17 Best Purple Potato Recipes You’ll Ever Try

Tasty and packed with antioxidants, these purple potato recipes are an easy way to get fancy in the kitchen without, you know, going to culinary school. 

They’re moist, lightly sweet, and typically need to be cooked longer than regular potatoes.

And while they may look similar to ube, the taste and texture is quite different.

Purple potatoes are less starchy than yellow potatoes and sometimes have a slightly nutty flavor.

That makes them ideal for use in everything from soup and potato bakes to muffins and ice cream.

So try these purple potato recipes and add some flair to your next meal. 

Easy and Delicious Roasted Purple Potatoes and More!

1. Roasted Purple Potatoes 

This classic roasted purple potato recipe is a simple way to add a lot of color and taste to dinnertime.

Cut the potatoes into large 1-inch pieces, then toss them in plenty of oil and classic Italian seasonings. 

They take around 25 minutes to bake in the oven, followed by 3 minutes under the broiler.

Garnish with fresh herbs and serve with grilled chicken or steak. 

2. Purple Potatoes With Caramelized Onions and Shiitake Mushrooms 

This dish is rich in umami flavors, thanks to the shiitake mushrooms, bacon, sweet caramelized onions, and purple potatoes.

It may look like a side dish, but the flavors in this recipe are so rich they’ll easily work as a complete meal. 

The bacon brings a beautiful smoky flavor that infuses into every bite. Meanwhile, caramelized onions add a touch of sweetness. Yum!

3. Mashed Purple Sweet Potatoes 

What’s better than mashed potatoes? I can’t think of much!

If you’re new to the purple potato world, this is probably the best recipe to start with.

This dish is creamy and nutty, with subtle herbal notes that lift all those intense flavors. 

It comes together in under 30 minutes, and I love how the fresh herbs contrast that rich purple backdrop. 

And let’s be honest, it’ll make your Insta feed pop!

4. Roasted Purple Potatoes With Cilantro and Garlic

On their own, purple potatoes have a unique and exciting flavor.

But this roasted purple potato recipe adds a few simple ingredients that make them sing.

It’s easy, whips up in a flash, and is sure to impress. 

Toss your roughly chopped potatoes in oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and roast.

After 25 minutes, take your potatoes out of the oven and garnish them with fresh cilantro. How easy is that?

5. Purple Sweet Potato Muffins

These purple sweet potato muffins are a unique muffin experience.

Packed with rich and slightly sweet flavors, they’re insanely moist with a tender crumb.

Plus, the purple potatoes yield a lovely color that’s hard to resist. 

Try to find the brightest potatoes at the supermarket to ensure your muffins look more purple than grey.

Remember, they won’t hold their color in the oven if they start out dull. 

6. Purple Sweet Potato Unicorn Soup 

Don’t worry – no unicorns were harmed in the making of this soup!

This modern purple potato soup is ripe for an Instagram photo shoot and tastes as unique as it looks!

And while it may look like something out of a fancy restaurant, it’s super easy to whip up at home. 

The soup base infuses classic potato soup staples such as chicken stock, onion, garlic, thyme, and cream Fraiche.

But the best part lies in the turmeric croutons. They take a little extra time to prepare but are well worth it for the added flavorful crunch. 

7. Purple Sweet Potato Pie Bars 

Do you want to be the breakaway star of your next holiday potluck? Then I’ve got just the recipe!

These purple sweet potato bars are impossibly fancy yet deceptively easy. Oh, and they’re vegan and gluten-free. 

Without a topping, these bars are not very sweet. So, if you like a little extra punch of sweetness, add a glaze on top.

If you want to keep things vegan, condensed coconut milk should do the trick.

8. Okinawan Purple Sweet Potato Haupia Pie Bars 

Haupia is a Hawaiian dessert you’ll fall for at first bite.

It’s a simple coconut pudding that’s impossibly smooth and creamy. That pairs perfectly with the sweet potato base, making these downright addictive.

