Potato salads are a common feature on the menu of barbecue cookouts during slow summer nights spent outdoors, under the company of stars. Although the idea of a potato salad takes away from the notion of a healthy dish, filled with nutrient-dense ingredients, think of this as a Western upgrade on the classic aloo chaat that we’re all familiar with. Using fresh herbs or adding delicious things like bacon or spicy tempeh (for a plant-based alternative) is a great way to infuse flavour and add some zest to otherwise bland potatoes. With potato salad recipes, it is important to figure out whether you want to bake or boil your potatoes before they are combined with other ingredients; although both techniques are delicious in their own way, the textures and outcome of each treatment will be different, depending on how you choose to treat your potatoes. Using new potatoes is ideal for all recipes, as is cubing them into bite-sized pieces. Here are three delicious ways to make potato salad:
Herbed Potato Salad
Image Credits: Pinterest
Lush with fresh herbs and a zingy citrus dressing, this potato salad is light and pairs best with pork belly and is completely vegan.
Ingredients
- 4-5 boiled potatoes, quartered
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons EVOO
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Combine the fresh herbs, lemon zest, green onions, vinegar, mustard and olive oil in a cup. Season with salt and pepper.
- Toss the quartered potatoes in the herb dressing and add the chilli powder and lemon juice. Toss once again and serve at room temperature.
Bacon Potato Salad
Image Credits: Steamy Kitchen
This no-mayo potato salad is extremely delicious and coated with salty bacon fat, making it ideal to pair with a hot dog or eaten with a cold beer for company.
Ingredients
- 4-5 quartered potatoes, roasted
- ¼ cup baby spinach
- 5-6 bacon strips
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons white/red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons bacon fat
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Fry the rashers of bacon in a pan and reserve some of the bacon fat to combine with the vinegar, onions, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper.
- Season the roasted peppers with a drizzle of bacon fat and a large pinch of black pepper.
- Toss the spinach leaves in the bacon fat dressing and lay down on a large platter. Place the roasted potatoes on top and serve warm.
Japanese Potato Salad
Image Credits: Fae's Twist & Tango
With a creamier texture compared to its counterparts, this Japanese salad is unique because of the addition of fresh vegetables and its well-rounded flavour.
Ingredients
- 4-5 potatoes, boiled
- 1 hard-boiled egg
- 1 cucumber, chopped
- 1 carrot, grated
- 2 slices ham, chopped [optional]
- ¼ cup boiled corn
- 3 tablespoons Kewpie mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Mash the potatoes lightly so you leave some small chunks of boiled potato intact. Add the vinegar and pepper while the potatoes are still warm, mix and set aside.
- Chop the boiled egg into small pieces and add to the mashed potato. Add salt to the cucumber and carrots to draw out any excessive liquid and squeeze it out before adding it to the potatoes.
- Add the remaining ingredients and mix well to combine. Serve cold or at room temperature.