Is a Potato a Vegetable or Grain?

By Staff WriterLast Updated April 03, 2020

Officially, potatoes are vegetables, not grains. Part of the confusion about what potatoes are stems from the starch content, which rivals that of rice, flour and pasta.

Another misconception about potatoes is that they are a root vegetable. In fact, they are actually what are known as tubers and grow beneath the surface of the soil. They are an important staple crop that grow in most climates, as they have the ability to withstand a light frost.

There are more than 100 varieties of potatoes grown worldwide with the most popular varieties being russet potatoes, white potatoes, redskin and Yukon Golds. They are most often baked, roasted, boiled and mashed, and sliced and fried.