Can you still use sprouted potatoes? Yes – when you open a bag of potatoes and find they have all sprouted, use one – or more – of these ideas so that they don’t go to waste.
I’m so glad you’re here! Besides tips on using sprouted potatoes, AOC is a place where you’ll find easy, real food recipes, tips to be smart in the kitchen, and using up what we have. See more potato recipes here and more kitchen tips here.
When I found 5-pound bags of organic potatoes on sale for .99 each I, of course, had to buy two. However, since organic potatoes are not sprayed with a sprout inhibitor, I was faced with about seven pounds of sprouting potatoes only a week later.
You know I try very hard not to throw food away, and yet I don’t want to eat potatoes for the next week, either. I think I’m not the only person ever faced with this problem, right?
I did a little research and came up with a number of ways to use these potatoes before they become shriveled and inedible, which I thought I’d share with you (and not because I’ve always wanted to have a picture of sprouted potatoes on my blog, ha!).
But first, a little Q&A:
Why do potatoes sprout?
It’s how they grow. When planted in the ground, the sprouts will grow up through the soil, becomeing green foliage and the tuber will feed the new plant. As it grows, the original tuber will shrink and become mushy or non-existent, but there will be a lot of new tubers growing all around it from the new plant. It’s the plant’s life cycle.
Like I mentioned, conventionally grown potatoes have been sprayed with a growth-inhibitor and it’s why you can have a 10-pound bag for longer in your pantry without sprouting. Organics don’t do this, so you have to use them up sooner.
Are sprouted potatoes safe to eat?
Yes, as long as they’re still firm to the touch. Just cut out the sprouts and eyes and proceed with your recipe.
Is there a point they’re NOT safe to eat?
Not really unsafe, but if they are really wrinkled and shriveled, the starch as turned to sugar (in preparation to feed the plant that is sprouting) and the nutrient value is pretty much gone. At that point, they’re only good for the garden or the compost pile, really.
Can I do anything to keep them from sprouting in the future?
Storing them in a cool, dark, place will go a long way to keeping them from sprouting as fast. Also, store them away from onions (I know we always see these two stored together, but the onions will make the potatoes sprout faster!).
One more thing:
Oh, and if your potatoes have a green cast to the skin, they’ve been exposed to too much light. This green is considered a toxin (potatoes are in the nightshade family), so you should always peel off any green areas of any potato.
So grab your potatoes and choose one or more of these ideas – after you’ve washed them and cut off all the sprouts, that is (by the way, these ideas all work for non-sprouted potatoes, too, except for the last idea – then you’d actually want to wait until they’ve sprouted!).
7 Things To Do With Sprouted Potatoes
1) Make Twice Baked Potatoes and freeze for later.
To freeze: after stuffing, but before the second baking, lay them on a cookie sheet and freeze completely; transfer to freezer, removing as much air as possible, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and bake as normal. I’ve done this many times and it’s such a treat to have twice-baked potatoes in the freezer!
2) Bake, grate, and freeze as Freezer Hash Browns.
I love this so much – I’ve just done without hash browns for years because I didn’t want all the extra ingredients that come with store-bought. My family is really enjoying these again and it’s very convenient.
3) Bake, cut, and freeze for Freezer Home Fries.
This is a variation of the grated recipe in #2, except you just chop the potatoes to freeze and when you’re ready to eat, just cook them with butter, onions, and peppers.
4) Boil and make mashed potatoes – eat now or freeze for later.
To freeze mashed potatoes: divide the mixture into meal-sized portions into pans, dot with butter, wrap in foil and freeze. When ready to serve, thaw the pan overnight and heat in the oven for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees, until warmed through.
5) Add some of the potatoes to a slow cooker and make Baked Potato Soup for dinner.
Bonus: the leftovers of this soup can be frozen, too!
6) Make these awesome looking Egg-Stuffed Baked Potatoes for breakfast.
Just save a few of the baked potatoes from either of the baked recipes above for tomorrow’s breakfast.
7) Of course, if it’s potato planting time where you live, you can plant them.
Plant them in the ground or in a tall container (even a clean garbage can) where they’ll get a lot of sun. You actually want to sprout your potatoes before planting, so you’re half way there! (f you haven’t grown potatoes before, make sure to check out my easy potato planting method.
What are your favorite ways to use sprouted potatoes?
Here are a few more recipes that use potatoes:
Easy Slow Cooker Garlic Scallop Potatoes
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mickey says
well doesnt help a bit. do you make the potatoes just as is? like if i boil them do i just throw them in hole sprouts and all? can i still use the whole potato how old does it get before i cant use it?
we all know how to make french fries and hasbrowns also a baked potato. especially the ones who just throw it in the microwave for 5 mins lol. but are the sprouts ok to eat?
Jami says
Well, the article was on what to do with the potatoes, Mickey, not the sprouts. 😉 And no – don’t eat the sprouts – cut them out and toss them. If the potatoes are getting soft, that’s when you’d want to grate them or something – they won’t be as good for baked potatoes and such.
