Potato Salad is a staple of summer cookouts, backyard barbeques, and other social gatherings, especially in the South. Truth be told, there are many versions of Potato Salad around the world. Cooks add all kinds of veggies and herbs to potato salad in the hopes of creating a unique taste. Some top the Potato Salad with sour cream; others wouldn’t make Potato Salad without the perfect amount of mayo and mustard.
To understand why Potato Salad is so important, one must first understand the origins of Potato Salad. Potato Salad is a dish that has origins running back to the time of the Spanish explorers of the 16th century; however, the Potato Salad recipe that we know of today is based on a German tradition and probably came to America prior to the American Revolution.
Read More »Because bottled mayo wasn’t available until the early twentieth century, it is tough to know exactly who added this condiment to Potato Salads. However, when this trend became popular, the recipe took a change as well. In addition to the mayo, cooks added chopped celery and herbs.
It’s also important to note that many American families have a family recipe in which there is a “secret” ingredient involved; you’ll also find that there are varying Potato Salad recipes from different regions of the United States!
Tips for Preparing the Potato Salad
It’s crucial that you salt the water in which you boil the potatoes, and use the right amount of salt. Use about a teaspoon of salt. Your potatoes will not be salty; instead, the salt will bring out the flavor of the potatoes.
Next, don’t let the potatoes boil too long. Bring them to a boil, then turn down the temp so that the potatoes just simmer, cover with your lid and let the internal heat cook the potatoes. You’ll know they are ready when you can easily push a fork through the center of the potato.
Oh, one last note – a really great potato salad begins when you choose the right type of potato. Choose small, waxy potatoes such as the Yukon Gold variety. Stay away from Russet potatoes as they tend to crumble when cooked.
Easy Creamy Potato Salad
2 pounds yellow, red, or white potatoes (make sure they’re small!)
1 tablespoon apple cider, wine, or rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon yellow mustard (can substitute Dijon mustard or whole grain mustard if desired)
1/2 medium-sized red onion, finely chopped
3 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1 medium dill pickle, finely chopped
2 boiled eggs, peeled and chopped (this is an optional ingredient)
1/4 cup of fresh herbs, chopped finely (this can be any and all of the following – parsley, dill, chives, tarragon, or cilantro)
salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with about 1 1/2 inches of water. Cook 15 – 20 minutes or until you can easily pierce them with a fork.
Once the potatoes are done cooking, drain them. Pinch the skin away from the potato, and cube the potato into smaller chunks (preferably bite-sized). Lightly pour the vinegar over the potatoes and sprinkle salt to taste over them.
Mix sour cream, mayo, and mustard in a bowl. Add the sour cream mixture as well as the cubed potatoes to the mixture. Add the chopped veggies (onion, pickles, herbs) and eggs (if desired) to the mixture. Combine the ingredients but be careful not to mash the potatoes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Red, White, and Blue Potato Salad
This patriotic potato salad is perfect for all your summer holiday cookouts! The key to adding distinctive flavor to this recipe is tossing the cooked potatoes in the stock and wine immediately after draining. The potatoes will absorb the liquid quickly. The variety of potatoes will also add unique flavor to your dish.
Dilly Egg and Potato Salad
This potato salad adds egg to the flavor mix for another unique potato salad. Taking a nod from your mom’s deviled egg recipe, this dish is the best of both worlds! The addition of dill pickles will really bring out the flavor of your dish. You can add or take away any of the herbs or the chopped veggies for the most picky of eaters.
German Potato Salad
This potato salad recipe is very much like the potato salad recipe brought to the Americas prior to the American revolution. This recipe adds bacon, apple cider vinegar, and onion to the classic recipe. Take a trip back in time and taste the flavors that were made popular over two centuries ago.
Honey Mustard Potato Salad
Even the pickiest of eaters will enjoy this flavor-ful potato salad. This never-boring potato salad offers the best in zesty flavors by adding a twist on the traditional mustard added in potato salads. This recipe calls for eggs, but you can leave them off, if so desired. Utilize the green onions to bring about the utmost of flavor.
Loaded Potato Salad
If you love loaded baked potatoes with all the trimmings, you are sure to love the Loaded Baked Potato Salad. This tasty potato salad adds bacon, shredded cheese, green onions and sour cream to the traditional potato salad ingredients for an extra boost of flavor. In addition, Ceasar salad dressing and ranch salad dressing give this potato salad recipe and out of this world flavor.
Mom’s Potato Salad
Literally just like your mom used to make, this traditional potato salad is hard to beat. The recipe incorporates hardboiled eggs, red potatoes, mustard, and chopped onions with evaporated milk for a special touch. This recipe is creamy yet full of flavor. Add some paprika to pack extra flavor.
Ranch Potato Salad
If you love ranch and bacon, this Ranch Potato Salad will hit the spot! This tasty variation of traditional potato salad is more like a baked potato with all the trimmings. Use red potatoes and real bacon bits to really ramp up the flavor. Add garlic powder for a little extra pizzazz!
Grilled Three Potato Salad
This potato salad recipe adds sweet potatoes to totally change the flavor of your potato salad! Add celery seed and Dijon mustard instead of regular mustard, plus add some green onions. This unique recipe should be placed in a wok or grill basket to add the smokey flavor. You’ll have friends begging for this unique recipe!
Tzatziki Potato Salad
Got a picky eater who doesn’t like eggs? Perhaps someone on your guest list has an egg allergy? This potato salad pops with flavor without adding eggs. Instead, add surprisingly spicy radishes, garlic dill pickles and apples for unexpected flavor bonuses.
