How to Boil Potatoes Faster
You might think that learning how to boil potatoes would involve nothing more than placing them in a pot of water on the stove and letting it boil. And, it's true, that will work. But, if you're going to learn how to boil potatoes, you may as well learn how to boil potatoes fast. For that, you'll need to employ a simple kitchen tool: your electric kettle. (If you don't have an electric kettle, this trick will probably convince you to buy one.)
For faster weeknight potatoes, use the microwave as a first step before roasting or sautéeing.
It's not often that recipes involving anything beyond brewing tea begin with the phrase, fill and boil a kettle of water. And since having a water kettle isn't a part of the cultural DNA of America, the offhand direction would likely feel out of place. But in her new cookbook, A Modern Way to Cook, British chef and author Anna Jones—dubbed "the new Nigella" by The Sunday Times—begins many of her recipes just that way.
The directive is in the interest of saving time. Unlike stovetop tea pots, electric kettles bring water to a boil in just minutes. But even if a basic tea pot is all you have, if you put the water on the moment you walk through the door, you should have boiling water by the time you've gathered and prepped the rest of your ingredients.
One of the most common ways Jones employs this device is when pre-cooking potatoes for another preparation. Here's how to use your electric (or regular) kettle to boil potatoes faster.
The Best Electric Kettle hero
How to Boil Diced Potatoes
If you're wondering how to boil red potatoes, or other large varieties of potatoes, like russet, you'll need to dice them first for this quick-cooking trick to work. Here's how to do it:
Put a kettle of water on to boil.
Meanwhile, dice potatoes into small cubes on a cutting board.
Place the diced potatoes in the correct-sized saucepan.
Pour the kettle-boiled water over the potatoes.
Place the pot over a hot flame to continue simmering until tender—about 5 minutes. That's right, since you started with already-hot water, it will take only five. minutes.
After this, Jones drains them and uses them in a hash. But, you can use your cooked diced potatoes any way you want. You could roast them to get the outside nice and crispy, or toss them in a soup or frittata.
Note: Jones is employing this technique to par-cook the potatoes before roasting, frying, or cooking the potatoes additionally. If you want to eat the potatoes mashed or plain, you'll need to continue to boil them for a few more minutes, until they're tender when you poke them with a fork.
Panfried Smashed Potatoes
How to Boil Potatoes Whole
If you don't want to dice your potatoes first, you can employ the same trick to boil whole baby potatoes (if you're using large potatoes they really should be diced in order to cook quickly with this kettle trick). It will take about double the time, since the potatoes aren't broken down, but it'll still boil the potatoes faster than if you didn't use the kettle. The steps are pretty much the same, but here they are:
Put a kettle of water on to boil.
Place the whole baby potatoes in a properly-sized pot.
Pour the boiling kettle water over the potatoes.
Turn on the heat and continue to simmer the potatoes for approximately ten more minutes, until they are tender when you pierce them with a fork.
Jones does this to make quick work of smashed potatoes. Again, you can eat the potatoes plain, but you may need to cook them for an additional few minutes.
Bonus: How to Use This Trick On Other Vegetables
Any vegetable that could use a quick-steamed or boiled start (beets, celery root, winter squash) can benefit from this process. Just be sure to either use small specimens—like the baby potatoes—or start by dicing them first; starting whole large vegetables in hot water could lead to an overcooked exterior and raw interior.
And if we haven't quite convinced you that this is the best way to boil potatoes—maybe speed isn't reason enough for you—think about this. By not employing a gas flame (or electric burner) for the fifteen minutes it takes for a pot of water to boil, you'll not only be making your life easier—you'll be doing your part to tackle the world's energy emissions crises. And that's pretty convenient, too.
Our Favorite Creamy Mashed Potatoes
