How to Peel Potatoes the Easy Way

Yes, making mashed potatoes from scratch seems like a hassle, especially on a weeknight. You have to spend a chunk of time peeling potatoes just to get to the good part! That’s why we were thrilled to find a hack on TikTok that explains how to peel potatoes the easy way.

It’s much less time consuming, which means you’ll be able to enjoy buttery mashed potatoes in no time.

The Easy Way to Peel Potatoes

Gone are the days of spending tons of time peeling a bag of potatoes. Sure, you can leave the skins on for tons of dishes, including these Cheese & Herb Potato Fans. But sometimes there’s just no way of getting around it… like when you want to enjoy a plate of creamy mashed potatoes.

TikTok user @thatdudecancook showed us a quick way for how to peel potatoes—and it’s simple. Just stick a fork in the potato, peel the long sides using a peeler, pull the fork out and peel the top and bottom of the spud. That’s it!

@thatdudecancookBest potato hack ever #potato #kitchenhacks #cookingtips #cooking #learnontiktok♬ original sound – Sonny Hurrell

Psst: Here’s why you find yourself with pink potatoes when you’re cutting them.

Does This Potato Peeling Hack Work?

spafra/Getty Images

It seems to work best with medium and larger sized potatoes, because you take longer strokes with the potato peeler. Of course, you still need to work your way around the bumpy parts, but the time spent on the project overall is way less. Don’t forget that you have to stick the fork pretty deep into your potato to keep it steady while peeling—otherwise it will roll away.

Now that you know the TikTok way to peel potatoes, check out this TikTok hack for mashed potatoes.

How to Peel Potatoes Without a Peeler

Haven’t got a potato peeler? Use this hack for no-peel mashed potatoes. Start with a whole baked potato and cut it in half crosswise. Then, with a wire rack placed over a bowl, place the half piece of potato flesh-side down and press it through the rack. The potato will squeeze through the holes, leaving only the skin on top.

Another trick is using ice cold water. Before boiling your potatoes, cut a line across the center of the spud using a knife—but don’t cut too deep. Then boil your potatoes as you normally would. When they’re tender, transfer the potatoes to a bowl of ice water or rinse them off in a colander with cold water. Using the line you cut as your guide, gently peel the skin off of the potatoes. The skin should come off easily—and you won’t need any tools besides your hands!