Have you ever pulled out a bag of potatoes and found that they have gone slightly soft? We all know we need to be cautious about using potatoes that aren’t at their best, but can you eat these?
Slightly soft potatoes should be fine to eat, but if they have gone very soft and mushy, you’ll need to throw them away. When you take a potato out, you need to lightly squeeze it to see how soft it is and discard any that dent when you squeeze them. If the flesh is still firm, you can use them as normal.
Knowing when you can use old vegetables safely and when to throw them away can help you massively cut down on food waste – so we’re going to use this article to check when potatoes are safe to eat and when they should be composted. This should help you use up softening potatoes when they are safe.
Are Soft Potatoes Safe To Eat?
In general, slightly soft potatoes should be fine to eat. If the potato has light wrinkling on the skin and feels somewhat pliable under your hands, it should still be okay to cut up and cook. You can remove any minor blemishes or eyes if you need to, using a peeler or a sharp knife. A small degree of softness won’t hurt you.
Of course, you do need to look out for any signs that the potatoes have started to go moldy. As soon as the potato molds, it stops being safe to eat, and you need to throw it away – but how do you know when potatoes have gone moldy? There are a few key signs to look out for:
- A strange, rotting scent when you cut or hold the potato
- Any majorly soft areas that dent inward when you lightly squeeze them
- Any liquid leaking out of the potato, especially when squeezed
- Large areas of blackness or brown that have spread throughout the potato and can’t easily be cut off
- Patches of green on and under the skin
- Spots of mold.
Soft potatoes have simply lost some of their water, so they should generally be fine to consume. You might find that their taste and texture isn’t quite as good, because of the water loss, but they are perfectly safe. Once cooked, you probably won’t even be able to tell the difference between a soft potato and a firm, fresh potato.
Can You Eat Very Soft Potatoes?
If the potatoes have gone very soft, you can’t generally eat them safely. If it is somewhere in between, check very thoroughly for the above signs of spoilage, and if you see any, throw the potatoes away instead. If you don’t see any, the potato should be fine to chop up and cook.
Remember that the softness is only caused by water loss, so there’s no reason that a very soft potato should be harmful to you; it just doesn’t contain as much water. You might be surprised to learn that fresh potatoes contain a lot of water, perhaps as much as 80 percent, so losing some to the atmosphere is not a problem.
It should be noted, though, that a very soft potato may not be very enjoyable, so some people opt to throw them away. The loss of moisture will result in a bland flavor and a grainy texture, and you might find that the potatoes are not particularly nice once they have been cooked.
Some people, therefore, throw away potatoes that have turned very soft, while others opt to use them up to avoid food waste. They should not usually be unsafe, but you may need to disguise their texture by mashing or blending them. You might also need to add more herbs, spices, or salt to tackle the flavor loss too.
Do Soft Potatoes Have A Good Texture?
This depends on how soft the potato is when you cut and cook it. Mildly soft potatoes will probably have a fine texture.
By the time the potato has been boiled, you are unlikely to notice that the moisture was lost, but if the potato was very soft, it may not be ideal for baking with. Instead, you should aim to boil and mash them, as this will disguise any loss of texture or flavor. Add a little butter or oil if you do find that the potatoes are dry.
The texture and flavor may not be the best, but the potatoes are still edible.
Conclusion
Soft potatoes should be fine to eat on the whole; a lot of people use them even when they have gone quite soft. However, you should look out for signs of spoilage before you wash and cut the potatoes, and if you see mold, leaking, or mushy areas, the potatoes need to be thrown away.
