Natural form

New potatoes just harvested: small, round, with thin papery skin intact.

Shows the defining physical traits — small size, thin feathery skin, and earthy unprocessed form — that distinguish new potatoes from mature ones.

Produce

New Potato

Young, thin-skinned potato with waxy flesh, ideal boiled, roasted, or in salads.

New potatoes are immature potatoes harvested young, with thin, delicate skins and firm, waxy flesh. Their low starch content keeps them from falling apart, making them ideal boiled whole, roasted, or in potato salad. They have a slightly sweet, creamy taste and are best used soon after harvest.

A new potato is a potato harvested young, before the plant's vines have died back and the tubers have fully matured. The defining characteristics are thin, delicate skin that is often edible straight from the market, waxy flesh with high moisture content, and small starch granules that remain intact during cooking. This is the opposite of a mature baking potato: where a russet breaks down into fluffy strands when cooked, a new potato holds its structure tenaciously, making it the right choice for any dish where you want individual pieces to remain intact. Their brief shelf life is a genuine limitation — the delicate skin offers little protection against moisture loss and decay, so plan to use them within a few days of purchase. In the United Kingdom, "new potato" has legal standing under marketing standards specifying maximum dry matter and sugar content; in the United States it is a commercial harvest stage, with tubers typically dug by machine the same day they reach distributors to preserve their fragile skin.

Measured in: g
Storage: Pantry

Types & varieties

Red Norland

Round to oblong, bright red skin, white flesh; the most widely available new potato in North America; firm and holds shape well in all cooking methods

Yellow Finn

Oblong with golden skin and deep yellow, buttery flesh; excellent for roasting and boiling; retains a smooth, moist texture throughout cooking

White Rose

Oval to oblong, white to light tan skin, white flesh; very waxy; the traditional choice for potato salads on the US West Coast

Purple Viking

Round to oval, purple-streaked skin, white flesh with a purple-tinged ring; visually striking when roasted whole

Carola

Round to oval, golden skin, yellow flesh; mild, slightly sweet flavor; strong waxy texture; especially good boiled or roasted

Fingerling varieties

Many fingerlings are harvested young and sold as new potatoes; Yukon Gold sold small is sometimes marketed this way

Selecting and Storing

Buy firm, unblemished potatoes with tight, unwrinkled skin. Reject any with green discoloration (solanine buildup), visible sprouts, or soft spots — these indicate age, light exposure, or improper storage. The skin should be thin enough to rub off with a thumb but not already damaged or drying out. Store unwashed in a paper bag in the coolest, darkest part of the pantry. Do not seal them in plastic, which traps moisture and accelerates decay. If you need to hold them more than a few days, spread them on a single layer on a tray in the refrigerator, but use them as soon as possible — cold storage will begin converting starch to sugar, dulling their flavor and softening their texture. Do not wash until ready to use.

Look for tight, smooth skin with no wrinkles or blemishes
Avoid green-tinged or sprouted potatoes
Store unwashed in a paper bag in the coolest, darkest pantry spot
Refrigerate only if necessary and use within a few days

Understanding the Harvest Stage

New potato is a harvest stage, not a variety. Any potato variety can be sold as new potatoes when dug young. This distinction matters because it explains why you find red-skinned, yellow-skinned, and white-skinned new potatoes — each is simply the young form of a variety that, if left to mature, would develop thicker skin, higher starch, and a different texture. The practical consequence is that new potatoes from different varieties behave slightly differently: a Red Norland new potato will be slightly firmer and more assertive-flavored than a Yellow Finn new potato, but both share the waxy, moist character that makes them new potatoes rather than mature ones. In the UK and EU, marketing standards legally define what can be sold as new potatoes, specifying maximum dry matter and minimum specific gravity. In the US commercial market, new potatoes are typically harvested by machine and reach stores within the same day or day after harvest to preserve their delicate skin.

