We were this many days old when we discovered that we’d been cutting our potatoes wrong the whole time. If you want the best results from your spuds, you should set aside that chopping board and embrace la cascada.

Translating to ‘waterfall’ in Spanish, ‘cascada’ is a potato cutting technique that involves slicing halfway through, twisting the blade of the knife and then breaking off the potato in jagged chunks. Our sister publication in the UK shared this video to demonstrate. 

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Why do this? It doesn’t just make you look like you’re a total legend in the kitchen; chopping potatoes cascada style will deliver better results, no matter how you plan to cook them.

“Cutting your potatoes in this way leaves them with more edges and a rougher surface, which means they will crisp up more when fried or roasted,” says delicious. Food Director Lucy Nunes. “It will also release more starch, which will help to thicken your sauce when making a stew or soup. Or, if you want to fry your potatoes, this method allows you to rinse off more starch beforehand, resulting in a crispier end result. Just be sure to dry the potatoes well before frying. 

“Also, be very careful when using a sharp knife so close to your hands.”

Ready to give the cascada technique a whirl? Try it in this recipe for braised chicken and potatoes, these wagyu fat potatoes or these Indian loaded roast potatoes.

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