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Herb Potato Salad

A light potato salad with a satisfying creamy tanginess from the combination of olive oil, vinegar and herbs.
Makes ~12 half-cup serves, although the number of servings will depend on what it is served with and appetite.
There are many additions you can make to this salad for colour and flavour. Mustard or nutritional yeast are two delicious flavours to combine into the dressing, see notes below.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Course: Side Dish, Salad
Keyword: vegan, dairy-free, egg-free
Servings: 6
Author: Tansy Boggon

Ingredients

  • 1 kg potato cut into bite-size pieces, cubes or thick slices (~ 1 cm thick)
  • Pinch salt
  • ¼ cup lemon juice, white wine or apple cider vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup (~ 4 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 tablespoons finely chopped chives
  • 2 tablespoons your choice of finely chopped parsley, mint, dill or coriander
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Place chopped potatoes and the pinch of salt in cold water in a large saucepan, ensuring the potatoes are completely covered with water.
  • Place saucepan on stovetop and bring to the boil. Then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or longer, until potatoes can easily be pierced with a knife. The potatoes should slide off the knife easily.
  • Once cooked, drain potatoes in a colander, reserving ½ a cup of the cooking water.
  • Place the still-hot potatoes and the ½ cup of cooking water into a large mixing bowl, and combine with the vinegar and salt. Let it stand to cool, gently stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula that won’t cut into the potatoes. It will appear very watery for a while, but the potatoes will absorb the water with time and reward you with moist and tangy potatoes. Be patient. It can take five to fifteen minutes for the potatoes to absorb the water completely. Alternatively, you can skip this step and double the olive oil in the dressing.
  • Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining ingredients, especially necessary if you add any of the below dressing additions.
  • Then stir through the potatoes once the potatoes have absorbed the moisture. Note that the herbs are best added immediately before serving, but it is not essential.
  • Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled from the fridge in a salad bowl or on a platter.

Notes

Optional additions to dressing

  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1-2 tablespoons mustard (seeded or Dijon)
  • 1-2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

 

Optional additions to salad

You may choose to add for flavour or colour (such as a contrast of red) any of the below to your potato salad:
  • ¼ cup capers, to add a salty, briny flavour
  • ¼ cup chopped sundried tomatoes
  • ¼ cup jarred capsicum, sliced
  • ¼ cup chopped gherkins
  • ¼ cup finely sliced or diced celery, to add fibre and a fresh crunch
  • ¼ cup canned corn, to add sweetness
  • ¼ cup finely diced capsicum; green, yellow or red
  • ¼ cup raw or roasted red onion slices

 

Salad serving suggestions and toppers

Herb potato salad can be served as is or on a bed of lettuce, rocket or spinach.
Toppings or other side elements can be added for variety. For example:
  • 4 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds to add crunch
  • 4 tablespoons crispy chickpeas to add crunch
  • Radish slices to add bitterness
  • Grilled asparagus or courgette
 
Alternatively, herb potato salad can be served as a component of a niçoise salad (pronounced nee-swaz), a French main dish comprised of a bed of lettuce, potato salad, boiled egg, green beans, tomatoes, tuna, olives and a tangy dressing.
Hey, this potato salad would also be delicious for a summer barbecue or alongside salmon or burgers.
Over to you to create your own herb potato salad.

 

Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
It’s a great salad to make up at the beginning of the week and scoop out serves for meals throughout the week.