Gluten free diet is easier with potatoes, an ideal carbohydrate and perfect gluten free food.
If you need to replace gluten containing foods because you have a gluten allergy or are celiac, potatoes are a great source of starch.
Potatoes are fine for breakfast, lunch or dinner. And there are many types of potato to choose from, each with its own characteristics.
Potatoes – Many Types for your Gluten Free Diet
There are almost 4,000 varieties of potatoes! But you won’t find that many available in stores. Still, even at your least inspiring supermarket, there should be two or three varieties for different purposes: baking, boiling, etc.
New potatoes are harvested early in the season while the tubers are still young and growing. They are small and tasty, but only available early in the season.
Fully grown potatoes (maincrop potatoes) store very well, which is why they are available year round.
The list below indicates those potatoes that are primarily available as new potatoes with “(new)” after the name of the variety.
Alex potatoes (new) have a nice mild favor and are great in salads.
Atlantic are perfect for making fries.
Anya potatoes (new) have a nutty taste when new.
Bel Rus great steamed, baked or for scalloped potatoes. This skin becomes thick and crunchy when baked.
Cara is a large potato. Good baked or boiled.
Deserée has pinkish skin and yellowish flesh. A good general purpose potato.
Carlingford (new or maincrop) is suitable for most cooking methods.
Epicure (new) have a distinctive flavor.
Estima is rather tastless but widely available for some reason. If it doesn’t have an interesting taste, name it as if it does!
Finger (new) are available in different varieties. Great in salads or with butter and parsley.
Francine is red-skinned and creamy fleshed. Great for steaming or for scalloped potatoes.
Frisia has a moist and slightly waxy texture.
Goldrush has a russet skin.
Gold Wonder has a russet skin. It is good for boiling, roasting and excellent for baking and making fries.
International Kidney is similar to the Jersey Royal. It as a nice buttery flavor.
Jersey Royals (new) are often the earliest to come out. They are also one of the nicest. They come from Jersey so you probably won’t find them outside of the UK.
Kerr’s Pink has pink skin and creamy flesh.
King Edward has a flowery texture, perfect for roasting and baling, not so good for boiling, unless mashed.
Linzer Delikatess (new) look like Jersey Royals.
Maris Peer (new) stays firm when cooked so it is ideal for salads.
Maris Piper is great for all cooking methods including boiling, baking and making fries.
Maori Chief (new) are from New Zealand. They have dark purplish skin and flesh, and taste a bit sweet.
Nicola has smooth skin and deep yellow flesh. It has a great buttery taste. Its a good general purpose potato and is great in salads.
Penta come apart when boiled. Steam them instead.
Pentland Dell has a floury texture. They aren’t so good for boiling but they are great for roasting.
Ratte has a chestnut flavor. Great in salads.
Russet Burbank have a russet skin. The flesh is flavorful and floury.
Sante (new or maincrop) often available organic.
Wija has a sweet flavor.
The Potato-Based Gluten Free Meal
Potatoes can be prepared in many ways. This variety makes it a great food to keep in mind as part of your gluten-free diet. If you plan to make the potato the center of the meal, baking them, than adding sour cream or cheese is a good bet. That and a side-order of vegetables makes a pretty good meal, although you wouldn’t want to eat this way all the time.
You could also make a kind of Cesar’s salad, substituting new potatoes for croutons. Some of the maincrop potatoes listed above are noted for their suitability in salads so you can do this year round.
Most celiacs and otherwise gluten intolerant don’t do well with milk products, although most are OK with butter, especially clarified butter.
Store potatoes in a cool dry place in the dark, or they will start to sprout.
If there are green patches on the skin, cut them out before preparing as they are mildly toxic and you won’t feel well if you eat them like that.
Most of the nutrients in a potato are just below the skin. On the other hand, mold sometimes grows just below the skin and may be hidden. If in doubt, peal. This often isn’t necessary for thin-skinned potatoes.
If you think cutting out wheat and gluten will deprive you of your carbohydrates, I think you will agree that with the large variety of potatoes to choose from, you won’t lack for a choice in starches, even when considering this one type of food.
Next time you wonder how to eat without wheat, start planning your meal around potatoes and you will find that eating gluten free is easy.
What has your experience been with including potatoes in your gluten free diet?
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Are Russet potatoes a guten-free food?
Yes they are, although having said that, it does depend on how they were prepared. If you buy Russet potatoes from the grocer and boil or bake them, you will be fine.