Potato peel (PP) was used as a biosorbent to remove malachite green (MG) from aqueous solution under various operating conditions. The effect of the experimental parameters such as initial dye concentration, biosorbent dose, initial pH, stirring speed, temperature, ionic strength and biosorbent particle size was investigated through a number of batch sorption experiments. The sorption kinetic uptake for MG by PP at various initial dye concentrations was analyzed by non-linear method using pseudo-first, pseudo-second and pseudo-nth order models. It was found that the pseudo-nth order kinetic model was the best applicable model to describe the sorption kinetic data and the order n of sorption reaction was calculated in the range from 0.71 to 2.71. Three sorption isotherms namely the Langmuir, Freundlich and Redlich–Peterson isotherms in their non-linear forms were applied to the biosorption equilibrium data. Both the Langmuir and Redlich–Peterson models were found to fit the sorption isotherm data well, but the Redlich–Peterson model was better. Thermodynamic parameters show that the sorption process of MG is endothermic and more effective process at high temperatures. The results revealed that PP is very effective for the biosorption of MG from aqueous solutions.