What Thickness Should Vegetables Be Sliced?
Paper-thin (about 1mm) for chips and gratins, 2 to 4mm for salads, stir-fries and sautéing, and 6 to 10mm for fries and roasting. An adjustable mandoline lets you match the thickness to the dish for even cooking.
Thin: chips and gratins
For crisp chips, potato gratin and delicate salads, slice paper-thin, around 1 to 1.5mm. Thin, even slices cook and crisp uniformly, which is exactly what a mandoline does better than a knife.
Medium: salads and stir-fries
For most salads, slaws, stir-fries and sautéing, 2 to 4mm slices give body without being chunky. This is the everyday range for cucumbers, carrots, courgettes and onions.
Thick: fries and roasting
For fries, roast vegetables and gratins with bite, go 6 to 10mm. Even thickness matters most here, so pieces cook at the same rate. An adjustable mandoline lets you dial any of these from one tool.
Frequently asked questions
How thin should potato chips be?
About 1 to 1.5mm, paper-thin, so they crisp evenly. A mandoline set to its thinnest gives the uniform slices that fry or bake into good chips.
Why does even thickness matter?
Because pieces of the same thickness cook at the same rate. Uneven slices leave some pieces underdone and others burnt, which is why a mandoline improves results.