Lancashire hotpot, fisherman’s pie, Jane Grigson’s shepherd’s pie: few foods comfort like an old-school potato dish. Luxuriate in these: Rory O’Connell’s roasties, Jeremy Lee’s proper chips and Simon Hopkinson’s sublime saffron mash. Brilliant winter warmers for January days. A little further afield we present Meera Sodha’s saag aloo, Giorgio Locatelli’s gnocchi and Fuchsia Dunlop’s potato slivers with chilli and Sichuan pepper. Potatoes have the ability to heal, I think, whether they’re the Quality Chop House’s signature confit or in Anja Dunk’s heartbreak soup. It uniquely nourishes us, the humble spud, never more than here in our 20 best potato recipes.
Shepherd’s pie by Jane Grigson (pictured above)
If you season the dish well, if you mash the potatoes especially for it, shepherd’s pie can be well worth eating.
Jeremy Lee’s chips with everything
So familiar, so seemingly simple, and when good they put a smile on a face as big as can be.
Tortilla with chorizo by Nieves Barragán Mohacho
A tortilla welcomes anything, so be adventurous with what you add: peppers, asparagus, leftover roast vegetables.
Mallmann’s squashed potatoes by Olia Hercules
A simple dish with familiar ingredients, the potatoes come out with a crispy bottom and a soft top.
Confit potatoes by the Quality Chop House
This legendary dish is something of a labour of love – but it’s worth it.
Peter Gordon’s minted baby potatoes, peas and creme fraiche
Delicious warm, even better at room temperature. If you can find jersey royals, they are ideal.
Blanche Vaughan’s Lancashire hotpot
An easy yet fulfilling dish to make, using just one pot.
Roast potatoes by Rory O’Connell
Cooked to achieve a golden brown crisp skin with a fluffy, floury interior. Bliss.
Simon Hopkinson’s saffron mash
If you are going to serve these potatoes with fish, then it is nice to cook them in fish stock.
Fisherman’s pie by Annie Bell
Aside from its obvious gustatory charm, the real joy of a fish pie is that you can prepare it well in advance.
Claudia Roden’s potato latkes
One of the most famous of Jewish foods, and can be marvellous if properly prepared, just before eating.
Black pudding and pink fir hash with duck eggs by Jess Murphy
Spuds and black pudding is the perfect Irish pairing, and out-trends avocado on toast any day.
Meera Sodha’s rainbow chard saag aloo
This dish uses a classic Gujarati spicing of cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli.
Giorgio Locatelli’s gnocchi with taleggio, radicchio tardivo and walnuts
Elegant and silky, these little clouds of flavour will dissolve in your mouth.
Claire Thomson’s llapingachos
Fried potato and cheese cakes, served with a peanut sauce and coriander and chopped tomato salsa.
Nigel Slater’s potatoes with smoked garlic and comté
Layer ‘almost’ transparent slices of potato with grated comté cheese, and make a side dish into a main course.
Simon Hopkinson’s cabbage, caraway and pepper soup with potato dumplings
Warming, comforting and nourishing. Make extra dumplings to enjoy the next day with hot sage butter.
Fuchsia Dunlop’s stir-fried potato slivers with chilli and Sichuan pepper
In Sichuanese cuisine, this is the most common method of cooking potatoes, where they remain a little crunchy.
Baked russet potato with black truffle butter by Sam Astley-Dean and Phil Howard
Push a piece of the truffle butter on top of the potato, finish with parmesan and pop under the grill to melt.
Anja Dunk’s heartbreak potato soup
It is no coincidence of course that bowl-food is comfort food, and this soup has great healing powers.