HP Smitty says
I bought 40 lbs. of Colorado russets in Delta, Colorado, for $10 and made $30 worth of homemade ranch tater tots with bacon. Sorry, Idaho. Colorado potatoes are superior to Idaho potatoes!
Jami says
Wow, that’s a lot of tater tots!
Elizabeth Wade says
Can you please answer a few questions for me? I am a brand new gardener and I have cut the ends off of some soft russet potatoes. What’s next? How long before the sprouts come out? Do the sprouts plant downward? How deep?
Thank you so much.
Elizabeth
Jami says
Hi Elizabeth – I’m so glad you are venturing into the world of gardening! The sprouts will emerge from the ‘eyes’ of the potatoes, the little indentations that often show rough spots where the sprouts are starting. Your pieces should have at least 2-3 eyes on them. They will sprout in a few weeks and you plant them with the sprouts growing up (they are the potato plant stems, not the roots, so never plant them down). Here’s an article that goes into more details: http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/potato/sprouting-seed-potatoes.htm
Happy gardening!
aralia says
I love the hashbrown idea! I am going to try that out. i have two big bags my friend brought me but no way i can eat them as quick as they need to be eaten!
Felicia says
If you have a pressure canner, you can can your potatoes! Peel, pack into jars raw, add warm water, salt and when your canning the potatoes cook to the perfect texture!
Jami says
Great tip, Felicia – thanks!
John adams says
People seem to think that when you buy potatoes in the winter they have just been dug up.these are all dug up in October.so if you buy in march they
are 5 months old. farmers store these
Correctly.dark and cold.there is no such thing as a fresh potato in the winter contrary to what people think.
Addison says
I manage a small coffee bar/cafe/bookstore. We make a lot of our winter soups from scratch. Usually I don’t peel potatoes for our soups because I prefer my potatoes unpeeled (and I know it’s more nutritious to use unpeeled potatoes) (and it IS about me, isn’t it, lol??). Anyway. I had a bag of potatoes that was starting to sprout and decided to peel them–just to get the sprouts off, you see? Big Mistake, at least for that particular morning. I was either: too rushed or too unattentive…and ended up taking a huge chunk out of the tip of one of my fingers with the vegetable peeler. I will spare y’all the ensuing icky details!! However, from now on I will either: try to use up potatoes BEFORE they sprout (so as not to vigoursly whack off any more tips of my precious digits) or delegate this particular chore to my staff….’cause obviously peeling sprouted potatoes is not something I can effectively tackle!! So…cautionary tale here: Beware The Sprouted Spud. It is something that challenges (and potentially smacks back at) the best of us!
Jami @ An Oregon Cottage says
I will be doubly careful now. 🙂
Diana says
A very handy post, since during the summer especially, those big bags of potatoes (which often cost less than the smaller bags here!) decline pretty quickly.
Lady Farmer says
I thought you weren’t supposed to eat sprouted potatoes so I usually plant them or just throw them away. Growth inhibitor has never affected the growing capabilities of any of the potatoes I have planted ~ in fact, they grow better than the seed potatoes I have bought! I planted a whole #5 bag of sprouted store bought red potatoes one year and haven’t needed to plant potatoes again! I must have misssed one or two when harvesting and they come up EVERYWHERE each year now! :~/ Good thing I love potatoes! :~D
Jami @ An Oregon Cottage says
I had heard something similar, but come to find out it’s just the sprouts themselves that are toxic (and you’d have to eat a LOT of them for anything bad to happen) – but I always cut them off anyway. As long as the potatoes are still firm, you’re good to go!
I did not have your luck planting store potatoes – they were covered in scab when I harvested. 🙁 And I never have volunteers like you do – that’s kinda nice!
Sapphire says
Hi, Jami! I just found your beautiful site today while reading different articles on whether you can eat sprouted potatoes. I’ve read quite a few (I always double check answers, just to make sure I didn’t just happen to click a quack site first! lol), and I found some that were from Universities doing studies on sprouted potatoes. They say it’s fine to eat potatoes when they get soft, and a little spongy even, just not when they’ve shriveled and are losing their water (you know, when they start feeling lighter and airy). But I agree, once they start getting soft, they won’t be too great for baking – though I’ll admit that I’ve “baked” some softer ones in the mic and they were yummy, but didn’t have the fluffy texture you get in the oven with fresh potatoes. I’ve also used soft ones for mashed potatoes, and they’re wonderful!! They are wetter cutting them up when soft – maybe that has something to do with how great they turn out using the soft ones. But anyways, I’m excited to try some of your recipes! 😛 (And I even found out something new reading these comments – I had *no* idea you could make Tater-Tots at home! So now I will have to look up some recipes! haha) Take care, Jami! I’m off to look at more of your site! xo ~Sapph
Jami says
Thanks for the information, Sapph – I hope you find more recipes to enjoy!
Jenny says
This is good to know. I didn’t know they spray potatoes with a sprout inhibitor. Another reason to buy organic when I can. Good potato ideas too.