How to Cut Potatoes

Name: How to Cut Potatoes - 4 Ways
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 large russet potato

Yumna Jawad

Updated Nov 29, 2025

5 from 180 votes

Learn how to cut potatoes into wedges, slices, sticks, and cubes with simple step-by-step instructions. A quick guide to prep potatoes and prevent browning.

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Prep Time 5

Servings 1 serving

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Clean the Potatoes
How to
How to Cut Potatoes – 4 Ways Recipe
Tutorial Tips
Recipes to Make with Cut Potatoes
FAQs
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cutting potatoes is easy!

I cut potatoes a lot in my kitchen, wedges for Baked Potato Wedges, sticks for Air Fryer French Fries, cubes for soups like my creamy vegetable soup, and thin slices for gratins or a Potato Galette. After doing it a million times, I’ve learned that having a simple method for each shape makes prep way faster and safer. So here’s exactly how I cut potatoes depending on what I’m cooking, plus the one thing I always do after cutting to keep them from browning.

Happy Cooking!
– Yumna

Clean the Potatoes

First things first, all potatoes need to be washed. Even if you’re peeling and slicing, you can still transfer surface dirt with a peeler or knife, so make sure to give your potatoes a good scrub. This goes for russet potatoes or any tubers (even if they’re organic!).

Scrubbing a potato under running water. — **Step 1:** Rinse your potatoes under cold running water.

Drying off potato with a towel. — **Step 2:** Use a vegetable brush, paper towel, or clean dishcloth to gently scrub away dirt. Just don’t scrub so hard that you remove the skin (if you want to eat it).

How to Cut Potatoes

I love to use potatoes in so many different recipes. But, because potatoes are so versatile, there are plenty of ways to cut them based on the dish at hand. Check out these four popular cuts below:

Wedges for oven fries
Slices for potato gratins
Sticks for smaller fries (or the first step in cubes)
Cubes for everything from soups and stews to potato salads.

Potato Wedges

Slicing a potato in half, lengthwise. — **Step 1:** Using a sharp knife, slice the potato in half.

Slicing each half again, the same way. — **Step 2:** Place the cut side down on the cutting board and slice again in half lengthwise.

Slicing small sections of each quarter, in the same direction. — **Step 3:** Cut each quarter in half again for 8 wedges. If your potato is supersized, you may want to halve these wedges again.

Potato wedges on a cutting board after cut. — **Step 4:** Continue cutting until you reach the end of the potato.

Potato Slices

Cutting the root of the potato off. — **Step 1:** With your sharp knife, start at the root of the potato and carefully slice to your desired thickness.

Cutting the potato in the same direction to create small slices. — **Step 2:** Continue until you reach the other end of the potato.

Potato Sticks

Cutting the potato lengthwise to make a flat surface. — **Step 1:** Again, with a sharp knife, make a thin slice lengthwise so the potato sits flat on the cutting board.

Slicing small slices lengthwise, with the potato sitting on the previously cut surface. — **Step 2:** Slice the potato lengthwise to your desired thickness.

Stacked slices together, cut side down, cutting lengthwise. — **Step 3:** Stack the slices together, flip the stack over so the cut side is down, and cut lengthwise to make sticks.

Potato sticks on cutting board after cut. — **Step 4:** Continue cutting until you reach the end of the potato.

Potato Cubes

Potato sticks bunched together, cutting small sections perpendicularly. — **Step 1:** First, cut potato sticks.

Continued dicing of the potato. — **Step 2:** Now, make perpendicular cuts across your stack until you your potato is completely cubed.

How to Cut Potatoes – 4 Ways

Author: Yumna Jawad

5 from 180 votes

This is a simple, easy potato-cutting tutorial! Learn the best ways to cut a potato into wedges, slices, sticks or cubes for different recipes!

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Prep Time5

Total Time5

Servings serving

Ingredients

▢ 1 large russet potato

Instructions

Wash and dry potatoes before starting. Peel the potatoes, if desired.

Cut the potato in desired shape:

Potato Wedges: Using a sharp knife, cut the potato in half lengthwise. Place the cut side down on the cutting board and cut in half lengthwise. Cut each quarter in half again, and you should have 8 wedges.
Potato Slices: Using a sharp knife, start at the root of the potato and carefully make slices to your desired thickness. Continue until you reach the other end of the potato.
Potato Sticks: Using a sharp knife, make a thin slice lengthwise so the potato sits flat on the cutting board. Slice the potato lengthwise to your desired thickness. Stack the slices together and cut lengthwise to make sticks.
Potato Cubes: Start by cutting potato sticks, then make perpendicular cuts all across to create the dices.
Place the cut potatoes in cool water until ready to cook to prevent discoloration.

Equipment

Notes

My Top Tip: Place your potatoes on a flat surface. You don’t want them rolling away mid-slice!
Storage: Store your cut potatoes in an airtight container submerged in water in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours (after that, they’ll begin to degrade).

Nutrition

Calories: 164kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 13mg, Potassium: 897mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin C: 42mg, Calcium: 26mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

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Tutorial Tips

Make sure you knife is sharp enough. Potatoes can be tough, and if your knife slips while cutting, it can be dangerous! I like to use an extra sharp knife to make sure I get clean cuts without the potato rolling away.
Place your potatoes on a flat surface. You don’t want them rolling away mid-slice!

Recipes to Make with Cut Potatoes

FAQs

How do you soften potatoes for cutting?

If you are using a large potato that’s too tough to cut, you can microwave the potato for 1-2 minutes, depending on its size. That will make it much easier to cut without cooking the potato.

How to Cut Potatoes

Clean the Potatoes