Purple potatoes really are a MORE NUTRITIOUS POTATO packed with antioxidants!
Learn all about these brightly colored purple-licious spuds and enjoy tons of images celebrating their beauty!
What are Purple Potatoes & Where are They From?
Purple potatoes is a general all-encompassing name that refers to all potato varieties that are… purple!!! This includes conventional, hybrid and heirloom varieties. Their purple color ranges from deep, saturated, solid purple to a blue-purple, a violet-purple and a more marbled white-purple appearance.
Like other members of the potato family (Solanum tuberosum), purple potatoes come from a tuber plant native to the Andes mountain region in South America. They are native to Peru and Bolivia; spread to Europe in the 16th century via Spanish sailors and were introduced in the US in the mid 1980’s.
Today, purple potatoes are commercially cultivated in South America, North America, and Europe.
Purple potatoes are sometimes referred to as blue potatoes.
What do Purple Potatoes Taste Like
Purple potatoes taste similar to a regular russet potato. Their texture is less starchy and moister, and their flavor is slightly nuttier and earthier.
Why are Purple Potatoes more Nutritious than other Potatoes?
The natural plant pigment that gives potatoes their purple color, anthocyanin, also acts as an antioxidant!
It is precisely this high antioxidant content that’s the significant health difference between purple and other potatoes: purple potatoes contain about 4 times as many antioxidants as Russet potatoes! And there’s a slew of health benefits that result from these antioxidants.
Potatoes often get a bad rap because of their high starch content, but they contain loads of important nutrients and all potatoes are naturally high in potassium. The extra antioxidants make the potassium even more useful and effective than in other potato varieties. Purple potatoes are similar to the Russet potato in calories, protein, and carbs.
Eating purple potatoes can be a very healthy addition to your diet and is a wonderful way to boost your antioxidant intake and reduce inflammation!
Purple Potato Season & Availability
They may have been rare in the past, but these day you can find purple potatoes at most major supermarkets and of course, my preferred place to shop for produce, the farmers markets!
Purple Potatoes are available year-round, with peak season in the fall.
Purple Potato Varieties
There’s dozen varieties of purple potatoes
There are over 3,500 varieties of potatoes (whoa #diversity!!!) and dozens of varieties of purple potatoes. Although you won’t find most of these outside of Peru and Bolivia there’s still quite a range of variety that you can indeed find!
Purple potatoes come on all sorts of shapes and sizes.
The most common varieties include:
- All Blue
- Purple Peruvian
- Magic Molly
- Purple Majesty
- Adirondack Blue
- Purple Fiesta
- Vitelotte
- Purple Pelisse
- Brigus
- Michigan Purple
- Purple Eyes
- Purple Viking
- Congo
All Blue is the most commonly marketed purple potato and the one you’ll most likely find at the supermarket. Vines of this purple potato produce large, oblong potatoes with purple skin and flesh, with a light-colored layer just inside the skin. They are dry and mealy when baked and best for mashing and other cooked potato dishes.
How to Cook Purple Potatoes
Cook purple potatoes in all the same ways you’d cook non-purple potatoes!
Just like other potatoes, the skins are completely edible and filled with nutrients.
Best methods for cooking purple potatoes include boil, bake, braise, mash, grill, roast, fry and smash.
They are versatile; generally, have a medium starch content and hold their shape quite well.
If you make a purple potato creation I’d love to hear about it and see it too! Please leave a comment below and take a pic and tag it on Instagram with #chefdanielagerson.
If a recipe calls for potatoes, purple potatoes can DEFINITELY be used!
Purple Potato Photo Gallery
par-boiled & smashed purple potatoes smashed purple potatoes just out of the oven!
smashed potatoes all done! halfway through roasting - time to flip over! par-boiled and smashed potatoes
with olive oil, broth and oregano all done!
And one of these days I'll tackle a Purple Hasselback Gratin!
Hope this post inspired ya to add these vibrantly colored purple-licious beauties to your plate! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see more colorfully delicious, (especially purple-licious!) food and all sorts of awesome adventures!
And if you're as stoked in purple produce as I am, you'll love this purple Brussels sprouts post!
Let's make waves in the kitchen!
