Every potato has its own features and flavours, and today, we are going to discuss the most popular red vs gold potatoes that fascinate everyone with their taste and texture.
They are nutritious and adaptable in nature that gives you a free will to add them anywhere. You have to learn the differences between these potatoes if you want your dishes to taste delicious.
Understanding the difference between red or gold potatoes will make a big change in the way you cook food. They both have varied appearances and traits you can instantly spot when checking in the vegetable section.
Red potatoes are firm and stay intact with a slightly sweet taste that is perfect for salads and roasted potatoes.
Meanwhile, golden potatoes have medium starch and creamy texture, that tastes buttery and sweet, that is ideal for creamy mashed potatoes.
In this blog, I will discuss about the comparison of red vs gold potatoes that can make your cooking refined.
Learning more about red and gold potatoes will significantly help you in trying out a variety of recipes.
What Are Red Potatoes?
Red potatoes have a thin red skin that is firm to the touch. When you cook them, the white flesh inside will turn smooth. It has low starch, which makes breaking difficult while cooking.
These potatoes have a neutral and sweet flavour that feels luscious to eat. To get deep flavours and intact texture, you should boil them with their skin, then later peel it off and reveal the white flesh inside.
Red potatoes have a decent amount of vitamins and potassium with an additional 149-154 calories.
They are available in various varieties, such as red bliss, which is the most popular, Norland, and Pontiac. These varieties of red potatoes should be stored at room temperature and away from onions as they spoil steadily.
Cooking with red potatoes is a fun activity that gives you the versatility to use them however you desire. It is easy to boil, roast and steam for desired texture. Eating them will make your heart and digestion healthy.
What Are Gold Potatoes?
With thin golden or yellowish skin, the gold potatoes rule the market for its versatality and rich creamy texture. It has only one common variety that is used interchangeably in food for buttery and smooth textures.
Gold potatoes are healthy for food and provide energy and antioxidants through complex carbs. It supports muscle and heart function. It has 110 calories, as it is subtly dense but considered delightful.
These potatoes are mashed, roasted, baked and pan-fried for delectable results. With these tasty textures, people enjoy them in creamy mashed potatoes, thick curries, and roasted garlic potatoes.
Overall, it works well in almost every possible dish that exists. Chefs love this versatility for the natural taste it has, even with minimal seasoning.
Main Difference Between Red vs Gold Potatoes
When we compare red vs. gold potatoes, there are a few physical differences that set them apart and make them unique. Red potatoes retain high moisture and are firm on the outside, which is relevant for potato salad and roasts.
On the other side, Gold Potatoes are somewhat starchy, which bestow a buttery texture. It is used mainly for soups and mashed potatoes. Some other differences are listed below, framing a distinction between them.
Appearance
The red potato has a skin in hues of reddish to pink with whitish inner flesh. They are available in round, medium and small sizes, shining with a unique glossy appearance in the vegetable aisle.
The waxy appearance makes it easily recognisable among others. In contrast, the gold potatoes are found in brownish to gold-yellowish hues with yellow flesh inside.
The oval-shaped, large potatoes have a matte and smooth appearance that looks suave. This major difference of appearance makes the identification an easy task.
Texture
In texture, Red Potatoes are less dense and firmer. They have high moisture, which keeps their shape intact after cooking. The texture of the red potatoes is mostly acknowledged for boiling and roasting, and they also add crunch to salad.
Alternatively, Gold Potatoes are softer and buttery in texture and often remain between waxy and starchy, which provides them a gluey feel. They are rich in flavours, perfect for mashing and soups.
Flavour
Not just in texture, the flavours of the potatoes also vary. Red Potatoes taste mild, earthy and sweet, which makes them light and clean for digestion. The texture of them lets seasoning absorb deeply, which enhances the taste of the food.
Yukon Gold potatoes are buttery and really smooth to enjoy with a slightly sweet flavour. After cooking, it tastes naturally creamy. This is also the reason why Gordon Ramsay used these potatoes in his creamy mashed potatoes recipe.
Starch
Red potatoes have a low starch waxy surface that helps keep the vegetable firm and healthy. The role of starch in potatoes is to keep the shape unscathed while cooking.
They are popular for their smooth texture that is a perfect option for salads and boiled diets. Gold Potatoes are in the midst of being waxy and starchy, which gives them a creamy texture. They are easy to mash, without looking fluffy.
Nutrition
As for nutrition, the red potatoes are leaner in shape and have more micronutrients like vitamin C, Potassium and Fibre. In gold potatoes, they have rich nutrients with high calories and carbs but have less fibre than red potatoes.
It is rich in carotenoids without additional fat. You can see a table below for nutrients that can help you plan a healthy diet.
| Nutrients | Red potatoes | Gold/Yukon gold potatoes |
| Calories | 149-154 kcal | 110 kcal |
| Fat | 15.5 g | 17.3 g |
| Protein | 2 g | 2 g |
| Fibre | 2.1 g | 1.8 g |
| Carbohydrate (energy source) | 18.2 g | 18.5 g |
Culinary Purpose
When cooking, the dense texture of the red potatoes holds their shape and prevents them from falling apart. They are used normally in salads, roasts, and stir-fried.
