25 Healthy Potato Recipes That Offer Comfort and Nutrition

People have eaten potatoes for thousands of years. The root vegetables were originally cultivated by the Incas in ancient Peru but are still enjoyed across the world today in a variety of recipes.

Potatoes are a rich source of many nutrients, including fiber, copper, potassium and vitamins C and B6, according to the USDA. They're low in fat and protein and consist mainly of carbohydrates.

In addition to being a nutritious source of vitamins and minerals, potatoes are known for being filling and satisfying. Compared to other carbohydrate-rich foods like rice and pasta, potatoes may help you feel more satiated after eating them, according to a November 2018 study in ‌Nutrients‌.

Despite the many benefits of eating potatoes, some people avoid them. But complex carbs like potatoes help you meet your nutritional needs and supply your body with energy.

While some potato recipes can be high in calories and fat depending on the ingredients, there are many that make for healthful additions to any meal plan. Plus, they're comforting and delicious.

What matters most is what you do with your spuds. So, here are 25 recipes to help you use up those potatoes.

You'll be a fan of the convenience of these personal-size hash browns, along with the delicious filling. As a dietitian, I can get behind the nutritious pairing of eggs and colorful baby potatoes, and most importantly when it comes to weight management, the built-in portion control.

Trust us: Even without sauce or cheese, this dish delivers on taste and nutrition. The rosemary, onion and potato combo make this a culinary delight. The whole-wheat pastry flour and whole-wheat pizza dough give this dish street cred with nutritionists.

Nutritionally speaking, there's nothing redeeming about fast-food French fries. A medium serving has about 375 calories, 18 grams of fat, 220 milligrams of sodium, 50 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber and 4 grams of fiber, according to the USDA. And let's be real: If you're headed to the drive-through, you're probably not ordering just fries.

Enter the Asiago Roasted Potato Wedges — a healthier option that's still incredibly tasty. Each serving has just 224 calories (and you're likely not pairing these with a burger and soda), 16 grams of fat, 606 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein.

This potato salad recipe makeover is a winner. A serving of your typical, mayo-based potato salad has 358 calories and 20 grams of fat, according to the USDA. This dish not only reduces the number of calories by 60 percent, but it also manages to bump up the nutritional offerings by adding in kale.

Potatoes plus chorizo plus tacos. Aside from tasting delicious, they're good for you, too. Each taco is under 150 calories, which means a healthy portion is about two to three tacos.

Also, the purple in the potatoes comes from plant compounds called anthocyanins, according to a June 2015 study in ‌Food Science and Technology‌. These compounds have antioxidant properties, which can help support heart health, per a June 2018 paper in ‌Plant Foods for Human Nutrition‌.

If you have trouble getting your kids to eat their veggies, put them on a stick and add a dip. Making foods fun and appealing, with tactics like skewering potatoes and adding a healthy dip, can help your kids ‌want‌ to eat more vegetables, according to the USDA.

This is key because 93 percent of children don't get enough veggies on a daily basis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Serve up these skewers, though, and they're sure to be a hit!

This vegan breakfast provides a healthy balance of macros, sure to keep you feeling satisfied throughout the day. Each serving is about 40 percent carbs, 40 percent fat and 20 percent protein.

Traditional breakfast foods like plain oats, cereal and toast are carb-based and fall short in the protein category. This is why most people have protein later in the day as a part of lunch and dinner, according to a January 2014 paper in the ‌Journal of Nutrition‌.

Incorporating protein into your breakfast is important for helping to build lean muscle, which plays an important role in maintaining your metabolism and, ultimately, supporting your weight-management goals. This dish offers 12 grams of the satiating nutrient.

If vegetarians felt like they were missing out on the potato-taco magic (see recipe #5 above), fear not — we've got you covered. This meat-free option uses beans instead. Paired with cheese and Greek yogurt, each taco provides 8 grams of protein.

By reducing the mayo and adding Greek yogurt in its place, you're cutting out fat, yes, but you're still keeping the creamy goodness we know and love about potato salad, while also increasing the protein content.

This recipe is much lower in calories compared to traditional potato salad. Each serving has less than 140 calories compared to the more than 350 calories provided in a serving of homestyle potato salad, according to the USDA.

Creamy soups typically mean, well, that cream has been added, and that equates to more saturated fat and calories. The trick with this recipe is achieving creaminess by including potatoes and making it a blended soup‌.‌

Blended soups may have the upper hand when it comes to weight loss. Thicker blended soups take longer to digest and provide the greatest feelings of fullness, according to an October 2012 study in the ‌European Journal of Clinical Nutrition‌.

We can't forget potato chips! Yes, your beloved salty snack can be healthy if you bake the chips instead of frying them and cut out the oil altogether. Vinegar helps to saturate the chips, so you won't miss the oil, while also adding to the flavor and saltiness.

Each serving has just 121 calories, 26 grams of carbs, 3 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein — and no fat. A typical serving of chips provides 25 percent more calories (157 calories), 10 grams of fat, 15 grams of carbohydrates, just 1 gram of fiber and 2 grams of protein, according to the USDA.