*And for some Purple Sweet Potato Images*
purple sweet potatoes cut into wedges and roasted in the oven served with a green tahini
purple sweet potato fries with chipotle aioli mashed purple sweet potatoes
Your purple potato picks are AMAZZZZING! Thanks si much for sharing! Saving this post as my purple potato go to spot! Thanks so much for sharing :)! 💜💜💜🥔💜
You are too cute Jacqui! Aren't purple potatoes simply stunning? And so super healthy too! I love them and really appreciate the feedback :).
Daniela your images are absolutely STUNNING! I’ve never seen so many pretty purple potatoes images at one time and great job with all the info! Very well written post!
You are too cute Alex! Such a pleasure to receive your super sweet feedback! GRACIAS :)!
Can I tell you just how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE this post?! I love purple potatoes so much! They always get the 'wow' look when you serve them. I love them sliced thin on a pizza.
Your pictures are fantastic and this is such a great post! So detailed!
Thank ya so much Lori! And yessss exactly they are so stunning, add such an awesome pop of purple color and are healthier too! Your comment made my day ~ really appreciate it :-):):).
i never knew that there were SO MANY potato varieties. i haven't had a purple potato yet, but i'll definitely be trying them soon!
Right?!?! That's cause the grocery stores tend to carry the same exact few varieties but yesssss there are soooo many! And ya gotta try the purple ones I think... love the color and they're the healthiest potato :)!
I love how vegetables can be so absolutely stunning without having to do much! Great photography! I have been trying to look for purple potatoes in Australia but they are proving to be elusive. I know they are so delicious too!
Thank ya so much Amy and I'm sending ya my very best find some purple potatoes in Australia vibes :)! Hope ya find some soon and I'd absolutely love to see them when ya do! And absolutely positively agreed on the stunning-ness of veggies :)!
This is such an interesting and stunning post! Your images are beautiful and all the info you are providing is so good! I am so intrigued to use purple potatoes again, when I had in the past I did not appreciate how wonderful they are. Thank you so much for the lovely post.
Absolute pleasure Jenny! Really flattered and honored to read your super sweet feedback :). And yesssss def use purple potatoes again ~ they add so much awesome color and are an even healthier potato :)! Thanks so much for your comment!
So excited to find this recipe as I love purple potatoes. We get them at our local farm stand and I wanted more info. I added lemon wedges to them as you suggest and so good. I baked them with lemon wedges and added some zest and they were a hit.
Amazing Eileen! So stoked to hear that! The lemon juice helps them retain their purple-licious color :). Thanks so much for the sweet feedback!
Okay, I am totally in awe over your incredibly gorgeous photos! I had no idea purple potatoes were so much healthier than russets. I have always been drawn to them because, well, they are purple!
Thank ya so much Aleta! And yessss they really are healthier - what gives them their pretty purple-licious color also acts as an antioxidant... how rad is that! Loved your feedback ~ thank ya!
Potatoes are always delicious. Have never tried Purple Potatoes ever. These look so colorful and vibrant. Thanks for so much of detailing to these nutritious and healthy purple potatoes.
Absolute pleasure! Thanks so much for the super sweet feedback :). And if ya ever get the chance to try purple potatoes, I *highly* recommend!
I really love Purple Potatoes! They are delicious and totally healthy. Perfect for my family.
Yaya + me too! Love the color and they really are a more nutritious potato! Win-win situation :)!
I haven't tried purple potatoes and not only are they pretty, but they are a healthier alternative, I love that! I can't wait to look for them. I think they are available as mini potatoes around here, the Andean variety that come in all sorts of colors. Thanks for the info!
Absolute pleasure Paula and yes I know that variety! And yes exactly - they're so stunning and they're color is so fun + they really are a healthier potato! Excited for you to try them :).
Haven’t seen them but your images are absolutely stunning. Thanks for sharing so much information about these.
Thank ya so much Gunjan! Really appreciate the sweet feedback and my images + crossing finger and toes that you'll score some purple taters soon :).
Wow! This is such an informative post and I got so many recipe ideas from your gorgeous photos! I already saved a few to make for the upcoming holiday season. Now I'm off to buy some purple potatoes!
Hehehehe so stoked to hear that Jamie! Yessss def get your purple potato game on this Holiday season! And I'd love to see whatcha make with them :).