Potatoes but not as you know them! Transform the humble potato into something epic this Summer Hols with Gousto’s guide - perfect potatoes for the whole family! 

When it comes to potatoes, the possibilities are truly endless. Forget mediocre mash and rubbish roasties, Jordan Moore, Senior Recipe Developer from recipe box Gousto shares his secrets to the perfect potato side dishes, plus he’s included 7 recipes so you can recreate them at home. 

You’ll be surprised at just how versatile the super spud can be! Loved by adults and kids alike find out how to upgrade your side dishes with just a few extra ingredients. 

Spiral Goes Viral: Fully Loaded Tornado Potatoes Recipe

https://www.gousto.co.uk/blog/twirl-up-a-storm-with-a-new-street-food-fave-tornado-potatoes

With almost 10k images on Instagram tagged with #tornadopotato, this is a whirlwind trend that is taking Instagram by storm. You NEED to try these at home. And a great twist (literally) on the classic baked potato.

Top your Tornado Potatoes with three of Gousto’s favourite toppings: 

The Triple Cheese One 

Give the basic roast potato a fun twist with this cheesy spiral potato recipe. Drizzle your golden brown tornado potato with a rich cheesy sauce. This simple recipe is full of flavour and the perfect accompaniment to a family barbecue. 

The Fully Loaded One 

Coated in bacon, cheese, sour cream and chives, this fully stacked tornado potato recipe is such good fun to make. Most importantly they taste absolutely delicious too! Just a few ingredients that you’ve probably got in the fridge and you’ll be on your way. 

The Spicy BBQ Vegan One 

Looking for appetiser ideas for your next garden party? Spice up your summer lunch with this spicy BBQ tornado potato recipe - plus they are 100% vegan. Just coat with a mix of cayenne pepper and smoked paprika, then top with vegan mayo and BBQ sauce, delicious! 

Jordan’s Top Tip: 

“If you’ve got family joining you for a feast, then make your life easy by creating a ‘build-your-own-tornado’ bar with just a few ingredients! 

“This way, each guest can top their own tornado potato with whatever toppings they like (and they are super easy to set up in your garden, too). 

“Grab a few bowls and fill with delicious toppings, like cheese, bacon, spices, chives and sauces and let your guests create their own personalised potato side dish.” 

Homemade Crisps

https://www.gousto.co.uk/blog/how-to-make-homemade-crisps-recipe

These homemade crisps are a wonderful, healthy alternative to the usual packet of crisps or other not-so-healthy snacks. Not only are they seriously moreish, but they’re also really easy to make and are a fantastic way to use up spare spuds hanging around in your kitchen. And best of all, you can serve them warm! 

You can whip up this tasty snack with any leftover potato peel or why not try sweet potato mixed with tired parsnips and beetroot. Let your kids join the fun and turn them into little chefs, they’ll love tasting their handiwork, too! 

Jordan’s Top Tip: “To ensure all your homemade crisps are oozing with flavour, place them in a plastic food bag, add the seasoning and jiggle the bag gently until all potato peels are smothered in flavour before spreading out onto a baking sheet and cooking in the oven until crisp and delicious.” 


Hasselback Potatoes 

https://www.gousto.co.uk/cookbook/chicken-recipes/dean-edwards-chicken-with-hasselbacks

Looking for something different to try with your potatoes? With wafer-thin layers of crispy goodness, these hasselback potatoes are the perfect swap for your classic roasties. They’re crispy on the edges like french fries, soft and creamy on the inside like baked potatoes; and just so tasty! 

If you’re looking for a simple but healthy side dish for your summer BBQ, then try topping your hasselback potatoes with garlic, rosemary, olive oil, salt and pepper. Or why not try Gousto’s Chicken with Hasselback Potato recipe for a delicious summer dinner. 

Jordan’s Top Tips: “For the ultimate sharing dish, serve up these hasselback potatoes directly from the baking tray onto a wooden chopping board. Add a few small bowls containing dips such as sour cream and chive and salsa so everyone can serve themselves.” 

“To get even slices across your hasselback potato, there’s a great trick for stopping your knife from going all the way through. Simply line up a couple of chopsticks or wooden spoons either side of your raw potato and slice as you would normally. This way you get the fan effect, without splitting the potato too much.”

Sweet Potato Fries

https://www.gousto.co.uk/blog/sweet-potato-fries

These crispy baked sweet potato fries are so addictive! Strips of sweet potatoes tossed with cornflour, oil, sprinkled with spices and baked in the oven until crisped on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside. Enjoy as a snack or alongside your favourite BBQ dishes - this simple recipe will take your sweet potatoes fries to the next level. 

Jordan’s Top Tip: “Chuck fresh chilli, peppers, spring onions and your sweet potato fries into a pan to recreate Chinese takeaway inspired salt and pepper chips. Simple and easy”  

Crispiest Oven-Baked Chips 

https://www.gousto.co.uk/blog/crispiest-oven-baked-chips

With crispy edges and soft centres, these oven-baked chips are the perfect summer side to fuel the family. These chips are baked in the oven until crispy and crunchy for a healthy alternative to the typical store-bought fried chips. Your crispy potato side can be spiced with paprika, for a delightful twist or why not try topping with Gousto’s KFC-style gravy. 

Jordan’s Top Tip: “Avoid piling your chips on top of each other on the baking tray, try spreading them out amongst two trays and give the tray a little shake at least twice when cooking to keep everything moving.

Hash browns 

https://www.gousto.co.uk/blog/how-to-make-crispy-hash-browns

Brunch lovers, this recipe is perfect for you! Make your own crispy, crunchy hash browns at home following this effortlessly simple recipe. With just a few simple ingredients, hash browns are the perfect side for breakfast, lunch, and even at dinnertime - why not swap your basic spuds for a portion of these tasty homemade hashbrowns? 

Jordan’s Top Tip: “There’s an extra step you can take for the crispiest hash browns ever. Take a clean, dry tea towel and grate your potato onto it. Gather the corners together and twist the tea towel to squeeze all of the moisture out of the potato.

“This extra step will help you get that extra brown colour and crispy texture as you fry them up. Don’t forget to have some paper towels ready to drain the excess oil just before serving.”  

Potato cakes 

https://www.gousto.co.uk/cookbook/vegetarian-recipes/potato-cakes-homemade-beans

Homemade potato cakes are so easy to make and a great way of using up any leftover mashed potato. Serve them with beans and eggs for breakfast or for dinner with veggies. Or why not serve as an appetiser for your next dinner party? 

Jordan’s Top Tip: “Potato cakes do have a habit of falling apart when they hit the hot pan. To avoid this, mix and shape your potato cakes well-ahead of time, cover and pop in the fridge to firm up.

“This will stop the potato cakes from crumbling and depending on the thickness of them, you might need to cook them for slightly longer to get them heated through completely in the middle. 

“Another delicious way to add an extra dimension to your potato cakes is to add cheese. Mix a hand full or two of grated strong cheddar into your potato cake mix for that delicious cheesy flavour running through your potato cake.”

This piece is brought to you by www.gousto.co.uk

#Inconversation - Brand New

This week Natalie chats to actress and author Natasha Naomi Rea about the success of her memoir Me, Myself & Bipolar Brenda . Speaking frankly about her personal journey with bipolar disorder Natasha gives an in-depth insight into the challenges of living with this often misunderstood mental health issue. Natalie & Natasha also talk about the benefits of exercise and a holistic approach to managing the condition and Natasha’s work with Bipolar UK.