How Long to Steam Potatoes in Steamer? Key Timings

Steamed potatoes are soft, waxy, sweet, and delicious. Today, let me share with you the secret of steaming potatoes: how long should potatoes be steamed in a steamer!

How Long to Steam Potatoes in Steamer?

Under normal circumstances, it takes about 10 - 20 minutes to steam potatoes.

Whole Potatoes:

When steaming potatoes in an ordinary steamer, medium-sized potatoes need to be steamed for 15 - 20 minutes.

If the potatoes are larger or there are more of them, you can appropriately extend the time to over 20 minutes.

Cut Potatoes:

If you cut the potatoes into evenly sized pieces, the steaming time will be shortened to about 10 - 15 minutes.

Generally, the smaller the pieces of potatoes, the faster they will be cooked. Small pieces of potatoes can be cooked in about 10 minutes.

Pressure Cooker:

If you want to steam potatoes quickly, you can choose to use a pressure cooker. After the pressure cooker starts to release steam, it only takes about 6 minutes to cook.

Is It Better to Steam or Boil Potatoes?

Personally, I recommend steaming potatoes more.

Steamed potatoes are mainly steamed, and the potatoes do not come into direct contact with water.

Therefore, it can better retain the original taste and flavor of the potatoes. The steamed potatoes have a soft and waxy texture, and are great for making mashed potatoes, potato cakes, or just eating directly.

Secondly, there is very little nutrient loss when steaming potatoes. Water-soluble substances such as vitamin C can be well preserved, which is more beneficial for providing nutrients to the human body.

How Do You Steam Potatoes to Soften Them?

Master the following techniques to make potatoes soft, waxy, sweet, and delicious:

Cut the potatoes into evenly sized pieces:

You can cut the potatoes into pieces to make them heat more evenly during the steaming process and avoid having uncooked parts.

Soak for 5 minutes before steaming:

Before steaming the potatoes, soak the potato pieces in clear water for 5 minutes to remove the excess starch on the surface of the potatoes, making the steamed potatoes have a delicate texture and reducing the steaming time.

Blot dry the moisture with kitchen paper:

After soaking the potatoes, blot dry the surface moisture with kitchen paper to prevent the potatoes from becoming sticky during the steaming process due to too much moisture, and keep the potatoes dry and soft.

Put the potatoes in after the steamer starts to steam:

When steaming potatoes, wait until the water in the steamer boils and a large amount of steam emerges before putting the potatoes in. This can quickly lock in the moisture of the potatoes and make them soften in a short time.

Adjust the steaming time flexibly:

Steam the potato pieces for about 10 - 15 minutes. The specific time still needs to be adjusted according to the size of the potatoes and the thickness of the cut pieces.

Don't rush to open the lid after steaming:

After the potatoes are steamed, don't open the lid immediately. Let them simmer for 2 - 3 minutes. This makes the texture of the potatoes more soft and waxy, and at the same time allows the excess steam to condense, preventing the surface of the potatoes from drying out.

How Do You Know When Steamed Potatoes Are Done?

Test with a chopstick: When the potatoes are almost steamed, insert a chopstick through the middle. If it can be easily inserted, it means they are cooked. If it is very hard, it means they are not cooked.

Check the color: Raw potatoes are light yellow in color. After being steamed, the color will be darker and will show a golden color with a certain degree of luster.

Press the potatoes: Gently press the potatoes with your hand. If there is an obvious depression and it doesn't spread apart, it means they are cooked. If it is very hard when pressed, they need to be steamed further.

Smell the aroma: Raw potatoes don't have much of a smell, but steamed potatoes will have a faint fragrance.

Check the steaming time: Observe the steaming time of the potatoes. Generally, small potatoes need to be steamed for about 10 - 15 minutes; large potatoes need to be steamed for about 20 - 25 minutes.

How to Steam Potatoes Without Steamer?

You can still steam potatoes without a steamer. Here's how:

If you don't have a special steamer, you can find an ordinary deep pot, such as a stew pot or a soup pot.

Add water to the pot until it reaches about one-third of the pot. Find a steaming rack or a colander and place it in the pot to steam the potatoes separated from the water.

If you don't have a steaming rack, you can use chopsticks to build a rack in the pot, place the potatoes on it, and then cover the pot with a lid.

In this way, a simple makeshift steamer is ready.

Tips

You can also choose to steam potatoes in a microwave oven, oven, pressure cooker, etc. In short, even if you don't have a steamer, you can still steam potatoes without having to worry.

How Long Are Steamed Potatoes Good For?

Room Temperature Storage  (< 2 hours)

Cut the potatoes and put them in a storage box, then cover them with a damp cloth.

They can be stored for 2 hours, about 1 hour in summer.

Refrigerator Storage  (3 - 5 days)

Peel and cut the steamed potatoes while they are still hot.

Seal them well, put them in a plastic bag, and suck out the air.

They can be stored for 3 - 5 days.

Freezer Storage  (3 months)

Let the steamed potatoes cool completely.

Put them in separate food bags and squeeze out the air.

Label the date, and then put them in the freezer for storage.

They can be stored for about 3 months.

【Storage Taboos】

Don't put them directly on a metal tray.

Don't soak cut potatoes in water.

Be sure to throw away potatoes that have sprouted or turned green.