Move over fruit smoothies, and make way for sweet potato smoothies. As their name suggests, sweet potatoes are a sweet source of potato goodness. They have an impressive nutrition profile with 4 grams of fiber and 2.1 grams of protein per cup, according to the USDA.

Making a sweet potato smoothie requires a bit of prep, but the result is worth it. Peel, chop, boil and freeze your sweet potatoes ahead of time, and add about a cup's worth to your morning smoothie throughout the week to start your day off with a fiber-rich breakfast that is pleasant on your taste buds.

You can go in many directions with a potato salad, and this recipe offers a Mediterranean flare. It calls for yellow potatoes, red onions, Kalamata olives and fresh herbs like parsley and cilantro, so it's full of flavor and a variety of nutrients. The lemon-based dressing adds a citrusy tang and offers some vitamin C.

This recipe only requires 10 minutes of prep, so save it for busy weeknights. It can be eaten cold or heated up, so it's perfect for meal prep and summer lunches.

Using sweet potatoes as an alternative to toast adds a wider variety of nutrients to your diet if you're used to eating the same meal every day for breakfast.

Sweet potato toast is more versatile than you'd think. Lean into the natural sweetness with fruit and jam toppings, or go for a savory twist with nut and seed butter. The combinations are endless, so you'll never get tired of this one.

Prepping breakfast at night makes it easier to make healthy choices in the morning, per the FDA. This frittata recipe only takes 10 minutes to whip together and can be stored in the fridge for quick breakfasts throughout the week.

There's nothing more convenient than finding breakfast already prepped and ready to pop in the oven or reheat in the microwave before school or work. The eggs and cheese provide protein while the veggies provide fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Batata harra, which translates to "spicy potatoes," is a traditional Lebanese dish. It typically involves deep frying potatoes in oil, but roasting vegetables is a low-fat alternative to enjoying the flavorful dish without the grease.

This recipe still calls for many of the same ingredients in the full-fat version: lemon juice, cilantro, garlic and red chili flakes. Any type of potato will work for this recipe, so use what you have on hand to save yourself a trip to the grocery store.

An easy way to incorporate any ingredient into your meal plan is by turning it into a sauce or dip. You can turn avocado into guacamole, cucumber into tzatziki and sweet potato into hummus.

Not only is this recipe high in fiber, vitamins and minerals, but you can also increase the nutrients even more by dipping chopped veggies like carrots and bell peppers or whole-grain crackers into the hummus.

American recipes like fries and mashed potatoes make the root veggie very popular in the United States, but potatoes are also a big part of Indian cuisine.

Aloo curry, an Indian dish made from potatoes and spices, is a quick, simple and oh so comforting way to use up the potatoes in your pantry while expanding your palate. The recipe calls for ghee, a lactose-free alternative to butter.

Cooking with potatoes doesn't have to be complicated. This chili recipe only requires a handful of simple ingredients. Traditional chili uses animal protein from ground beef, but this vegetarian-friendly recipe gets its protein from black beans.

While this potato recipe is pretty simple, you can jazz it up with toppings like jalapeno slices, cilantro, green onion or avocado.

If you love southwest flavors, turn your next potato salad into a taco salad with baby potatoes. Corn and potatoes are a nutritious and flavorful duo. Corn is a rich source of insoluble fiber, B vitamins, zinc and iron, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Making this recipe is quick and easy — mix vegetables like potatoes, corn, tomatoes, onion and bell pepper into a large mixing bowl with a taco-spiced vinaigrette. The result is a refreshing salad or side dish that's perfect for picnics, potlucks and parties.

There's no better trio than potatoes, butter and Parmesan cheese. The only way to improve creamy potatoes is by pairing them with fresh herbs like parsley and spices like garlic and Italian seasoning, and that's exactly what this recipe does.

It also offers a satisfying crunch on the exterior while keeping the interior of potatoes soft and creamy.

Potato recipes are usually pretty mild in terms of spiciness, but this one is for those who can handle the heat. It calls for Thai red curry paste and red chili flakes, which will make your tastebuds tingle.

Eating spicy food may actually have some health benefits. They're tied to improvements in heart health and reduced inflammation, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Roasting vegetables is one of the most nutritious ways to cook them because it requires very little fat. This cooking method is also quick in terms of preparation, though you'll have to wash, peel and chop your veggies before popping them in the oven.

Sheet pan recipes like this one are great for busy weeknights. Plus, carrots are a great source of fiber, manganese, vitamin A and vitamin B6, according to the USDA.

Lemon juice is a nutrient-dense addition to many recipes. It's known for its vitamin C content, but lemon juice is also a source of minerals like calcium and potassium, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Squeeze it on salmon, mix it in your water and add it to salad dressings — the acidity enhances the flavor of other ingredients while brightening the recipe.

This Greek-inspired potato recipe relies on lemon juice for a tangy flavor while also adding some nutrients. The flavors from the lemon juice, garlic and parsley marry together for a dish that's balanced in nutrition ‌and‌ taste.

Pizza is a comfort classic, and you don't have to give it up when you want to focus on foods that are more nutrient-dense. The good old potato is the answer. You can use it as a pizza topping or as the crust, in which case you can add even more veggies on top.

This potato recipe is a no-brainer, and it's vegan-friendly.