New potato is a harvest stage; any variety can be new if dug young
Varieties differ slightly in firmness and flavor even when harvested young
UK and EU law defines standards for the 'new potato' designation
US commercial new potatoes are harvested and shipped rapidly to protect fragile skin

Common uses

Boiled and dressed with butter and fresh herbs (dill, chives, parsley, tarragon)Roasted whole or halved at high heat (400°F+) with oil or fat until golden and crisp at the edgesVinaigrette or mayonnaise-based potato salads with mustard, pickles, and hard-cooked eggsPan-fried or sautéed after brief parboiling to develop a golden crustSteamed and served with sour cream, crème fraîche, or chivesWaxy soups such as cold vichyssoise or potato-leek preparations where the potato holds its shapePierogi and dumpling fillings, where waxy texture absorbs flavor without becoming glueyBreakfast hashes with eggs, bell peppers, and onionsSimple side: parboil, halve, toss with olive oil and thyme, roast until edges crispSmoked salmon and crème fraîche salads with whole boiled new potatoes as the base

Tips & pitfalls

Do not peel new potatoes — the thin skin is fully edible and protects the flesh during cooking; peeling causes them to absorb excess water and become waterlogged
Salt the boiling water generously — new potatoes absorb seasoning throughout their flesh during cooking, unlike mature potatoes which rely on surface seasoning
For the best roast, parboil halved new potatoes for 8–10 minutes until a skewer meets slight resistance, then drain, rough up the surfaces in the pot to create nooks for browning, toss with fat, and roast at 425°F or higher until deeply golden
Avoid overcooking — the line between done and mushy is narrow; immediately drain and spread on a sheet pan to steam dry and arrest carryover cooking
If boiling for salad, shock the drained potatoes in ice water immediately to cool them quickly and prevent further softening from residual heat
When buying, look for firm, unblemished potatoes with tight, unwrinkled skin; reject any with green discoloration, sprouts, or soft spots
Store unwashed in a paper bag in the coolest, darkest part of the pantry; do not seal in plastic, which traps moisture and causes rot
Common mistake: treating new potatoes like mature baking potatoes — they will not mash properly and will become gluey if overworked
Common mistake: using new potatoes in dishes that require fluffy, starchy texture — a gratin or baked potato needs a mature, high-starch variety, not new potatoes

Nutrition

58kcal

Energy

243 kJ · per 100 g

Where the calories come from

Protein 17%Carbs 82%Fat 1%

Protein

2.6g

5% DV

Carbs

12.4g

5% DV

Fat

0.1g

0% DV

Fiber

2.5g

9% DV

Sodium

10mg

0% DV

Notable micronutrients

Iron18% DV

Vitamin B614% DV

Vitamin C13% DV

Potassium9% DV

Niacin (B3)6% DV

Magnesium5% DV

Source · USDA FoodData Central · approx. Potatoes, raw, skin

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In the shops

Matched grocery products

Potato
210 g · Mercadona
€0.40
Potatoes
3 kg · Mercadona
€4.65
Potatoes
5 kg · Mercadona
€5.60
Red Potatoes
2 kg · Mercadona
€3.80
Potato 1 unit
Bonpreu
€0.45
Potato 1 unit
ud · Bonpreu
€0.70

Good to know

Harvest timing: 60–90 days after planting, before the plant dies back fully
Skin: Thin and delicate, often rubbed off easily with a fingertip; may be red, white, or yellow depending on variety
Flesh: Waxy and moist; cell walls stay intact when cooked, so pieces hold their shape
Starch content: Lower than mature potatoes; starch granules are smaller and less developed
Size: Generally 1–3 inches in diameter; smaller than mature potatoes of the same variety
Peak season: Late spring through early summer in the Northern Hemisphere; available nearly year-round from multiple plantings in temperate climates
Shelf life: 1–2 weeks in cool, dark, ventilated storage; do not refrigerate — cold converts starch to sugar and degrades texture
Preparation note: Skin is edible; scrub and cook without peeling
Forms sold: Sold whole, sometimes on the stem with small vine fragments attached; also sold as loose small potatoes

Substitutes

Fingerling potato — Closest substitute in waxy texture and small size; interchangeable in most preparations
Baby Yukon Gold — Similar small size and waxy flesh; slightly higher starch but still holds shape well
Red potato — Waxy and holds shape reliably; more widely available year-round; a dependable everyday substitute for boiling, roasting, and salads
Peewee or small mature potatoes — Small specimens of regular varieties work in a pinch; choose waxy-fleshed types rather than starchy russets

Pairs with

ButterFresh herbsDijon mustard Sour cream GarlicLemon zest and juiceCapersDuck fat or lardSmoked salmon and crème fraîcheEggs

Also called

New Potatoes · Baby Potato · Earlies