potatoes in a dish, it could be as simple as finding or using a different variety of potatoes or a little harder such as replacing the potatoes with completely different vegetables. Whatever it is that works best for you, or that you have available, you’ll find the answers above!
