How to Dice Potatoes 2 Ways
Ever wondered how to perfectly dice or chop a potato? This is a great skill to know, even if you are a beginner at cooking. So today I’m going to show you how to dice a potato 2 different ways!
How do you dice round potatoes?
Dicing potatoes, just like dicing carrots, is interesting because potatoes are round or oblong. It is not natural to cut square pieces from a round object! Whether your potato is more round or more oval, we will use the same technique to get an even dice. It involves squaring off the vegetable first. Keep reading for the step by step tutorial!
2 Ways to Dice Potatoes
We are going to go over two techniques in this post. First, I will show you the fastest way to dice potatoes. This technique is not technically a dice, but more like a chop because it is more uneven. But since there are times when you don’t care about the exact size of your potatoes (like when making mashed potatoes) I thought I would include this.
Secondly, I’ll show you the proper way to dice a potato into even cubes. This technique involves more concentration and cuts than the first method, but it is worth the effort! You can use evenly diced potatoes anytime you want a dish to look pretty & uniform. And, dicing this way will also result in more even cooking.
What You’ll Need
Before we get started, you will need to gather a few things in your kitchen. Of course, you’ll need potatoes But that’s not all. You’ll also need:
- Sharp Chef’s Knife
- Cutting Board
- Kitchen Towel or something non-slip
- Vegetable Peeler (optional)
- Kitchen Ruler (optional but recommended)
It is truly important that your knife is SHARP. Did you know it is more dangerous to work with a dull knife than a sharp knife with good technique? I hope that’s why you’re here—to learn the correct knife skills you need in the kitchen, with a sharp knife!
But anyway, you will also need a cutting board and something under it to keep it from sliding around. This can be something as simple as a kitchen towel. The main thing is you don’t want your board slipping while you’re trying to do a new knife skill.
With that in mind, let’s get into the 2 different methods!
Video Tutorial:
The video shows BOTH methods, or scroll down for more info about each individually.
The Fastest Way to Dice Potatoes
Let’s get into the first method: the fastest way to dice up a potato when you don’t care too much about how it looks!
Step 1:
First of all, wash and peel your potato (if desired. This is optional, because there are times you may want to leave the skin on). Next, cut your potato in half lengthwise and lay them down with the flat edge on the cutting board.
Step 2:
Still working lengthwise, cut each half of the potato into 3 equal sections, or however many sections you need to to get the size you want. For smaller potatoes, you may want to only do 2 sections.
Step 3:
Finally, rotate the potato so you will be cutting widthwise. Cut perpendicular to the previous cuts you made. Try to keep the cuts as even as possible so that the potatoes will cook evenly. However, this is more of a rough chop, so it will not be perfect.
And there you have it, a super quick way to chop up a potato!
More Knife Skills:
How to Dice Potatoes Evenly
For method 2, we will be going for even cubes of potatoes—a more technical “dice.” Let’s get right into it!
Step 1:
First of all, we need to square off the sides of the potato. Set the potato up on the cutting board so that it is “standing up straight.” Grasp it with your non-dominant hand like a bear-claw, using your knuckles as a guide. Slice from the top to the bottom of the potato so that you have your first flat edge. Then, lay this down on the cutting board.
Step 2:
In the 4th photo below, you can see approximately what your squared off potato should look like. At this point, you can determine the size of your dice. For this tutorial, I cut my squared off potato in half into 2 equal sized pieces. But if you have a thicker square, you can cut it into 3 of you need to.
Step 3:
Take one of your flat pieces and cut it lengthwise. Make sure the width of your cut is the SAME measurement as your previous cut—otherwise the dice won’t turn out square. It is totally fine to use a kitchen ruler to help you out as you get used to this! In the tutorial below, I was aiming for a 1/2″ cut.
Step 4:
Once you have a few lengths of potato that look like french fries, it is time to dice! Rotate the sticks of potato so that you are now cutting across the width. Cut all of the “fries” into cubes, again, using the same measurement as before.
And there you have it, a nice even dice! Your last step is to make sure you don’t waste those pieces of potato you cut off at the beginning! These pieces are great to cut in half and use as some quick fries (last photo).
Potato Dicing FAQ
How do you dice potatoes for mashed potatoes?
With mashed potatoes, you could choose either method above. I usually use the first method because it is so much faster. But an even dice WILL result in more even cooking. So, it’s up to you.
How do you dice red potatoes?
There is no difference in how you dice red potatoes versus russets! You can use the same techniques I showed you above. But, if your potatoes are a lot smaller, you can also change it up and cut them into quarters as well. Just slice in half, and then in half again.
How do you dice potatoes for breakfast?
For breakfast potatoes, use the even dice method I showed you in the above tutorial! Generally, breakfast is where you want that more even look because the potatoes have a chance to shine and look pretty on their own! And again, it will also help them cook evenly.
How do you dice a cooked potato?
Dicing a cooked potato is a little more tricky because the potato is so much softer and prone to falling apart. However, as long as you have a sharp chef’s knife you should be able to dice it in the same way you would a raw potato.
Can you dice potatoes in a food processor?
You can chop potatoes in a food processor, but you cannot get an even dice, no. The way a food processor works simply can not replicate an evenly diced potato.
What does a large dice look like?
Generally, a large dice is 3/4″ on all sides. I did a medium dice in this tutorial, but a large dice is great for potatoes, especially for soups and stews.
Why should you slice off a small bit of potato on the side before you begin your actual knife cuts?
You have to slice off a small bit to square it off. Remember, you can’t get an evenly square dice out of a round object. So cutting off a small bit gets the potato into a square, which we can then cut into fries and cubes.
Conclusion
Dicing potatoes is a great skill to have under your belt. You will come back to this technique over and over again, whether you’re making soup, mashed potatoes, or breakfast hash. So now it’s your turn—get into the kitchen and start practicing your knife cuts! In no time you’ll be dicing potatoes like a pro.