You’ll start with a basic Graham Cracker crust, followed by a yummy pureed purple sweet potato, heavy cream, vanilla, and cardamom filling.

As if that’s not enough, it’s topped with nutty haupia. 

These babies aren’t overly sweet, and they’re an ideal option for a summer cookout. 

9. Crispy Baked Purple Sweet Potato Fries

It’s not a potato party without french fries! And these simple crispy baked purple potato fries are crazy easy to make.

Better yet, you don’t even need to bust out the deep-fryer! 

Unlike yellow potatoes, the higher moisture content in purple potatoes allows them to crisp up in the oven.

Just toss them in oil and spices (rosemary potatoes are my jam!), then bake for 15 minutes per side.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce, and enjoy!

10. Purple Potato Salad

Are you in charge of sides for your next potluck? Don’t stress, I’ve got you covered.

Potato salad is a classic cookout food, but it’s not the prettiest dish. So, why not wow your friends and family with this purple potato salad recipe?

It’s still packed with potato salad staples like celery, onions, mayo, and mustard. It’s just way prettier!

Plus, the purple potatoes add a little sweetness and cut down on the starch. 

11. Vegan Purple Sweet Potato Ice Cream 

It’s ice cream time. Only this one is for the vegans!

This rich purple potato dairy-free ice cream is just as creamy as any other recipe, thanks to the potatoes and coconut milk. 

And though the potatoes are sweet, you can adjust the sugar with maple syrup or honey.

It’s easy, tasty, and just plain fun.

12. Ube Halaya (Ube Jam) 

Ube Halaya is a traditional Filipino dish made from Ube or purple yams.

Those can be hard to find at your local grocery store, but purple potatoes will work as a replacement in a pinch. 

The trick to a smooth jam is to boil the grated potatoes and then hit them with an immersion blender.

You’ll add evaporated and coconut milk to make this dish insanely creamy. Then, top it off with rice flakes, toasted coconut, or grated cheese. 

13. Purple Sweet Potato Buns

Purple sweet potatoes not only add color to these buns but also a ton of moisture and added fiber.

These babies come together just like basic dinner rolls, so no crazy Chef tricks are involved. 

Just cook your potatoes any way that works best for you, be it in the microwave, boiled in a pot of water, or steamed.

The key is ensuring they are entirely cooked, smooth, and cooled before throwing them into your bread dough mixture.  

14. Purple Sweet Potato Pie

Traditional Thanksgiving food has a reputation for being unapologetically brown or orange.

It tastes delicious, but it’s seriously lacking in color.

Luckily, this purple sweet potato pie recipe captures all of the flavors of Thanksgiving. But the bright purple filling makes it a show-stopper.

You may never make boring pumpkin pie again!

15. Purple Sweet Potato Gnocchi

This purple sweet potato gnocchi is surprisingly easy to make.

It’s a terrific recipe to whip up on hectic weekdays and only calls for four ingredients. Still, it has massive flavors that work as a complete meal. 

Along with cooked and pureed purple potatoes, you’ll need gnocchi staples like Parmesan cheese, flour, and salt.

The most tedious part of this recipe is cutting dough – so feel free to employ some kitchen help!

After they hit the pot of water, though, they cook in just 3-5 minutes. 

16. Purple Sweet Potatoes Baked in Vegan Cheesy Sauce

These impossibly cheesy vegan purple potatoes taste even better than they look.

The best part is that it only takes over 15 minutes to come together. 

When you cut the potatoes into slices, make sure you don’t go all the way through. That’s really the only trick here.

Bake them in the oven until tender, then garnish with a vegan cheese sauce and fresh herbs. Easy peasy! 

17. Spicy Roasted Potatoes with Za’atar 

These spicy roasted potatoes are so packed with flavor they almost jump off the plate.

The subtle sweetness of the potatoes works well with spicy Za’atar seasoning and Aleppo pepper. 

Add a splash of lemon juice to lift those rich flavors, and drizzle with creamy tahini sauce to finish.

This dish comes together in a snap and is a great side dish for grilled chicken at a summer BBQ.