Are sprouted potatoes still edible?

Small sprouts aren't really a problem, but I'd definitely check if the potato has any green discoloration. I'm kind of cautious about it because solanine is honestly not cool - I had a phase where I ignored it and didn't feel so great afterwards. If the potato only has minimal sprouts and still looks nice brown/yellow, you can just cut the sprouts off and use it normally. But as soon as anything looks green or the potato smells weird, I'd rather just throw it out.

Like the others already said, small sprouts aren't a problem in themselves - you can just break them off and use the potato normally. The solanine is mainly in the green spots, not in the sprouts themselves.

What's really critical is whether the potato is discolored greenish. That indicates that solanine has formed, which is a natural toxin in potatoes. The greener it is, the more solanine - honestly, I'd throw the potato in the trash in that case, even though it's a shame to waste it. Larger amounts of solanine can cause headaches, stomach upset, or nausea, and you don't want to deal with that.

Small sprouts are totally fine and no reason to worry. But if the potato's been stored for a while already and starts sprouting, I'd just check it regularly. Best to store your potatoes in a cool, dark, dry place - then they'll last longer and won't sprout as quickly. If you notice while cooking that the potato tastes bitter, spit it out and don't eat it - that's also a sign of solanine.

I'm pretty strict with myself when it comes to stuff like this. Small sprouts alone really aren't the problem, the others got that right. But I always cut the sprouts away generously and then check the whole potato again for any green spots. You can never know for sure if there's solanin in there somewhere, and especially right now in summer 2026 potatoes often aren't stored optimally. If the potato basically looks light and unremarkable, then I use it without any issues - hack off the sprouts, done. But as soon as I see anything greenish or the potato is discolored on the surface in any way, I'd just throw it in the compost. Not worth the risk to me.

The others are right that solanin mainly shows up with green discoloration, but I don't always trust what my eyes tell me. Sometimes the green spots just aren't that clearly visible, especially if the potato is older or has been stored for a while. As a former teacher, I learned to double-check - and especially with food. If I'm not 100% sure whether a potato is still okay, it goes in the trash. There are plenty of other potatoes to buy anyway.