I was cooking breakfast for some people recently and one of them asked me, “Chuck, how do you get such nice little uniform pieces of potato when you make your home fries?”
I said “I cut them like that”. I thought she was just teasing me.
Then I realized she was serious. I decided to give her a lesson on how to dice a potato.
If you want to improve your knife skills then pay attention. With a little practice you’ll be cutting like a pro in no time.
Get yourself a sharp knife. I like using a chef’s knife for just about everything. With a sharp chef’s knife you should be able to dice, slice and chop just about anything.
I also like to use a good cutting board. Sometimes I use a wooden cutting board and sometimes I use plastic. The important thing is that it’s a clean and flat surface.
I also suggest putting a damp piece of paper towel under your cutting board so it doesn’t move while you’re cutting.
How To Dice A Potato
Follow these simple steps to get the perfect bite-sized pieces.
Step One
The first step is to wash the potato under cold water. Potatoes usually still have a little dirt on their skin when you buy them.
If you see some dirt, don’t freak out. It’s a good thing. They grow in the ground. A little dirt is natural.
So scrub off any dirt under cold running water and dry off the potato with a paper towel or kitchen towel.
Step Two
If your recipe calls for peeled potatoes now is the time to peel it. Use a sharp vegetable peeler.
If you’re not peeling, move on to the next step.
Step Three
Now take your potato and cut it in half.
Step Four
Take each half of the potato and put it on the cutting board flat side down.
Step Five
Take your knife and cut lengthwise slices from each potato half.
Step Six
Take the potato slices and lay them out on the cutting surface. You can stack them on top of each other or you can leave them in a single layer.
Step Seven
Now cut the potato slices into thinner pieces. This would be the type of cut if you wanted to make french fries.
Step Eight
The next step is to take the french fry size potato pieces and cut them into small cubes.
Now you have diced potatoes.
It’s pretty easy. Once you do it a few times you’ll have a valuable skill for life.
What Size Dice Do You Need?
There are a few different size dices when you cut potatoes.
A small dice is generally cut into 1/4 inch sized cubs.
A medium dice is usually cut into 1/2 inch size cubes.
A large dice is about 3/4 inch sized cubes.
The thickness of the slice in each step will determine the size of your cubed potatoes.
If you cut thick slices you’ll end up with a chunkier dice.
If you cut thin slices you’ll get a smaller dice.
How To Dice A Potato FAQ
Does this method work with all types of potatoes?
Yes. You can use these steps for just about any type of potato. I use different potatoes for different recipes. I’ve used this dicing method for red potatoes, russet potatoes, and yukon gold potatoes.
I’ve also diced sweet potatoes which are much firmer than other potatoes. With sweet potatoes you need to be extra careful so the knife doesn’t slip off of the potato and cause an injury.
What are some ways to use diced potatoes?
You can use diced potatoes in so many recipes. Use them in potato salad, a hearty stew and a morning hash.
Sometimes I cook them in a frying pan with onions until they’re crispy golden brown. I serve them as a side dish with steak or pork chops.
One of my favorite recipes using diced potatoes is a hash with peppers and onions. I like dicing the potatoes up nice and small.
In my opinion a small dice gets you crispy perfection and avoids uneven cooking. Every small piece of potato gets perfectly seasoned and seared on the outside.
It’s how I get maximum flavor on my potatoes.
If you need any more cooking or cutting tips let me know. Make it nice!
