There are, very broadly speaking, two categories of potato in the UK - floury and waxy. Today’s focus is the floury potato - think Maris Pipers and King Edwards. These potatoes are less watery and more starchy than waxy potatoes, making them perfect for baking, mashing, frying and making into gnocchi. Floury potatoes can also be called baking potatoes or mealy potatoes, but these are other names for the same thing.

If you’re not sure what sort of potato you have at home, you can have a look at our potato variety guide to learn more about the best uses for common types of potatoes in the UK. You can also look at the size of your potatoes - smaller potatoes like Jersey Royals tend to be waxy, while bigger potatoes like Maris Pipers are probably floury. Some potato varieties - such as the red-skinned Desirée - can land somewhere in the middle, but most tend to be one or the other.

We have a wide variety of recipes which use floury potatoes on the website, many of them simple and easy enough to put together on a weeknight. Below are just a few of our favourite quick and easy recipes to try when you have an abundance of floury potatoes in the cupboard.

Colcannon is an Irish mashed potato dish which is delicious served alongside roast gammon or a piece of beef. This version is incredibly simple, using just potatoes, kale, milk and butter, but you can also add in some spring onions, leeks or regular onions if you wish.

Lamb stew is another Irish classic. This version uses pearl barley, which soaks up all the flavoursome lamb stock and has a pleasant chew to it, contrasting with the soft carrots and potatoes. Lamb stew is perfect for a slow cooker, or for making at the weekend and reheating during the week.

This lightly spiced cottage pie is topped with an extra-rich layer of mash, thanks to the egg yolk which Calum Franklin mixes into the potatoes. It’s inspired by keema, a traditional Indian dish of minced meat cooked in a spiced gravy.

Fish cutlets are a popular street food in Sri Lanka, and are incredibly convenient to prepare as they only use store cupboard ingredients like tinned fish, potatoes, onion, spices and breadcrumbs. Traditionally they are served with a tangy chilli sauce, and make a delicious alternative to English-style fishcakes.

Floury potatoes are essential to achieving that fluffy texture and crisp exterior that makes roasties so moreish. Using goose fat makes these roast potatoes extra delicious, but if you can’t find any or want to keep them vegetarian then olive or vegetable oil will work just as well.

The name ‘mashed potatoes’ is slightly misleading with this dish - far from being a typical chunky English mash, it’s closer to the French-style pommes mousseline. It’s very smooth, and the potatoes are mixed in a food processor to give them the classically French, silky texture.

While making gnocchi may not be quick, it is surprisingly simple and satisfying. Unlike ravioli or other pastas, gnocchi requires minimal equipment. Using a potato ricer will give you the lightest texture, but even without one, these gnocchi will still turn out delicious.

These Lancashire cheese puffs are a delicious way to combine two classic British ingredients - crumbly Lancashire cheese and fluffy potatoes. They are also a good way to use up any leftover herbs or jacket potatoes you have lying around in the fridge.