Those who want to know how long to boil red potatoes are in the right place. Red potatoes are ideal for boiling. They fall into the “boiling potato” category. The reason for this is starch content. Red potatoes are low to medium starch, which means they retain their shape when boiled, unlike high starch varieties, like russets.
How Long to Boil Red Potatoes
The answer to, “How long does it take to boil red potatoes?” isn’t simple, mainly due to size, which is a significant factor. Chances are, you want to boil the potatoes whole to retain their starch, so, in the table below, we’ve provided cook times based on size. Extra-large isn’t covered because red potatoes rarely grow that large; however, if you’re working with red potatoes that exceed 6 inches, increase the cooking time by approximately 5 minutes.
| Type | Size | Boil Time |
| Baby (petite) red potatoes | 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) | 12 minutes |
| Small red potatoes | 2 inches (5 centimeters) | 15 minutes |
| Medium red potatoes | 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) | 20 minutes |
| Large red potatoes | 4 inches (10 centimeters) | 25 minutes |
Whether you want to know how long to boil petite red potatoes, how long to boil little red potatoes or how long to boil small red potatoes, refer to the table above, and you’re good to go. If you’re going to quarter them, measure the size of the quartered pieces, use the corresponding cook time provided above and voila – you know how long to boil quartered potatoes.
How Long Do Red Potatoes Take to Boil: Procedure
Now that you better understand how long to boil red skin potatoes, let’s go over how to cook them step by step. Whether you’re making a potato salad, plan to boil then roast red potatoes or found this resource while searching for how long to boil red potatoes for mashed potatoes, this is the way to go about it. First, you will need the following:
- Red potatoes –aim for 4 ounces (precooked weight) per person
- Water
- Sea salt or kosher salt
You will also need a large pot and, if you have one on hand, a wire strainer/skimmer spoon. The reason for the strainer is to keep the skins intact. The skins will stay intact when the potatoes are lifted out of the water instead of dumped in a colander.
When you’re all set, prepare the potatoes:
- Clean the potatoes. Red potatoes have thinner skins; therefore, the cleaning process should be gentler than if you were boiling russet potatoes or a similar variety. The best way is to rub them with a damp towel.
- Transfer the potatoes to a pot. The pot you choose is just as important as how long to boil red potatoes. Choose one large enough for the potatoes to move around. Once done, add enough water to the pot to cover the potatoes by about an inch.
Then, it is time to cook the potatoes:
- Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Cover the pot to speed up this process if you’re strapped for time.
- Once the water starts to boil, generously salt the water and refer to the table to determine how long to boil red skin potatoes based on type and size. Set a kitchen timer accordingly.
- Drain the potatoes (preferably with a wire spoon strainer) and serve as desired.
Once boiled, red potatoes make a delicious mash, can be cubed and dressed for potato salad, roasted at high heat until crisp and much more.
