First, we must confess: potatoes are liars. They look tough and sturdy, but they’re actually delicate little drama queens. The boiling time depends entirely on whether you cut them into cubes, wedges, or leave them whole like a lumpy, underground football.
If you cut your potatoes into one-inch cubes (think: bite-sized chunks of joy), you’re looking at about 10 to 15 minutes in a rolling boil. Whole potatoes? That’s a whole other beast. A medium russet potato needs 25 to 35 minutes, and a giant Idaho baker might take 45 minutes—plenty of time to question your life choices while staring at the bubbles.
Pro tip: Start your potatoes in cold salted water. If you drop them into boiling water, the outside cooks into mush while the inside stays raw. It’s like putting a winter coat on a snowman—counterproductive and frankly sad.