The structured and neat form can easily absorb the flavours and seasonings. It tastes complementary with herbs and spices. On the other hand, Gold Potatoes soften easily and have a creamy texture, preventing breaking down.
It has rich flavours that blend smoothly with seasoning. You should use them especially for creamy mashed potatoes, soups and purees.
Red Vs Gold Potatoes: Which Is Better for Mashing, Boiling, Roasting?
Red vs gold potatoes vary in texture, flavour and nutrients. They are used in different ways in cooking, such as boiling, roasting, mashing and frying.
When you cook them in any way, it tends to have visible changes that affect the flavours and texture. Red Potatoes have a mild, sweet and earthy flavour that enhances the quality of food.
Conversely, Gold Potatoes have a buttery and creamy flavour that you would like very much.
Mashing
Red vs gold potatoes for mashed dishes are a debatable question. Red Potatoes are wavy and have low starch, which does not fluff, which is not relevant for any mashed dish.
It is an exceptional choice for chunky mashed potatoes that have chunks of potato in it for added texture and crunch.
Gold Potatoes are highly preferred for their medium starch and natural creaminess, which improves the quality.
Creamy mashed potatoes are made delightfully with gold potatoes and are also used in soups and purees.
Roasting
As for red potatoes, they hold their shapes and often end up crunchy with a soft inner texture that is best to eat roasted. It easily absorbs the seasoning, including herbs and oil.
If you want to roast it perfectly, then make sure to perform it in hot oil, then season it once it is crispy and brown on the outside.
On the flip side, gold potatoes get crispy outside and have a creamy inner flesh that easily melts in the mouth. If you prefer an extra creamy texture, then I recommend you to pre-boil it.
Frying
Red Potatoes have firm inner flesh that holds its shape while frying. It is perfect for a sauteed or pan-fried dish. If you deep fry these potatoes, then it will not turn mushy and taste amazing.
The gold potatoes are considered savoury when fried to achieve soft insides and crispy outsides.
They are perfect for roasted wedges and sauteed dishes. Frying potatoes changes the texture of dish and improves the dish with minimal effort.
Boiling
Because of their natural shape and inner texture, red vs gold potatoes for soup is a complex choice. When red potato is boiled on high temperature, they stay intact and often get mushy for soup.
You can use them in potato salad when you desire potato chunks. Boiling the gold/Yukon potatoes will give you a creamy inside that will be easily smashed for soup. For a flavourful dish, you should keep an eye if potatoes are not overboiled.
Red Vs Gold Potatoes Reddit Reviews
Choosing a healthy and versatile potato between red or gold potatoes is not an easy task but with just a nutrition table, you can’t decide the best option. Eating potatoes improves your health and helps you lose weight. There are some Reddit reviews to support the statement that gold/yellow potatoes are the best.
In this red vs gold potatoes Reddit review, a user stated, “Red is a bit firmer, but yellow will do just fine. I usually only buy Yellow as they are a good middle road of potatoes.”
To paraphrase, what he meant was that yellow/ gold potatoes are the best for stews. They are considered healthy with a variety of cooking options.
Conclusion
In the end, when it comes to red vs gold potatoes, it is a hard choice, but if you know what you desire to cook. The texture of the potatoes is unique, and their flavours are also distinctive from each other, limiting their use in food.
The red potato has a firm outside and smooth texture, mostly available in round shapes. It has low starch and is moist inside, which holds the shape intact.
On the other side, the gold/Yukon potatoes are golden in colour and have a creamy and buttery texture that makes your dish fluffy as it cooks.
They are cooked in various ways, such as roasting, boiling, frying and mashing. These cooking methods will all end up giving you flavourful results like potato salad, boiled potatoes, creamy mashed potatoes, and soups/stews.
Potatoes are a healthy vegetable with necessary nutrients like protein, carbohydrate and calories. Understanding the difference between red versus gold potatoes will make your cooking interesting and healthy.
Overall, choosing the best potato between red vs gold potatoes is not a difficult thing unless you know what you need and what your purpose is with the significant flavour and texture.
FAQs on Red Vs Gold Potatoes
Ans. The gold potatoes are considered better than red as they are versatile to cook with. They have a creamy and buttery texture that melts in your mouth. The sweet flavour of this potato brings lift to the dish by making it flavourful.
Ans. The red coloured potato is the healthiest compared to the gold potato. It is rich in micronutrients, including vitamin C, potassium and protein. They have many more antioxidants than gold potatoes. The healthiest way to eat them is to boil or roast.
Ans. You should not eat potatoes when they turn green and start sprouting. At this stage, they have a high toxin level. If they feel soft to the touch and smell bad because of mould or black spots, then discard them immediately.
Ans. Gordon Ramsay used Yukon gold potatoes for the mashed potatoes. He stated that they are creamy and light in texture, which makes the dish rich in quality. They get fluffy as you cook them according to herbs and seasoning. It also absorbs the seasoning really well to serve amazing flavours on the plate.