What can I use instead of Yukon Gold potatoes? The best substitutes for Yukon Gold Potatoes are yellow, all-purpose potatoes like Yellow Finn, Carola, Michigold, Saginaw Gold, and Inca Gold. For a starchier replacement, choose Katahdins or Russets. For waxy varieties, look for Red Bliss or Fingerlings. Purple Peruvians are an excellent multipurpose substitute.
Yukon Gold potatoes are a cross between yellow and white potatoes. They are medium starch, neither too waxy nor too starchy, and therefore multipurpose. Finding a substitute for Yukon Golds depends on your planned cooking method. Here are our best ten substitutes for Yukon Gold Potatoes.
Yellow Finn Potatoes
With a darker gold color than Yukon Gold potatoes, Yellow Finns are the best substitute for Yukon Golds in flavor and texture.
Yellow Finns are mid-season potatoes with golden-yellow flesh, popular and sought-after in Europe. They have a creamy buttery flavor.
Like Yukon Golds, they are categorized as medium-starch potatoes, falling between the starchy and waxy extremes. This makes them versatile and suitable for a variety of purposes.
Substitute Yellow Finns for Yukon Golds when making a gratin, sautéed, baked, or roast potatoes. They are also delicious mashed with butter or sour cream.
Carola Potatoes
Another good substitute for the Yukon Gold is the Carola potato.
Carolas are also yellow potatoes and look very similar to Yukon Golds with yellow skin and flesh and an oblong shape. They have a classic earthy potato flavor and firm, creamy texture.
This potato variety is an excellent substitute for Yukon Golds as they have a similar flavor, although they are somewhat waxier in texture.
Use Carola Potatoes as a Yukon Gold substitute when grilling, roasting, or boiling potatoes, for fries, potato salads, casseroles, and gratins.
Because of their waxy texture, Carola potatoes are not a good substitute when used in soups.
Delta Gold Potatoes
One of the golden or yellow potato varieties, Delta Gold potatoes are not as common as Yukon Golds but make a good alternative if you can find them.
Delta Gold Potatoes are a golden yellow, medium-starch variety of potato, suitable for several purposes.
Use Delta Golds instead of Yukon Golds for boiling, roasting, steaming, and frying. They’re not ideal for mashing, though.
Michigold Potatoes
The Michigold potato is another useful yellow potato that you can substitute for Yukon Gold.
Developed at the University of Michigan, Michigold potatoes are also yellow-fleshed. They were bred specifically to resist potato blight and other defects.
Like the Yukon Gold, these potatoes are medium starch and multipurpose and have the characteristic buttery flavor and texture of all yellow potatoes.
Use Michigold potatoes instead of Yukon Golds for baking, roasting, boiling, and mashing.
Saginaw Gold
A member of the gold potato family, Saginaw Golds are a practical substitute for Yukon Gold potatoes.
The Saginaw Gold is a smooth, slender potato with a beautiful pale-yellow color, appearing medium to late in the season. They have a sweet, buttery flavor and creamy texture.
Saginaw Golds tend to be somewhat waxier than Yukon Golds, so they are a good substitute when making fries, potato chips, baked potatoes, and potato salad.
Inca Gold Potatoes
Although not as well-known as Yukon Golds, Inca Golds are a tasty substitute.
These round, dumpling-like potatoes have golden skin with smooth yellow flesh. Their flavor is delightful, uniquely earthy yet buttery.
Inca Gold potatoes are almost as versatile as Yukon Golds, although they tend to be waxier in texture.
Use Inca Gold potatoes instead of Yukon Golds when making roast, mashed, and boiled potatoes, potato salads, casseroles, and gratins.
Don’t substitute Inca Golds for Yukon Golds in soup as they become soggy.
Katahdin Potatoes
Katahdin potatoes are also yellow potatoes and can substitute for Yukon Gold potatoes.
Like Yukon Golds, Katahdin potatoes have smooth, yellowish skin, soft yellow flesh, and a familiar potato flavor.
However, Katahdins are starchy potatoes, cooking up fluffy and smooth. They are not as versatile as Yukon Golds.
Try using Katahdins as a substitute when boiling or baking potatoes. They are also the ideal potato for French fries.
Because of their starchiness, Katahdin potatoes are not ideal for potato salad or casseroles.
Russet Potatoes
One of the most popular American potato varieties, Russets can substitute for Yukon Gold potatoes.
These large, brown potatoes have a soft, white, relatively dry flesh, a smooth, fluffy texture, and a subtle potato flavor.
Russets are high in starch and low in moisture, so you substitute them for Yukon Golds if you are making mashed potatoes – they absorb butter and cream very well. Russets also make excellent baked potatoes and French fries.
Avoid using Russets in potato salads or gratins, where the potato needs to hold its shape.
Red Bliss Potatoes
With their beautiful, thin red skins, Red Bliss potatoes are a delicious alternative to Yukon Golds.
Although red on the outside, Red Bliss potatoes have white, dense flesh and a slightly bitter, earthy flavor.
Red Bliss potatoes are waxy rather than starchy, meaning they are moist and lower in starch than other potatoes.
Use Red Bliss potatoes instead of Yukon Golds in soups, stews, casseroles, potato salads, and gratins, where you need the potatoes to remain firm.
They are ideal for boiling and roasting, but you should avoid mashing them.
Fingerlings
Small fingerling potatoes can be a delightful substitute for Yukon Golds.
These stubby, finger-shaped potatoes are about two to three inches long and have characteristically thin skin and firm, creamy flesh. Their flavor is sweet and nutty, making them a delicious choice.
Fingerlings are very waxy potatoes, so they are best used instead of Yukon Golds when boiling, baking, or roasting potatoes or making potato salad.
Avoid using fingerlings ins soup as they will lose their shape.
Purple Peruvian Potatoes
Although they look very different from Yukon Golds, Purple Peruvians make an excellent substitute.
With their beautiful deep purple skin and marbled flesh, Purple Peruvians are unique. Their flavor is earthy and nutty, with a buttery undertone.
Although somewhat dry and starchy, Purple Peruvian potatoes are an ideal alternative to Yukon Golds because they are versatile and work in most dishes.
Use Purple Peruvians as a Yukon Gold alternative where you don’t mind the color difference. They are good boiled, baked, roast, fried, and grilled.
Resources
- https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/13304-name-that-spud
- https://www.finecooking.com/ingredient/yellow-finn-potatoes
- https://www.huffpost.com/entry/types-of-potatoes_n_4877050
- https://potatogoodness.com/potato-types/
- https://www.thespruceeats.com/yukon-gold-potato-history-1807688
- https://www.thespruceeats.com/yukon-gold-potato-recipes-1807825