Sous Chef Tips: How to Dice a Potato

Potatoes make people happy. And with their natural potential to boost your mood and satisfy your starch cravings, it’s a good thing they can be used in soups, stews, and salads, or cooked to crispy perfection on their own.

But before you can start cooking, you’ll need to know the basics of dicing a potato into uniform, bite-sized pieces. Learn this method and you’ll never have to worry about uneven cooking or ugly presentation when smashing, frying, or roasting again.

Prep Tips & Tools

Make sure to have a sharp chef’s knife, a sturdy cutting board, and a steady hand. Prep the potatoes by giving them a good scrub and peeling them, if desired. Then, trim the stem ends off each side.

How to Dice Potatoes

Step 1: Slice a strip off, lengthwise, so the potato sits flat on the cutting surface. Sometimes a peeled potato will create a small, flat edge.

Step 2: Slice the potato into uniform pieces, while holding it with your non-cutting hand. Slice thinly for a smaller dice and thicker for a chunkier dice.

Step 3: Cut each round into sticks, or “batons”. You can cut each round one at a time, or in a stack.

Step 4: Turn the batons 90 degrees and cut across the shorter side into cubes. This step can also be done in the stack, or one round a time.

Once you’re done dicing, be prepared to use your potatoes right away or place them in a covered bowl with cold water to keep them from browning.